Leo Greseth

Leo T. Greseth, age 48, passed away Friday, August 29, 2025, at his home in Veblen.

Funeral services will be Saturday, September 13, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Veblen with Rev. Karie Geyer officiating.

The service will be livestreamed on the First, Faith & Our Savior's Lutheran Parishes Facebook page.

Burial will be in the Veblen Community Cemetery. Honorary urn bearers will be Calvin Ceroll, Rodney Ceroll, Steven Lane, Jaxon Solberg, Joe Kuschel, Jay Hill, Mike Grobe, Darin Yammerino, Ryan Card, and Kerry Anderson. Active urn bearers will be Dale Greseth and Lily Greseth.

Visitation will be Friday, September 12, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the church.

Leo Thomas Greseth was born April 19, 1977 in Mobridge, S.D., the fourth child of Thomas "Tom" and Patricia "Pat" (Schmitz) Greseth. Later that year, the family moved back to rural Veblen/Claire City, S.D. area and Leo began his years as a small town South Dakota boy. He was baptized at McLaughlin, S.D. and later confirmed at First Presbyterian Church in Veblen.

He attended school in Veblen and graduated with the Class of 1995 from Veblen High School. During his high school days he was a valued member of the V-R Raiders football and track teams, as well as the Veblen basketball team. Leo was a natural athlete and earned honors for football and track and field at the state level in high school. He furthered his education by attending NDSCS in Wahpeton, N.D. and continued his track and field career, earning All American honors and going to the National Championships for both indoor and outdoor at the college level. He was inducted into the NDSCS Athletic Hall of Fame in October 2015 for being a standout member of the program and was very proud of this accomplishment.

Following his college years, Leo went back to the area he loved and started working at the Veblen Dairy. He then began working as a farm hand for Jay Hill Farms in his early twenties, working for them for over 25 years. He was currently employed with Ross Vig Farms. Working the land, bringing in the crop, and embracing the hard work was something he became known and respected for in the community.

On September 14, 2002, Leo was united in marriage to Tara Walsh.  They had two children - Dale Thomas and Lily Patrice. Leo loved his children and they meant the world to him. He worked to teach them respect, kindness, love and did all he could to provide for them. They are his legacy and his pride for them always showed. Family was at the core of Leo's life and time spent driving the backroads, helping extended family, playing cards, darts, or other games - it didn't matter what, but that the time was spent together.   Leo enjoyed the outdoors - camping, hunting, and fishing with family and friends, and even an occasional round of golf.

A chance meeting seven years ago changed Leo's life when Peg Kuschel came into it. Leo and Peg found a match in their interest of the outdoors, love of family, and joyful spirits. Each of them embraced the others families as their own and they became "Peg and Leo" or "Leo and Peg" with such ease you would have thought it had always been. They enjoyed traveling, working her little farm, fishing, time with family, or quiet days together.

"Little" Leo was the epitome of a small town boy. From his early years of all things tractor and farm related to his adult years of working the fields for area farmers and helping wherever and whenever someone needed a hand, Leo exemplified what rural communities thrive on. Leo was an active member and past chief of the Veblen Volunteer Fire Department. He was an active member with Our Savior's Lutheran Church and also helped with duties as needed for the Veblen Presbyterian Church, where he was confirmed and attended as a boy.

He will be dearly missed by his children, Dale Greseth and Lily Greseth, both of Rayne, La.; his current partner in life, Peg Kuschel of rural Browns Valley, Minn.; four siblings, Carole Greseth (Gary Mack) of Aberdeen, S.D., Carin and Eric Kassa of Wahpeton, N.D., Jon and Linda Greseth of Brookings, S.D., and Carmen Greseth of Sisseton, S.D.; six nieces and nephews, Carleyn and Cole Peterson of Eagle Butte, S.D., Lachlan Kassa and Davyn Kassa of Wahpeton, N.D., Grace Greseth and Lottie Greseth of Brookings, S.D., and Chesney Greseth of Spearfish, S.D.; two great nieces; one great nephew; an aunt, Lannette Adams of Castlewood, S.D.; two uncles, Peter Greseth of Wahpeton, and Scott and Allison Schmitz of Aberdeen, S.D.; several cousins; three foreign exchange siblings, Hulya (Ersan) Ozkan of Bielfield, Germany, Thiago Paggiano of Brazil, and Ge Song of China; and many other family and friends.

Leo was preceded in death by his parents, Tom and Pat Greseth; paternal grandparents, Jewell and Grace (Berreth) Greseth; maternal grandparents, Rudolph and Alice (Schneider) Schmitz; aunt and uncles, Ruth and Frederick Ceroll, Gary Greseth, and Jack Adams.