Funeral service for Howard Marshall Finnesand, 90, of Sisseton, South Dakota will be held on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 2:00 P.M. at Grace Lutheran Church, Sisseton, South Dakota with Rev. Suzanne Benidt officiating. Organist will be Estelle Pearson and soloist will be Pat Schubert. Pallbearers will be Butch Greseth, Vernon Severson Jr., Alan Schmidt, David Peterson, Arnold Finnesand and Calvin Finnesand. Honorary Pallbearers will be Howard's Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren. Interment will be in the Sisseton Cemetery, Sisseton, South Dakota. There will be visitation at Cahill Funeral Chapel on Monday, July 25, 2011 from 1:00 to 7:00 P.M. with family present from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. and one hour prior to services at the Church on Tuesday.
Howard was born on June 12, 1921 at Sisseton, South Dakota, the eldest son of twelve children born to Mandius and Arlie (Johnson) Finnesand. He was baptized and confirmed at Stavanger Lutheran Church. He attended school through the 8th grade in Enterprise Township. In 1942 he moved to Illinois and then Sioux Falls, SD to work. Howard returned to Sisseton and started farming by working for a bachelor named Louie Peter. He worked six years for Louie and then began farming on his own. After using horses for farming for a time, he purchased his first tractor, a Case Model, costing $800. Howard also worked loading baled flax straw into boxcars in Sisseton. On November 29, 1944, Howard married Elsie Benson and together they raised 3 children. Howard and Elsie continued farming in the Sisseton area. When they milked cows, they sold milk to the Browns Valley Creamery and used some milk to churn their own butter. Howard and Elsie owned and operated the Sisseton Roller Rink in the Quonset that is still located south of Sisseton's present Dairy Queen from 1955 – l963, where they also had square dancing. They formed many memories and lasting friendships with the kids. Howard also worked for the Sisseton Fur farm for six years skinning furs. Howard and Elsie moved to town while still farming. They rented and eventually purchased the house on the south side of Emanuel Lutheran Church. They retired from actual farming between 1992 and 1994. In 2006 they moved into the Jard apartments and in 2008 entered the Tekakwitha Living Center. Howard was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Sisseton, SD. He served on the Board of Directors for the Sisseton Credit Union and was a Community and County Committee man for many years. Howard died on July 22, 2011 at The Tekakwitha Living Center, Sisseton, South Dakota.
Howard is survived by his wife, Elsie Finnesand of Sisseton, SD and three children, Dianne (Vernon) Severson Jr. of Brook Park, MN; Marianne (Butch) Greseth of Sisseton, SD ; and Steven (Lori) Finnesand of Sisseton, SD; one brother Iver (Darlene) Finnesand of Groton, SD; two sisters Thelma (Sherman) Pickthorn of Watertown, SD and Ruth (Warren) Mogenson of Rapid City, SD; 10 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren; sisters-in-law Agnes Finnesand of Sisseton, SD; Bethel Schwagerl of Presho, SD; brother-in law Bud Fenske of Rapid City, SD and special family friend JoMarie Groos of Sisseton, SD.
Howard was preceded in death by his parents: sisters Arlet Schaunaman and Bernice Fenske; brothers Alvin, Marvin, Kenneth, Harvey, Leo, Irvin; and great great grandson Owen Puffer.