Frank Lockner

Frank Lockner, 90, of Miller, passed away Monday, November 18, 2024, at the Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital, Miller.

Visitation begins at 9:30 a.m. with the funeral service at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 23, 2024, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Miller with Rev. Rhonda Wellsandt-Zell officiating. A luncheon reception will follow.  Burial with Masonic services will be at the Wessington Cemetery, Wessington, SD.

Frank Jr. was the second of three boys born to Frank, Sr. and Agnes (Olson) Lockner on June 8, 1934, at their country home north of Vayland, SD. He attended Otto and Brown country schools and graduated from Wessington High School.

As a freshman, Frank contracted polio and spent 9 weeks in the hospital in Huron. So, Frank Sr. and Agnes drove to Huron every day to visit Frank and his brother, Allyn, who also had polio. Therapy included being wrapped in woolen army blankets that were as hot as you could stand. Frank remembered carrying his older brother, Allyn, into the house because Allyn couldn’t walk.

With a mischievous twinkle, Frank loved to tease, taking delight in provoking a blush, a laugh or at least a frown or a smirk.

Frank married the love of his life, Joanne (Verdugt) at the St. Lawrence Community Church on August 7, 1955. They were farmers who raised two sons, crops, cattle, pigs, and a garden together in Grand Township, Hand County for 43 years.

Frank drove truck for a time and enjoyed driving shiny, new vehicles and watching car races. Frank wanted to race cars, but Joanne said, “No, you aren’t going to race cars. But we can go watch the car races.” And so the Lockner family did for many years. New cars and clean cars were a delight. He always noticed and often commented if your car was clean or dirty.

His father, Frank Sr. used to say that Frank Jr. “ate once a day…all day long”.

When Joanne was serving in the legislature, Frank was a guest at a banquet in Pierre. There was an empty chair next to Frank. When the waitress came along and asked if there was anyone sitting there, Frank said, “Yes, they will be back.”

Frank and the guy on the other side of the empty chair split the extra steak dinner.

“It was really good,” Frank smirked.

Since Joanne lost all sight, Frank stepped up and even cooked for them.

Frank served on the Hand County Commission, St. Lawrence Elevator Board, Wessington Lumberyard Board, Grand Township Board, and the Trinity Lutheran Church Council in Miller. He was a life member of Wessington Masonic Lodge #107 and a life member of Yelduz Shriners.

Frank is survived by his wife, Joanne of Miller, SD; sons, Dean (Candice) Lockner of Ree Heights, SD, and Clifford (Karen) Lockner of Watertown, SD; grandchildren: Brooke (Jeff) Runyan of Lincoln, NE, Lindsay (Daniel) Palmer of Miller, SD, Lara (Allen) Jones of Superior, WI, Grant (Laura) Lockner of Mobridge, SD, Jeff (Leah) Lockner of Brandon, SD, and Angie (Levi) Lunden, of Toronto, SD; 16 great-grandchildren; brother, Terry (Linda Jo) Lockner of Black Hawk, SD; sister-in-law, BJ Lockner of Topeka, KS;  and Wilfrido Moreno, foreign exchange student hosted by Lockners, was originally from Caracas, Venezuela. He is now a US citizen from Tampa, Florida, and still calls often.

Frank is preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Allyn Lockner.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Frank’s arrangements.