Glenn Lester Gayken

Glenn Gayken, of Montevideo, died on Thursday, April 29, 1999 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Minneapolis at the age of 79.

Funeral services will be conducted on Monday, May 3, 1999 at 1:30 PM at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Montevideo with Rev. Warren Broughton officiating.  Burial will be in the Sunset Memorial Cemetery.

Visitation will be Sunday afternoon and evening and with the family from 6:30 - 7:30 PM at the Anderson Funeral Home in Montevideo.

Glenn Lester Gayken was born on May 29, 1919 in Chippewa Co., MN to Heye and Grace (Rippentrop) Gayken.  He was baptized and confirmed at the Maynard Lutheran Church and attended rural schools. On November 12, 1938 he was united in marriage to Anita Schmidgall in Watertown, SD.  He was inducted into the US Navy in September of 1943 and served his country on a LST troop transport during the invasion of Leyte, Mindoro and other islands in the South Pacific.  He was discharged from the Navy on December 24, 1945.  He was a fur buyer for Burns Fur Co. in Montevideo for over 30 years and was the Assistant Manager of Glady’s and Fiesta Ballrooms before retiring in the early 1970's.  Following his retirement, he worked for Louis Grussing R.V. Trailer Sales & Service and Archie Wallace Mobil Bulk Oil, as well as owning and operating a saw sharpening service.  He was a faithful member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church, a member of the Montevideo American Legion and VFW Posts and active in the Senior Citizens.

He is survived by his wife, Anita; two daughters: Vicki Lynn DeJong and her husband Darrell of Minnetonka, MN and Glennis Lauritsen and her husband Roger of Montevideo; four grandchildren: Aaron and Lindsay DeJong and Brock and Matthew Lauritsen; two sisters: Hattie Van Heel of Bella Vista, AR and Idelle (Mrs. Robert) Alt of Chicago, IL; as well as by a number of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one infant grandson, Darrell Glenn DeJong; two sisters: Margaret Johnson and Ruby Ost; and three brothers: Clarence, Harvey and Roger Gayken.