Funeral services for Morris L. Holdahl, age 82 of Lemmon, will be held at 2:00pm Saturday, November 17, at Calvary Lutheran Church in Lemmon. Pastor Ken Miller will officiate with burial in Greenhill Cemetery.


A family service will be held at 12:00 noon on Saturday followed by a family dinner, all at Calvary Lutheran Church in Lemmon.


Special music will be provided by Marilyn Willey.


Serving as Honorary Casketbearers are Morris's great grandchildren. Active Casketbearers are Morris's grandchildren.


MORRIS LAVERNE HOLDAHL was born September 11, 1925 in Gilstrap Township, Adams County, ND to John and Ragnhild (Brenden) Holdal. He attended Gilstrap School and at an early age began working on the family farm. He was united in marriage to Vera Jean Jennings on July 29, 1946 at Lemmon, SD. The lived on the Beisigl Ranch north of Lemmon where Vera taught school and Morris worked on the Beisigl Ranch. Morris drove the Mobil bulk delivery truck and then they moved to the John Holdal farm where they lived until 1958. They moved to the Lulu Davidson farm and worked there until 1966, when they moved into Lemmon. Morris worked for the Phillips 66 station doing service work, pumping gas, and fixing tires. Since 1967, he was employed at the Lemmon Equity until his retirement in 1987. He drove bulk delivery truck and worked in the station. He enjoyed delivering fuel to the farmers and bubble gum to the kids. He was affectionately known as the "Bubble Gum Man".


Following Morris's retirement, he and Vera continued to live in Lemmon. When their health began to fail, they moved into the HUD apartments. Vera entered Five Counties Nursing Home in September of 2000 and Morris in September of 2005. Vera passed away there on April 30, 2004 and Morris on Wednesday evening, November 14, 2007.


Morris enjoyed listening to music, playing the harmonica, accordion, and the guitar with his brothers.


Grateful for having shared his life are his 6 sons and daughters-in-law, Bob and Mary Holdahl, Yankton, SD; Don and Tami Holdahl, St. Maries, ID; Tom and Nanci Holdahl, Buffalo, SD; Ron and Delilah Holdahl, Lemmon, SD; Tim and Bev Holdahl, Crooks, SD; Jim and Carole Holdahl, Watertown, SD; 26 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, 3 sisters-in-law, Millie Holdahl, Lemmon, SD; Sharon Holdahl, Newberg, OR; Lorraine Holdahl, Wilsonville, OR; and numerous nieces and nephews.


He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, 5 brothers, Emmett, Stanley, Lyle, Merril, and Robert in infancy; 4 sisters, Inga Rook, Ella Sides Murphy, Ruby Becker, Shirley Rieker; 2 grandsons, James Robert Holdahl, Samuel David Holdahl; 1 granddaughter, Helsah Grace Holdahl.


In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established.