Arvin Ketcham

Arvin E. Ketcham, age 89, of Parker, died peacefully at his home on Friday, November 16, 2018. Funeral services will be at 11:00am Saturday, November 24, 2018 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Tea with burial at Rosehill Cemetery, Parker. Visitation with family present will be from 5-7pm Friday evening at the Hofmeister Jones Funeral Home, Parker. Arvin Eugene Ketcham was born on October 27, 1929 on the Charles Littlechild farm east of Lake Vermillion, SD to Clair and Lois (Whiting) Ketcham. He was united in marriage to Lorraine Frances Graack on September 3, 1950 at the First English Lutheran Church in Parker, SD. They were married for 62 years. He maintained a strong Christian faith throughout his life and spent many Sunday mornings serving as an usher at First English Lutheran Church. During his life Arvin worked hard to make sure his family had what they needed. He farmed with his family and helped area farmers including Bud Bousfield and Jim Rand. He worked at Sioux Falls Rendering Company, Moorman’s Feeds, Turner County Highway Department, Farmers Union Coop, and the Parker School District where he drove the school bus for many years. Many of the students still say that Arvin was one of their favorites. Arvin enjoyed country music, dancing, fishing, hunting, gardening, woodworking, trips with the family, and various other hobbies. He will be remembered for his strong love and devotion to his family, his sense of humor, and being a friend to many with his ability to strike up a conversation with anyone anywhere. Grateful for having shared his life are his sons Clayton (Kathy), Choteau, MT, Greg (Judy), Spirit Lake, IA, and Brian (Lisa), Omaha, NE; his daughters Karlyn, Parker, Laurie (Roger), Tea, and Lisa (Jack), Vermillion; 12 grandchildren, Mark Ketcham, Kelly Ketcham, Teri Schuster, Kristen Daugherty, Shannon Moyle, Megan Weber, Kelsey White, Lindsay Patt, Nick Ketcham, Bailey Ketcham, Weston Parsons and Alex Parsons; 16 great grandchildren, a sister-in-law, Bert Ketcham, several nieces, nephews, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Lorraine in 2013, a brother Lyle and a brother in infancy, Myron.