Clayton J. Vaske, 93, of Brookings, died Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, at the United Living Community, in Brookings. 

Funeral services are at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Brookings. Visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Rude’s Funeral Home in Brookings, with a liturgical wake service beginning at 7 p.m.

Clayton Joseph Vaske was born on Dec. 22, 1924, on a farm near Windom, Minnesota, to Bernard and Margaret (Tighe) Vaske. At the age of 4, he moved with his family to a farm near Elkton, where he attended St. Mary’s School and Elkton Public School. He graduated high school in 1944 and entered the U.S. Navy, serving four years in the South Pacific aboard the destroyer USS McCaffrey. After his discharge from the Navy he returned to Elkton to begin farming. Clayton was also chief of security at South Dakota State University from 1959 to 1976. He farmed for 50 years before turning the farming operation over to his son, Jon, which gave him the satisfaction of being able to continue working on the farm. Clayton especially enjoyed farming with John Deere tractors and machinery.

Clayton married Arlene Delores Skovlund on Aug. 29, 1963, at St Thomas More Catholic Church in Brookings. Clayton and Arlene raised two sons on their family farm north of Elkton. They retired and moved to Brookings in 1991.

Clayton served on the Elkton School Board, the Richland Township Board, and the board at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Parish where he was also a lector. Clayton served on the Brookings County Commission from 1993 to 1997.

A veteran of World War II, Clayton was active in veterans organizations. 

He served as commander of the Elkton Glenn Stafford Post 198, Brookings County Commander, and district commander of the American Legion. He was also a member of the Brookings VFW Post.

Clayton was passionate about his family, farming and planting and growing trees on the family farm.

Clayton is survived by his wife, Arlene, of Brookings; his sons, Jon of Elkton, and Ronald of St Louis Park, Minnesota; three grandchildren; his sister, Mary Reiners; his brothers, James and William (Bermae); brother-in-law, Howard Skovlund; sisters-in-law, Mildred Vaske, Dora Vaske, Ruth Fenner and Dorothy Skovlund; and many nieces and nephews.

In 1993, Clayton and Arlene were reunited with their son, Warren Koch, of Burien, Washington.

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Fred, Kenneth, Herb and Leo; and his sisters, Iris Quinn, Genevieve Bauer Brown, Delores Patterson, Mavis McCauley, and Dorothy Vaske.

Condolences may be sent to the family through www.rudesfuneralhome.com.