Richard Lerdal

Born: June 7, 1930
Died: May 11, 2019

Richard I. Lerdal, 88, of Sioux Falls, SD died Saturday, May 11, 2019 at Avera Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls. His committal service will be 9:00 AM Wednesday, May 15 at Rosendal Cemetery, Sherman, SD, with a memorial service at 11:00 AM at Hope Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls. Visitation begins at 5:00 PM Tuesday, May 14 at George Boom Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory, Sioux Falls, where the family will greet friends from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
Richard Lerdal was born June 7, 1930 in Dell Rapids, SD to Irvin and Beatrice (Halverson) Lerdal. He was baptized at Rosendal Lutheran Church in rural Sherman, SD. Richard’s early education was at White Willow Country School. He graduated from Garretson High School in 1948.
Following graduation, Richard worked for area farmers until August of 1949, when he started working for John Morrell and Company. He was employed there for 38 years, retiring in 1987.
On September 3, 1952, Richard was united in marriage with Joyce Heinemann at the St. Mary’s Rectory in Dell Rapids, SD. They were blessed with five children, Debra, Donald, Michael, Patty and Peter.
Richard was an avid collector, especially of John Deere model tractors. Richard and Joyce loved their cabin at Lake Madison. The peace of life on the water was topped only by the joy of being surrounded by family and friends filling the beach.
Following his retirement, Richard worked part-time for Austad’s, the Sioux Falls Street Department and the Sioux Falls annual leaf drop. For more than 30 years, he volunteered for the Good Samaritan Center, helping take residents on outings and serving at their monthly birthday parties. He was awarded volunteer of the year for his dedicated service.
Grateful for having shared his life are his loving wife of 66 years, Joyce; five children, Debra Lerdal and her husband, Peter Hoeger, Minneapolis, MN, Donald Lerdal and his wife, Darla Drew, Rapid City, SD, Michael Lerdal and his wife, Apidee Julprapa, Bangkok, Thailand, Patty Van Aartsen and her husband, Steve, Sioux Falls, SD and Peter Lerdal and his wife, Jill, Sioux Falls, SD; Richard was a proud grandpa of 14 grandchildren, Nils, Erik, Soren, Drew, Mattie, Benjamin, Michael II, Dane, Jami, Heather, Michael, Luke, Nora and Marta. Richard and Joyce have 17 great grandchildren. Richard is also survived by a sister, Harriet Lerdal, Golden Valley, MN; a brother, Ronald Lerdal and his wife, Chickie, Las Cruces, NM; two sisters-in-law, Virginia Mergen and her husband, Dick, Dell Rapids, SD, Ruby Nelson and her husband, Dick, Overland Park, KS; a brother-in-law, Merlin Schmidt, Dell Rapids, SD; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers and their wives, Robert and Carol Lerdal and Roger and Sharon Lerdal.