David Gilkerson, age 86, of Brookings, died Monday, August 9, 2010, at Brookview Manor in Brookings. Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Friday, August 13, 2010, at St. Pauls Episcopal Church in Brookings, with interment and military rites in Greenwood Cemetery. Visitations will be from 5-8 P.M. Thursday at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings, with a public Masonic service at 8:00 P.M. Condolences can be sent to the family through Eidsness Funeral Home. Davids favorite things to support were St. Pauls church accessibility fund, the ALS Therapy Development Institute, and the N.E. Hansen Garden in McCrory Gardens.
David was born on February 5th, 1924 to David and Eva Hansen Gilkerson in Armour, S.D. He was the oldest of 5 children with 4 sisters. He graduated from Armour High School in 1942. He then began college at South Dakota State in Brookings, joined the United States Army, and returning to S.D. State after the war. He served in the infantry in Germany in the northern part of the Battle of the Bulge at Remagen. After college, David joined his father on the dairy farm near Brookings. He married Naomi Polkinghorn of Armour in 1949. They had four children all of which graduated from SDSU.
David was very active in St. Pauls church, serving in many capacities. He was also active in the Farm Bureau as well as the county Republican Party. He served on the Farmers Co-op board for 25 years, and served on the school board in his district #100. David was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Order of Eastern Star, as well as the American Legion and VFW. He was on the early Multiplex Board, and was an avid member of Golden Kiwanis.
David enjoyed reading historical novels and biographies which led to another interest: planning trips and traveling to many places abroad. He was an innovative farmer and enjoyed many construction projects on the farm. He was much loved and respected by all who knew him.
David is survived by his wife, Naomi, of Brookings, four children: David III (Deanna) of Brookings, Jim (Kysa) of Brookings, Robert (Kristi) of Racine, Wisconsin, and Jean (Joel) Pedersen of Lincoln, Nebraska; four sisters: Laura (Darrell) Searls of Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, Carol (Wendell) Peden of San Antonio, Texas, Jane (Allen) Cheever of Bethesda, Maryland, and Peggy (John) Heywood of Boston, Massachusetts; seven grandchildren: Nathan (Melissa) Gilkerson, Lee Gilkerson, Susan Gilkerson, Trever (Susan) Gilkerson, Skye (Eric) Gilkerson Mortensen, Nicole (Ryan) Pedersen Bartek, and Kyle Pedersen; and four great-grandchildren: Melody, Harmony, Lydian, and Ancora Gilkerson.