Louie Bartels

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Louie E. Bartels, 96, of Gettysburg, passed away Tuesday, February 13, 2018, at Angelhaus North, Aberdeen, SD.

Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m., Thursday, February 22, 2018, at the United Methodist Church, Gettysburg, with Pastor Jeff Adel officiating. Burial will follow in the Gettysburg Cemetery. A prayer service will be held at 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 21, 2018 at Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary, Aberdeen, with visitation one hour prior.

Louie E. Bartels was born February 26, 1921 to Ernest and Ethel (Quandt) Bartels at Gettysburg, SD. Due to the declining health of his mother the family relocated back to Illinois where he attended various elementary schools and graduated from Kenney Community High School, Clinton, IL in 1938. Louie studied engineering at Missouri University of Science & Technology until his enlistment in the Navy. He was commissioned into the US Marine Corp as a 2^nd Lt. Aviation Instructor. He was then loaned to the Navy, serving in Pensacola, FL during WWII.

After the war, Louie returned to Gettysburg at the age of 26 as part farmer/Oldsmobile dealer. He began fulltime farming/ranching in 1958 becoming a feedlot operator in 1964 when he started Dakota Cattle Company. Louie was an avid agriculturist and beef promoter.

On November 27, 1949, Louie married Edith Kearns at the United Methodist Church in Gettysburg. Four children were born to this union. They lived 62 years on their farm west of Gettysburg, spending 16 winters in Arizona.

Louie served as President of the SD Feeders Association and the SD Livestock Association, and he served as a member of the National Cattleman’s Association Foreign Trade Committee. He was active in the American Legion. In his retirement, he continued his strong interest in agriculture.

Louie is survived by his family: daughters, Marcine (Arne) Fennel of Indian Trail, NC, Marion (Dean) Marske of Aberdeen; daughter-in-law, Corlene Bartels of Elk Horn, WI; son-in-law, Bill (Corliss) Kellogg of Gettysburg; 12 grandchildren: Alicia (R. Corey) Glass of Indian Trail, NC, Bob Bartels of Jindabyne NSW, Australia, Paul (Bonnie) Kellogg of Gettysburg, Geoffrey (Celyn) Fennel of Decatur, GA, Cristin (Mark) Wantland of Sugar Hill, GA, Becky (Ryan) Wuttke of Scottsdale, AZ, Adam (Becca) Fennel of Tega Cay, SC, Julianna (Andriy) Budnyy of Azusa, CA, Elizabeth Kellogg of Sioux Falls, Megan Marske of Dallas, TX, Clint (Alexis) Bartels of Elk Horn, WI, and Kallie Marske of Aberdeen; 11 great-grandchildren: Dylan and Garrett Glass, Anja and Marcus Bartels, Alexis Kellogg, Patrick and Brian Fennel, Nathaniel and Eliot Wantland, Nika and Adam Budnyy, and Ava and Kennedy Leedom; sisters-in-law: Dorothy Lesmeister, Belle Fourche, and Janet (Robert) Gesinger, Ridgeview; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Edith, in 2013; parents, Ernest and Ethel Bartels; stepmother, Hildur Bartels; son, Owen Bartels; daughter, Ethel Kellogg; and great-granddaughter, Ashley Kellogg.

Memorials may be directed to the United Methodist Church, 101 E. Garfield, Gettysburg, SD 57442.

Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Louie’s arrangements.