Edward "Eddie" Moeller

Edward “Eddie” Moeller, age 79, of De Smet, SD, passed away on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at the VA Hospice Cottage in Sioux Falls, SD.

Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in De Smet, SD, with Visitation the hour prior.

Burial at St. Thomas Catholic Cemetery following the service with lunch at the De Smet American Legion following burial.

Edward George Moeller was born January 25, 1947, in Plankinton, SD, to Edward Peter and Margaret (Erpelding) Moeller. He would be the first of nine children born to this union. On Sunday, March 22, 2026, he entered the kingdom of our Lord.

Ed attended Willow Lake Country School through the 8th Grade and graduated from Kimball High School in 1965. 

He enlisted in the United States Navy a year later and completed Basic Training in San Diego.  He later was assigned to the destroyer USS Benner as part of the boiler crew. He served 3 tours of duty in Vietnam. The first one was for 4 months a ¼ mile off the coast of north Vietnam, this was considered Blue Water Navy; the second tour was for 5 months in the DMZ Zone and third for another 5 months as plane guarder for an aircraft carrier. His ship also spent time in the Taiwan Straits, earning him the Taiwan Defense Medal.  This was for a total of 14 months in combat; he was discharged in April 1970.  During his time in the service, he was exposed to Agent Orange, which contributed to many of his health problems in later life.  After his service of four years he was discharged as a PT3 Boilerman 3rd Class, he was awarded the National Defense Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Taiwan Medal and Combat Efficiency Medal. 

Ed remembered that his first leave to come home from boot camp was for 15 days, however it was at the same time there was an airline strike.  It took him 5 days to get home by bus and 5 days to get back, giving him only 5 days at home.  On another occasion Ed came home for leave during pheasant season only to find everyone at home sick with the mumps.  Ed spent his leave doing chores since everyone else was sick; after he went back to his ship he came down with the mumps and had to be airlifted to off the USS Benner to the USS Ticonderoga because there was no place on the destroyer to quarantine a person.

Upon his discharge he bought a Chevy Nova in Long Beach and drove it home to Kimball, SD.  He spent the next few months working in the area on local farms including Larsons, Husman’s, Ronnie Hoffman’s and summers on the combining crew before moving to Forestburg, SD, where he spent 4 years on the Ferguson farm.  He later worked at the cheese plant in Mitchell, SD, before he bought the dairy farm in De Smet, SD.

Ed worked the dairy farm for seven years, but it was too difficult for one man alone.  He later went to work for the rendering plant in De Smet and eventually retired from the window factory in De Smet.

Edward married Annie June 13, 1998, together they made their home in De Smet, SD, until Annie passed away June 13, 2023. 

Edward was a lifetime member of the American Legion Post 138 and served as commander in 1984-1987, at the same time his dad Edward P. was post commander in White Lake, SD; he was also a lifetime member of the VFW and served two years as commander and two years as district trustee.  In 1984, he started the Avenue of Flags in De Smet, SD that are placed around the cemetery, city park and courthouse.

Eddie enjoyed driving around the countryside, fishing, camping and talking to anyone that would take the time to visit.  He was a wealth of knowledge of family history; he could recall stories and events that many have forgotten.  Ed seldom missed a District meeting, Mid-Winter Conference or American Legion Convention.  He was proud of the fact that in 1985 his dad, brother-in-law and himself were all at the Mid-Winter Conference as Post Commanders; he also served as his sister’s escort when she was State President.  Everyone in De Smet knew “Eddie” and never heard him talk bad about anyone or ever lose his temper, he never had a harsh comment about anyone or anything.

Ed once said “for being born 6 weeks premature, having had the measles and whooping cough as child he didn’t think he had too bad of a life”.

He is survived by four brothers Robert Moeller, Sealy, TX, Thomas (Stella) Moeller, Rapid City, SD, Lawrence (Marjean) Moeller, Mitchell, SD, Richard (Sandy) Moeller, Pearland, TX; two sisters Edith (Kelly) Burlingame, Menahga, MN and Carol (Russel) Edwards, Central City, SD; sister-in-law Teresa Moeller, Kimball, SD; step-children Vicky Keane, Ledyard, CT, Brenda Hylland, Westerly, RI, Randy Hylland, Pawcatuck, CT, Rhonda Sicard, Pawcatuck; several step grandchildren; step great-grandchildren; 10 nieces and nephews; and several great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Annie; parents, Edward P. and Margaret Moeller; brother, William Moeller; sister-in-law, Donna Moeller; infant sister, Ruth Ann Moeller.

Arrangements entrusted to Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel        www.crawfordosthus.com

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