Leo Schempp

Leo Schempp, 90, died Monday, September 4, 2017 at the VA Medical Center in Sioux Falls. Funeral services will be at 10:30am Saturday, September 9, 2017 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Hurley. Burial with military honors will be at the Menno Cemetery. Visitation will be with family present from 4-7pm Friday at Heritage Funeral Home, 57th and Minnesota Ave, Sioux Falls with a Prayer Service at 7:00pm. Arrangements by Hofmeister Jones Funeral Home. Leo LaVerne Schempp was born on September 5, 1927 in Hutchinson County near Menno to Christ and Lydia (Koerner) Schempp. He was baptized and confirmed in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Menno which later became Grace Lutheran Church. Leo attended country school at the Zeeb District #104 School. After graduating from eighth grade, he attended high school for a year. Leo, who enjoyed the outdoors, stayed at home to help his father on the farm. In January 1951 he enlisted into the US Air Force. He received his basic training at Lackland Air Base near San Antonio, TX. After he was transferred to Randolph Air Base he became a cook where he served 2 years and 9 months of duty. In 1951 he received a furlough to come home to help his father put in the spring crop. While on furlough he was united in marriage to Adeline Roesler on April 27, 1951 near Freeman. He returned back to Randolph Air Base until November of 1953 when he received an honorary discharge and came back to South Dakota. He moved to the Mitchell area where he worked in a grocery store until the spring of 1954 and began farming north of Olivet for a year, then moved to the Ethan area and farmed for four more years. They moved to the Hurley area where Leo farmed for 37 years until his retirement in 1991 to Turkey Ridge. He enjoyed dancing, gardening, helping people in need, and attending auction sales and short trips. Leo was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Hurley where he held several offices and was on the building committee and remodeling chairman. He was a member of the Hurley American Legion Post #21, served on the country school board district #34 for 4 years and the Hurley School Board for 8 years, served on the Turner County Heritage Park Board and was chairman of the antique cars. Leo belonged to the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America. He and Adeline traveled every year attending car shows in different states. As a couple, they played golf with friends at many golf courses in South Dakota. He lived a life of happiness, always making people and friends welcome to stop by and visit. He loved his Lord and Savior. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Adeline; 4 children, Wayne (Pamela), Loveland, CO, Mark (Marilyn), Dale (Kerstin), and Nancy Harsh, all of Sioux Falls; 8 grandchildren, Justin (Nancy) Schempp, Laura (Edward) Thomphsen, Autumn and Austin Schempp, Samantha and Paige Harsh, and Kenny and Kyle Schempp; 4 great grandchildren, Jaden and Jack Schempp, and Elle and Leo Thomphsen; and a sister Lucille (Harold) Wollman, Longmont, CO. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Elton and twins Erhardt and Ervin, and a sister Luella Kuen.