Claire B. Konold

Claire B. Konold, age 86, of Watertown, SD, passed away on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at St. Williams Care Center in Milbank, SD.  Funeral services will be at 1:00 pm, FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2024,at Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer in Watertown, SD.  Pastor Dan Overbo will officiate.

Visitation will be at the Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel in Watertown on SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 2024, 2-4 PM and prior to services at the church.

Burial will be at the Lakeview Cemetery in Clear Lake, SD. Honorary pallbearers will be: the Wheel Inn Coffee Group, Wayne Leiner, Hugh Bartels, the late Bob Faehn and Paul Gregerson.  Active pallbearers will be: Stephanie Fever, Kristin Coulson, Jacob Konold, Shaye Konold, Michael Veenschoten, Mason Veenschoten and Karson Veenschoten.

Claire Konold was born on February 13, 1938, to Albert and Blanche (Kjelden) Konold in Clear Lake, SD. They lived in Watertown before moving to a farm by Brandt, SD. He went to County School by Brandt. He graduated from Brandt High School in 1956.  In his younger years, Claire was a catcher for the Brandt American Legion Team and the independent town team.

Claire played the saxophone in the family band “Konold Orchestra.” He worked construction and then ran the pool hall in Brandt for a year after an accident forced him to quit the construction business. In his spare time, he enjoyed flying his airplane.

Claire married Wylla Hicks on August 11, 1962, in Luverne, MN. They had four children: Brent, Dawn, Christine, and Randy. He worked for elevators in Toronto, SD, and Spencer, SD, before returning to the construction business. Claire decided he wanted to better himself so he enrolled in college at SDSU, graduating in 1972.  He then moved his family to Mt. Pleasant, IA, and worked for Golden Sun Feeds. He became a loan officer for the Federal Land Bank before transferring to Kearney, NE to become the Vice President. In 1980, he was promoted to President at the Aberdeen, SD, branch. 

Claire and Wylla moved to Watertown, SD, in 1985. Claire worked for Helland Realty until he got his broker's license and started his own appraisal company which he ran until retirement.

While in Watertown, Claire was elected to the House of Representatives for eight years and was Chairman of the Commerce Committee.  He enjoyed being in the Legislature and all the politics.  Claire was the lobbyist for the building of the DCI building in Pierre, SD.  He was also a board member at Reliabank. He sang in the Barbershop Quartet, loved playing cards, golf, fishing, hunting, bowling and dancing.  Claire was a lifetime member of the Elk's and a member of the Watertown Rotary. 

Claire is survived by his wife, Wylla, of Watertown; two sons, Brent Konold and Randy (Lisa) Konold; two daughters, Dawn (John) Veenschoten and Christine Konold; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one brother, Gene (Audrey) Konold; and one sister, Marlys Overby.

Claire was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Blanche Konold; his brother, Marwell Konold; and his sister, Shirley (Gene) Peterson.

Arrangements by Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel
Watertown, Hayti, De Smet and Bryant
www.crawfordosthus.com

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