Funeral Service for Edward Oscar Evenson, 76, of Sisseton, SD will be held on Monday, December 29, 2014 at 11:00 A.M. at the FamilyLife Assembly of God Church with Pastor Vern Donnell and Pastor Robert Beasley officiating. Pianist will be Krystal Williams with special music by Irv Slaamot. Pallbearers will be Dan Donnell, John Donnell, Josh Donnell, Craig Evenson, David Anderson, and Greg Evenson. Honorary Pallbearers will be Ed's Fellow bus drivers with the Sisseton School District. Inurnment will be at a later date. Military Rites will be provided by Otto-Quande American Legion Post #50 and Fort Sisseton VFW #3342. There will be visitation at the FamilyLife Assembly of God Church, Sisseton, SD on Sunday, December 28, 2014 from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. with a prayer service at 7:00 P.M.
Edward Oscar Evenson was born on August 3, 1938 in Sisseton, SD to Orville and Annie (Vasend) Evenson. He attended country school in Bossko Township and graduated from Sisseton High School in 1957. He attended Devil's Lake Bible School for 2 years, which later moved to Ellendale, ND and was renamed Trinity Bible College. He moved to St. Louis Park to live with family members and worked as a machinist. He entered the US Army in 1961. He was stationed in Germany until 1963 when he was given an early honorable discharge returning to the family farm to take over for his dad who suffered a heart attack. On his way back to South Dakota he stopped in New Jersey to visit his sister and met his future bride, Lois Schmidt. Ed and Lois were married in Camden, NJ on May 8, 1965. They made their home in Sisseton, SD where they raised their own six children, numerous neighbor children, five foreign exchange students, and many foster children.
After settling in Sisseton, Ed worked for 20 years at Cenex delivering fuel. In 1982 he and his brothers bought a dairy farm where he milked cows and farmed alongside his brothers until they sold out in 1994. Ed went to work as a custodian for the Sisseton School District. He saw his position as important as the teachers. He later went to work for the Boys and Girls Club. He not only kept the building clean he also taught many young people how to play pool. He also drove the number 9 bus for the Sisseton School District, his favorite classroom.
Ed was diagnosed with stage four Lung Cancer in October 2012. He fought a valiant fight for two years. He had to give up driving bus in October 2014 when his eye sight started to diminish. He entered the Tekakwitha Living Center on December 4 for physical therapy, but received the difficult news on Friday, December 19 that the cancer had moved to his bone marrow and he was done fighting. He put his hands in his Savior's and breathed his last on Monday, December 22, three years and two days after his wife Lois had died.
Ed is survived by eight children: Edward Evenson Jr., Jennie Lynn Evenson, Jonathan Evenson, all of Sisseton, SD; Joseph and Pam Evenson of Doland, SD; Daniel Evenson of Sisseton, SD; Linda Sue Lewis of New Prague, MN; DeeDee Hisgun of Litchfield, MN and Cherell Keeble of Sisseton, SD; five brothers, Richard and June Evenson of Sisseton, SD; Glen and Kitty Evenson of South Shore, SD; Jim and Emilyn Evenson of Sisseton, SD; Dennis and Jane Evenson of Clear Lake, SD and Keith and Kathy Evenson of Zimmerman, MN; two brothers-in-law, Harry and Ruth Schmidt of Pine Hill, NJ and Andy Anderson of Wheaton, IL; two sisters-in-law, Linda Schmidt of Sisseton, SD and Ruth Evenson of Buffalo, MN; step-sister Joyce and Berdell Simonson, Sisseton, SD, step-brother Dwight and Lil Johnson of Tennessee, five foreign exchange students, Karen and Edwardo Pavon of Hillsborough, OR; Sumi Hoshino of Japan; Francisco Alberan of Mexico; Sergio Pilar Angulo of Brazil; Jordana and Gene Engebretsen of Soldotna, AK; grandchildren, Anastasia Becker, Moria Lewis, Juliana Lewis, Kayana Wright, Jep Evenson, Osito Engebretsen, and Caleb and Benji Pavon; one great-grandson, Oskar Lewis, and many nieces and nephews.
Ed was preceded by his parents, his wife, Lois, his brother, Merle Evenson, his sister, Annette Anderson, two brothers-in-law, Richard and Paul Schmidt, one sister-in-law Kay Gray and one niece, Charity.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be donated to Cristo Vive International, Ed sat on the board of this organization which is run by his Ecuadorian daughter Jordan Engebretsen. They do camps around the world for disabled children.