Funeral services for Bob Sperle, age 60 of Prairie City, will be held 10:30am Thursday, June 5, at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bison with Rev. Gerhardt Juergens officiating.

Burial will be in the Bison Cemetery with full military honors afforded by the Rogers-Smith American Legion Post #255 of Bison.

Special music will be provided by Sarah Juergens, organist. Serving as Honorary Casketbearers are Tom Moe, Ken Sperle, Scott Fried, and Jim Wishard. Serving as Active Casketbearers are Jeff Kolb, Eric Kolb, Chris Fried, Jamie Hay, Barry Hay, and Monte Hay.

ROBERT ALBERT SPERLE "Bob to his many friends" was born September 10, 1947 at Lemmon, SD to Albert and Martha (Kolb) Sperle. He grew up on the family farm southwest of Bison. He attended Richland Grade School southeast of the Sperle place and graduated from Bison High School in 1966. He worked at Peterson's Implement in Lemmon and did carpentry for a short time. Bob enlisted into the U.S. Army National Guard on May 28, 1966 at Lemmon. He served his country with the 211th Engineer Company until being honorably discharged on May 27, 1972. Bob was united in marriage to Carol Jean Lane on July 11, 1970 at Bison. They operated the Prairie Bowl in Bison for a short time before moving to his parents' place 16 miles southwest of Bison. They raised their two children, Clint and Deneal there.

His wife Carol passed away on May 21, 2000. In addition to his farming and ranching operation, Bob worked for Glenn and Jim Wishard.

Bob enjoyed hunting, woodworking, fishing, and reading military history books. He was active in the Rogers-Smith American Legion Post, Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, and the Men's Club.

Bob passed away on Saturday evening May 31, 2008 near his home at Prairie City due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

Surviving family members include his daughter, Deneal Sperle, Stevensville, MI; one son and daughter-in-law, Clint and Cally Sperle, Sioux Falls, SD; three grandsons, Isaiah James, Elijah John, Micah Peter; three sisters and three brothers-in-law, Arlene and Norman Moe, Regent, ND; Ann Jacobson, Springfield, OR; Renee and Lowell Haggart, Lemmon, SD; Leonard Hay, Lemmon, SD; one sister-in-law, Mel Sperle, Delores, CO; his mother and father-in-law, William and Audrey Lane, Bison, SD; and numerous nieces, nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Carol on May 21, 2000; one brother Herbert Sperle on October 4, 2007; one sister Betty Hay on June 2, 2005.

Visitation will be Tuesday, 5:00 to 9:00pm at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon; and Wednesday, 5:00 to 9:00pm at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bison.

A memorial has been established to Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bison.