Funeral services for Paul J. Katus, age 89, of Lemmon will be 10:30am Thursday, April 6, at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Morristown. Pastor Gerhardt Juergens will officiate with burial in the Watauga Cemetery.


Special music will be provided by Sarah Juergens, organist.


Serving as casketbearers are Mike Sulzle, Dennis Evenson, Harley Hanson, Tim Leins, Jerry Kling, Greg Bowser, and Mitch Dix.


PAUL JAMES KATUS was born June 14, 1916 at Streator, IL to Michael and Mary (Liptak) Katus. They lived in Streator until Paul was age 2 when the family moved to a farm southeast of Watauga where they lived until 1930. Paul attended Prairie View School east of Watauga for 8 years. His 9th year he attended school in Huachuea, AZ and then part of this 10 year at Gebo, WY and McIntosh High School. He then returned to the family farm from 1932 to 1935 and then worked in McIntosh in 1935 and 1936. The family then moved to a farm south of Brainerd, MN where they lived for 2 years. He worked with the CCC's in 1939 and 1940 on projects at Wind Cave Camp in the Black Hills and N.Y.A. Sand Lake Refuge near Aberdeen. He then moved to the family farm south of Morristown which he operated with his parents. Paul was united in marriage to Ruth Gronlund on June 16, 1946 at Christ Lutheran Church in Morristown. They lived on that place for 4 years following their marriage and then rented a place near Mahto where they lived for 3 years. In 1954, they purchased the Gomer Lewis place 7 miles northwest of McIntosh in Sioux Co., ND which they operated until 1984, when they moved into North Lemmon. They continued to operated a hobby farm where Paul enjoyed raising a few animals during his retirement years. They moved into the HUD Apartments in 2003.


Paul passed away at Five Counties Nursing Home in Lemmon on Saturday, April 1.


Paul had a terrific memory and loved to visit about the early days on the farm. He wrote poetry for numerous newspapers and magazines and he also drew free-handed sketches. In his earlier years, he enjoyed playing baseball on the Watauga and Morristown baseball teams. Paul was a self-taught musician and enjoyed playing the piano and violin by ear. He played for numerous musical programs at the nursing home.


He is survived by his wife Ruth, Lemmon, SD; 2 sisters-in-law, Marjorie Katus, Thermopolis, WY; Ethel Bubbers, Lemmon, SD; and numerous nieces and nephews.


Paul was preceded in death by his parents, 5 brothers, William, Emmanuel, Clarence, Ralph, and Elwyn Katus; 3 sisters, Emma Jamieson, Leona Buhr, and Zelma Katus in infancy.


Visitation will be Wednesday, 1:00 to 8:00pm at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon and on Thursday one hour prior to services at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Morristown.