Merle A. Gulbranson, 80, of Brookings, died Monday, June 4, 2018, at his home.
Funeral services are at 11 a.m. Friday at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Flandreau. Burial is in Midway Lutheran Cemetery in rural Colman. Visitation is 5 – 7 p.m. Thursday at Skroch Funeral Chapel in Flandreau.
Merle Alton Gulbranson was born March 7, 1938, in Flandreau to Alton Ole and Myra Mary (Stokes) Gulbranson.
He grew up north of Colman, living with his brother Harold, sister Karoline, parents and grandparents on a farm.
He attended eight years of country school at McCurdy No. 54 then went on to Rutland High School where he received his diploma in 1956. Rutland High School is where he met and courted his soul mate Sheron Wandell and they were married on Sept. 2, 1956. Because he was 17, his parents had to sign for him to get married. They celebrated 61 years of marriage in 2017. In 1956 Merle got a job as a hired man for Cecil Byg by Crooks. He then worked for William Swier of Colton and then Arley Hill north of Brookings, where he lived in a two-room house on the property. In 1960 they bought a farm from Casjen’s and Merle farmed it with his kids until 1989 when he sold out and moved to town. Merle started Purina feeds with his parents and brother in 1961 which included mobile feed grinding in Brookings. Then they took over Purina Produce in Flandreau until selling out in 1970. Then he drove semi for Floyd Dino Christmas trees from Wisconsin to Kansas. He also drove with Dwayne Damm, worked on elevators for Sam Dejong and worked for John Reed both of White. He also drove for Midwest Coast, a grain farmer, delivered turkey eggs and graded township roads.
In 1981 he started driving for Coast to Coast warehouse and retired in 2003 after 22 years and millions of miles. After retiring he went back to work part-time at Reed Intermill trucking and shuttled rental trucks between towns for Rental Depot. Merle was a lifetime member of Midway Lutheran, was Bethel Home board representative for Midway Lutheran and served on the local school board in the ’60s. He enjoyed helping out, being with his family and visiting relatives, friends and neighbors. They belonged to an RV club and would get together at different campgrounds and do some activities.
Merle is survived by his wife Sheron; eight children: Merle (DeAnn) of Colman, Craig; Scott (Jill Hankins), Todd (Deborah), Terry (Lori), all of Brookings; Pam (Bryan Zehm) of Omaha, Nebraska, Anna (Les) Bothe of Badger and Sidney of Madison; 17 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
Merle was preceded in death by two grandchildren, Leah and Dustin Gulbranson and brother, Harold.
For online condolences, visit www.skrochfc.com.
