Douglas E. Carl

Douglas Earl Carl, 96, Sisseton, SD, passed away Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at Tekakwitha Living Center in Sisseton.

Funeral services will be Thursday, January 20, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Sisseton with the Vicar Pat Schubert officiating.  Music will be provided by organist Ollie Yost and vocalist Pat Schubert.

The funeral service will be livestreamed on the Eggers Funeral Home Facebook page.

Military burial at the Sisseton Cemetery will be conducted at a later date in the Spring. Honorary pallbearers will be the American Legion Post #50 and the VFW Post #3342 members.  Active pallbearers will be all of his grandsons, Shawn Carl, Timothy Carl, Chad Carl, Steven Carl, Casey Kayl, Brandon Maser, Kelly Maser, and Miles Carl.

Visitation will be Wednesday, January 19, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Eggers Home in Rosholt.

Douglas was born on December 12, 1925, to Leonard and Margaret (Yeager) Carl at home on a farm southeast of Rosholt.  He attended schools in the Rosholt and New Effington area completing studies through the eighth grade. In his youth he spent time with his grandparents helping at their grocery store and lake resort as well as helping on the farm. On March 28, 1945, he enlisted in the U.S. Army at Fort Snelling, St. Paul, MN. He was sent to Okinawa, Japan to do clean up and lay underground telephone cables. He attained the rank of T-5 and was honorably discharged on December 31, 1946. Douglas earned the Asiatic Pacific Service Medal, the Army of Occupation Medal (Japan), and the Victory Medal for his service.

After returning to the States, he again worked on the family farm and gravel business, his uncle's repair shop, and a grain elevator in New Effington. On August 4, 1952, he started work at South Dakota Department of Transportation as a road grader operator.

Douglas married Esther Laun on December 21, 1952, at Zion Lutheran Church in New Effington. They made their home in New Effington until 1962 when they moved to a farm south of Sisseton. In 1978 they sold the farm and moved into Sisseton. Douglas retired from the DOT as the foreman of maintenance at the Sisseton shop on December 31, 1988.

He was a lifelong member of the American Legion and the VFW. Some of the positions he held with the American Legion were Commander and Adjutant, as well as a Color Guard member. A special trip for him was being sent to Washington DC aboard the honor flight for WWII veterans.

Survivors include five sons, Lyle (Sandra Kaye) of Claire City, Robert (Marsha) of Kalispell, MT, Randy of Sisseton, Michael of Spearfish, and Gary of Sioux Falls; four daughters, Kathleen (Norman) Dalberg of Claire City, Laurel (Wayne) Kayl of Custer, Pamela (Ron) Maser of Spearfish, and Susan of Veblen; one brother, Wayne Carl of Waconia, MN; two sisters, Marlene Carl and Karen Nerison of Watertown; sisters-in-law, Caroline (Roland) Dobberstein of Balaton, MN, Betty Lou Carl of Sisseton, Bonnie Laun of Ham Lake, MN, and Linda Laun of Coon Rapids, MN; brother-in-law Gerald Laun of Osceola, WI; 20 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nephews and nieces.

Douglas was preceded in death by his wife, Esther; his parents, Leonard and Margaret; brothers, Claude and Don; sisters, Darlene Olson and Sandy Rae Carl; father-in-law and mother-in-law Emil Laun and Julia Laun Friesendahl; sisters-in-law, Betty Gail and Beverly Carl; brothers-in-law, Gordon Olson, Terry Nerison, Edward and Danny Laun; and great-grandson Wyatt Mogren.