Wayne Waltner

Wayne A. Waltner

Wayne Waltner, 72 of Marion, died Saturday, October 5, 2019 of an apparent heart attack while doing what he loved, farming.  Memorial services will be at 10:30am Saturday, October 12, 2019 at Salem Mennonite Church (South), rural Freeman.  Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery, rural Marion.  Arrangements by Hofmeister Jones Funeral Home.

Wayne Alan Waltner was born on February 1, 1947 at Freeman, South Dakota to Clifford and Ida (Schultz) Waltner.  He grew up in the Marion area where he graduated from Marion High School in 1965.  After receiving his BS degree in accounting from USD in Vermillion he worked for Palmer Construction for a few years before returning to farming.

Wayne sometimes felt out of step with this world and often spoke of his homecoming with Jesus. In the same breath, he talked of his need to be present on this earth to pray for his children and grandchildren. He wanted everyone to know about the saving love and grace of Jesus even when he struggled to exemplify that truth in his own life.

He loved being a farmer. He delighted in the smell of freshly turned ground. Feeling the earth under his feet and working with the soil to grow and produce a crop brought him joy.

He loved his dogs. He grew up with Pomeranians and they were his constant companions and "farm" dogs. You rarely saw Wayne without his two beloved furballs, Mitsy and Boobear.

Grateful for having shared his life are his 4 children, Chad (Brooke) Waltner, New England, ND, Bobbi (Nicholas) Trumbull, Sioux Falls, Charity (Mark) Fahlstrom, Springfield, MO, and William Parker (Heather) Waltner, Squaw Gap, ND; 10 grandchildren and a sister Sharon (Doug) Keller, New England, ND.  He was preceded in death by his parents.

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