Clayton Clate Granum, age 66, of Volga, died Saturday, June 19, 2010, at the United Retirement Center in Brookings. Funeral services will be 1:00 P.M. Wednesday, June 23, 2010, at First Lutheran Church in Volga, with interment in the church cemetery. Visitations will be from 5-8 P.M. Tuesday at Eidsness Funeral Chapel in Volga.


Clayton LaVerne Granum was born February 25, 1944, at San Fernando, California, to Kenneth and Fern (Heath) Granum. When Clayton was three the family moved back to Volga, South Dakota, after Kenneth had completed military service. He grew up on the farm his father had west of Volga and attended Bangor #4 through the eighth grade.

Clayton graduated in 1962 from Volga High School and the next year began driving the feed grinder and selling feed for Van Hoepen Feed Service. He was forced into disability in 1985 when he discovered the grain dust had impaired his lungs.

Clayton was a member of First Lutheran Church in Volga. He drove super-modified race cars for 23 years. With his buddies, Tom Westaby, Bernie Nissen, and Gordon Hillestad, he loved to fish and hunt.

Survivors include his father, Kenneth, of Volga; five sisters: Nathelle Sallie (Vere) Johnson and Jeanine (Fred) Bauman, both of Madison, South Dakota, Shirley (Don) Steever and Patricia Patty Granum, both of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Vickie (Garry) Prussman of Volga; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Fern.