Wayne Steichen, 96
Wayne August Steichen, 96, of Brandon, previously of Woonsocket, S.D. passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022, at Bethany Home in Brandon. He was surrounded by his loving family. Visitation is from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8, with a Liturgical Wake and Holy Rosary beginning at 7 p.m. at George Boom Funeral Chapel in Brandon. Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022, at Saint Wilfrid’s Catholic Church in Woonsocket, with public visitation from 12-2 p.m. at the church on Wednesday. A luncheon will be served in the church basement following burial.
Wayne was born on Sept. 10, 1926, at home in Woonsocket, S.D., to Battis and Marie (Rauch) Steichen. He attended Saint Joseph Catholic Grade School and graduated from Woonsocket High School in 1944. Wayne entered the United States Navy in December 1944, attending boot camp in Great Lakes, Ill., and radio/radar school in Gulf Port, Miss., for five months. He was sent overseas and served in the South Pacific and China area aboard a Landing Craft Support ship. Wayne was Honorably Discharged from the U.S. Navy in July 1946. He entered South Dakota State University in the Fall of 1946 and graduated from SDSU in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife conservation and forestry. He then taught veterans agriculture class in Woonsocket for two years. Wayne entered the bar business with his father, Battis Steichen, and brother, Raymond Steichen, and continued with farming and ranching in the Woonsocket area. On Feb. 25, 1974, he married Betty Wagner at Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church in Bellevue, Iowa. This union was blessed with two children, Terry and Janelle. Wayne and Betty lived on a farm southwest of Woonsocket continuing to farm and ranch.
He was a member of Saint Wilfred’s Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, American Legion Post 29 and an honorary Woonsocket Fire Department member. Wayne especially enjoyed the outdoors and was an avid deer, pheasant and goose hunter, fisherman and trapper. He was a great sports fan with his favorite teams being the Chicago Bulls and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Grateful to have shared his life are his wife of 48 years, Betty Steichen, of Brandon; two children, Terry Steichen, Dakota Dunes, S.D., and Janelle (Mitch) Zerr, Brandon; five grandchildren, Caleb, Jared and Aiden Zerr, and Laura and Johanna Steichen.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Battis and Marie Steichen; and his brother, Raymond Steichen, of Woonsocket.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations in his name to the Sanborn County “Raise the Roof” 4-H Building Addition.
For online condolences, visit georgeboom.com.
