John Lundin

John Lundin, age 81, of Milbank, SD, died on Monday, July 18, 2016, at the Milbank Area Hospital – Avera Health.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 5, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. at Valley Baptist Church in Milbank with Rev. Brian McFaden officiating. Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery in Stockholm. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 5-7 p.m. at Mundwiler Funeral Home in Milbank and will continue on Friday for one hour prior to the time of service at the church.

Casket bearers will be Bruce Mallory, Gary Underwood, Gary Granquist, Larry Schultz, Doug Redepenning, Mike Waldner, and Robert Pekelder. Honorary bearers include John’s grandchildren: Isaac, Joseph, and Rachel Schulte.

John W.C. Lundin was born to Walter J. and Ethel (Hansen) Lundin on November 5, 1934, in Watertown, SD. During his early years John worked with his family, dairy and general farming near Stockholm, SD. Hay fever prevented him from becoming a farmer himself. Christianity was important in his family and at the age of eleven he repented of sin and trusted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. At fourteen, John joined the Stockholm Evangelical Church.

John received his elementary education at Stockholm #3 rural school and Stockholm Independent School. He attended Strandburg High School for three years and graduated from Princeton, MN High School with the class of 1952. From May 1954 until November 1957, John served in the United States Air Force. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and given an honorable discharge.

In 1958, John began working for the Martin Missile Co. near Denver, CO. He then furthered his education, attending Westmont College, the University of Denver, and graduating from the University of South Dakota in 1962 with a degree in education. John taught in Hector, MN from 1962-1963, and at Three Hills in Alberta, Canada from 1966-1968.

John married Myrtle Mendel on August 18, 1963 in the Salem Mennonite Brethren Church near Bridgewater, SD. For many years Omaha, NE was home to John and his family and God blessed them with two daughters, Elizabeth and Judith. While in Omaha, John earned a diploma from Grace Bible Institute.

John was employed at the Sears Warehouse, U.S. Checkbook Co., and Wright-Wilhelmy Hardware Co. In 1982, John began working at the Milbank Hardware Distribution Center and the family moved to Stockholm. They continued living there for 25 years. John retired from United Hardware in 1999. John and Myrtle moved to Milbank in 2008.

John was a member of Valley Baptist Church in Milbank since 1989, where he taught Sunday School and served on the Missions Board. John also belonged to the Stockholm Senior Citizens and was an honorary member of the South Dakota Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. John enjoyed raising sheep, traveling, and also found enjoyment in photography.

Left with John’s loving memory is his wife, Myrtle Lundin of Milbank, SD; daughters, Elizabeth (David) Schulte of Hilliard, OH, and Judith Lundin of Milbank, SD; grandchildren: Isaac, Joseph, and Rachel Schulte; sisters, Lois Foltz of St. Paul, MN, and Joyce (Ray) Wegner of Georgetown, TX; brother, Herb (Mary) Lundin of Huntington Beach, CA; sister-in-law, Tabea Koehn of Marion, SD; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, other relatives, and friends.

John was preceded in death by his parents.

All undesignated memorials will be divided between the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and Dr. Russ and Melody Ebersole, missionaries to Tugo, West Africa.