Funeral services for George Klitzke, age 88, of Lemmon, SD will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at the New Hope Worship Center in Lemmon. Pastor Dan Lindeman, Pastor Arlan Swanson, and Pastor Bob James will officiate with burial in Greenhill Cemetery.


George Herman Klitzke was born to Ewald Klitzke and Esther (Joos) Klitzke at Portal, ND on June 11, 1921. George Attended rural school in Burke County, ND. In 1936 he went to Minnesota and worked for various farmers for two years. His first job paid $10.00 a month. George came to Lemmon to Attend Northwest Bible School in 1939-1940. It was there he met Mildred Peterson and they were united in marriage on November 10, 1941. In 1942 they began farming and ranching near Lemmon and continued for 46 years until they moved into Lemmon, SD.


In the fall of 1947 George became an order buyer for livestock and continued that for well over 50 years. He bought livestock in Douglas and Torrington, WY, Bowman, Mott, Dickinson, Linton, Napoleon, Wishek, Bismarck, ND; and Mobridge, Herreid, Faith, Phillip, Belle Fourche, and Lemmon, SD. It was indeed his passion.


In the late 50's and 60's he worked rodeos for several years with his close friend J.C. Stevenson. George served on the Menz Township School Board, Lemmon Church of God Board and was honored to be Lemmon's Boss Cowman in 1997.


God was very important and many times George hitched the horses to the wagon and got his family to the highway to attend church when roads were impassable with snow or mud.


George passed away on Thursday evening, October 22, 2009 at ManorCare Healthcare Services in Minot, ND where he had been since July 21 recovering from a broken hip.


Surviving family members include one daughter, LaVonne Fannik, Max, ND; three sons and daughters-in-law, Darrel and Marcia Klitzke, Delmar and Vicki Klitzke, all of Thunder Hawk, SD, Lee and Sandy Klitzke, Aberdeen, SD; 11 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; one sister, Kathryn Bakke, Grand Forks, ND; three sisters-in-law, Hilder McDonald, Esther Peterson, and Dorthea Peterson, all of Bismarck, ND, Lillian Peterson, Aracadia, CA, and Phyllis Peterson, Cleveland, TN; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.


George was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Mildred on December 31, 2007, one son-in-law, Edward Fannick; one brother, Calvin Klitzke; and three sisters, Margie Eggers, Delores Divina, and Helen Nygaard.


Visitation will be on Monday, October 26, 2009 from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon and one hour prior to the services at the church on Tuesday.


A family service will be at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning at the New Hope Worship Center.