Lester Giles Hass

  Lester Giles Hass, 86, of Carthage, South Dakota died Saturday, December 9, 2017 at the Good Samaritan Society, Howard, South Dakota. Funeral services will be 2pm, Wednesday, December 13, 2017 at Willoughby Funeral Home, Howard, with burial to follow in Pleasantview Cemetery, Carthage. Visitation will begin Tuesday, December 12, 2017, at noon with the family present to greet friends from 5pm to 7pm at Willoughby Funeral Home, Howard. Rev. Richard Poppen will be officiating. Lester Giles Hass was born September 20, 1931 at Madison, South Dakota to Harry and Margit (Hjelmtveit) Hass. Lester spent his childhood years alternating between rural Fedora, South Dakota and Minneapolis, Minnesota Lester graduated in 1949 from Fedora High School and enlisted in the Navy. While in the Navy he served aboard the USS Knapp, and traveled around the world. Lester was united in marriage to Patricia Ann Wynkoop on July 27, 1954 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The couple lived in Rockledge, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware, before settling in Carthage, South Dakota in 1965. Lester worked for more than 50 years as a sheetrock taper and finisher. Patricia passed away on October 26, 1985. Lester later spent 25 years with his companion, Delores Corbin on her farm near Carthage. Delores passed away in 2014. Lester’s favorite hobbies were fishing for catfish and gardening, and as a young man he flew a small airplane. Lester was also an enthusiastic storyteller, and enjoyed playing the harmonica. Because of failing health, in December of 2013 he moved into the Good Samaritan Society in Howard. Those grateful for having shared in his life include his two daughters Debbie (Randy) Hanson of Sioux Falls, SD; Donna (Neil) Palmlund of De Smet, SD; his grandchildren Trevor and Tyler Hanson of Sioux Falls, SD; Christopher (Renae) Palmlund of Madison, SD; Benjamin Palmlund of Brookings, SD; and Dawn Semmler of Sioux Falls, SD; six great grandchildren; a sister Myrna Rybolt of Brainerd, MN and other relatives and friends.  Lester was preceded in death by his parents, wife Patricia, companion Delores Corbin and three sons David in infancy, Brian and Darryl, a sister Ardis Wallace and a nephew Scott Stadther.     

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