Delmar B. Gerdes
September 13, 1928 ~ August 13, 2008
Delmar B. Gerdes, 79, of Miller, died peacefully Wednesday, August 13, 2008 at the Good Samaritan Society in Miller after a twelve year battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, August 16, 2008 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, Miller with Father Chester Murtha officiating. Burial was in St. Ann’s Cemetery, Miller with military honors. Visitation was held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Friday, August 15 with a 7:00 p.m. rosary service at Reck Funeral Home in Miller.
The youngest of four children, Delmar was born September 13, 1928, at home near Chelsea, South Dakota to Benhart and Ethel (Tinker) Gerdes. He attended school in Cresbard and graduated in 1946. Delmar attended Northern State Teacher’s College in Aberdeen and received a two-year teaching certificate. He taught country school in Faulk County until he entered the army. On November 8, 1950, Delmar married Maureen Wherry at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Orient.
Delmar served two years in the United States Army Signal Corps, achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant. After his honorable discharge in 1953, he returned to teaching in Faulk County. In 1960, Delmar began work for the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks as a game warden in Dewey and Ziebach Counties. He later moved to Hand and Hyde Counties, serving for a total of twenty-eight years. He loved his work and wore out eleven vehicles while traveling over a million miles. Delmar earned Conservation Officer of the Year in 1977 and also served as President of the South Dakota Officer’s Association before retiring in 1988. He was elected and served as Hand County Commissioner from 1990 to 1994.
Delmar had a great mind for cards and enjoyed doing projects around the house. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed fishing and traveling. Delmar was a member of St. Ann’s Catholic Church and a lifetime member of the American Legion Post #38, holding various offices including Commander. He enjoyed memberships in the Wall Lake Hunting Club and was a lifetime member of the South Dakota State Employee’s Organization.
His memory will be cherished by his wife, Maureen of Miller; two daughters, Connie (Dr. Steve) Schroeder of Miller and Terri (Scott) Bettin of Minneapolis, MN; one son, Dan (Nan) of Rapid City; nine grandchildren: Paul, Erica, Tom, Meredith, Benjamin, Genevieve, Nathanial, Caitlin and Spencer; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Donald and Dale; and one sister, Margaret McGaugh.
Pallbearers were Bill Gerdes, Jim Gerdes, Laurie Gerdes, Frank Lockner, Jack Kuhl and Dave McGaugh.
Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Delmar's arrangements.
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I want you to know you are in my thoughts and prayers. It was always good to visit with Delmar. I know he will missed, but be comforted tht he is in a better place.
Fr. Dave Axtmann
My deepest sympothy to the family of Delmar. I passed the word to Leroy Sorenson, the retired game warden from Bon Homme whom new Delmar well. I have some ties to Miller as my mother-in-law Julie Kemnitz was a Ufen. It’s a nice communtiy and I have heard good things about Delmar from folks that live there. My families prayers are with Mr. Gerdes’ family. God Bless.
My heartfelt sympathies go out to the entire Gerdes Family. Delmar was a great representative of our Department and provided exemplary service to the citizens of our state. As a young conservation officer stationed in Lyman County, I served in the same administrative Region with Delmar and had the opportunity to interact and visit with him many times. I have lots of fond memories of Delmar at road checks, meetings, training, and I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to visit with him over lunch or coffee. Delmar taught us all about the importance of courtesy, respectfulness and public service and I especially enjoyed Delmar’s sense of humor, his positive outlook on the world and greatly admired his dedication to his family and our profession. Those who serve as conservation officers today and those who will serve into the future will be forever indebted to Delmar for his leadership in the effort to gain recognition of the important role that conservation officers play within the law enforcement profession. Those officers can be especially thankful of the hours and hours of work Delmar committed in an effort to seek improvements in the retirement system for conservation officers. To sum it up, Delmar was simply an outstanding representative of our agency and we thank you for sharing him with us for so many years.
God Bless,
Emmett Keyser
Assistant Director – Field Operations
Division of Wildlife
SD Game, Fish and Parks
Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. I have fond memories of Delmar from my time as an extension trapper when I was stationed in Huron and later as a Conservation Officer in Salem.
Floyd Demaray
Conservation Officer-retired
To the Gerdes family: On behalf of my brother David and I, please know that we were fortunate to work as Conservation Officers with Delmar. In my current travels in Hyde and Hand County, the landowners and locals still speak fondly of him.
To “Good Ol’ Delm”: Thanks for your service to our country and wildlife. We’ll miss you.
Don McCrea, CO Supervisor