Walter K. Mielke

Walter K. Mielke, 90 of Parker, died on May 4, 2023, at the Tieszen Memorial Home in Marion. Funeral Service will be at 1:30pm Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at the First English Lutheran Church, Parker. Visitation will be from 5-7pm Monday at Hofmeister-Jones Funeral Home, Parker. The funeral will be livestreamed at www.facebook.com/HofmeisterJonesFuneralHome

Walter Kenneth Mielke was born on December 5, 1932, near Parker, SD to Gustav and Anna (Langrehr) Mielke. He grew up near Parker where he graduated from Parker High School in 1951. During the Korean War he served in the US Air Force for 4 years, having flown 26-night missions as a gunner in a B-29 Bomber. After his discharge from the service under the G-I Bill he attended South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD, graduating with a BS degree with honors in ag business in 1959. On March 29, 1959, he was united in marriage to Jean K. Beitz at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Huron, SD. They farmed for a brief time between Beresford and Lennox before moving to a farm near Parker where they have lived and farmed for the past 58 years. He was a member of First English Lutheran Church.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Jean; 4 sons, Kevin (Kris) Mielke, Worthing, SD, Keith Mielke and Kurtis Mielke, both of Parker and Kyle (Holly) Mielke, Abilene, Texas; 7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren; a sister Mary Ann (Wayne) Andrews, New York; and 2 brothers, Richard (Laurie) Mielke, Minneapolis, and John Mielke, Colorado. He was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter Karen, an infant son Kenneth, a grandson Adam, and a brother Delbert.