Marty Leonard Eitreim

Marty L. Eitreim, age 92, of Garretson, died on Monday, September 26, 2011, at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls. Funeral services will begin at 10:00 A.M. Friday, September 30, 2011, at the Zion Lutheran Church, Garretson. Visitation with the family present will be from 5-8:00 P.M. Thursday, at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Garretson. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Garretson Dollars for Scholars.

Martin Leonard Eitreim was born on July 18, 1919, at Garretson, South Dakota to Iver D. and Jorgena (Buer) Eitreim. He attended school in Garretson and graduated from Garretson High School in 1938. On February 1, 1941, he married Elaine Nelson in Hills, Minnesota. Marty served in the United States Navy during World War II. Following his service he was employed as a fireman at the Sioux Falls Army Air Base and at Brown Drug Wholesale Company.

Marty attended the Sioux City Barber College in 1949 and operated a barbershop in Garretson for 30 years. In 1978, he sold the business and became employed with the Southeast Livestock Coop in Sioux Falls until his retirement in 1982. Marty and Elaine then moved to Ottertail, Minnesota. Following Elaine’s death in 1993, Marty moved back to Garretson.

Marty was a charter member of the Garretson Community Swimming Pool and a 67 year member of the American Legion. He was also a member of Zion Lutheran Church, 40 & 8, Garretson Commercial Club, Garretson Volunteer Fire Department, and the Palisade Masonic Lodge. He also served as a director of the Split Rock Telephone Corporation and the Ottertail Lake Properties Association. Marty was a dedicated fan of the Garretson Blue Dragons and could always be seen at athletic competitions in Garretson. He was also extremely proud of his 13 years of sobriety.

Survivors include his children: Dianne (Jim) Burma of Sioux Falls, Pamela (Bill) Liester of Battle Lake, MN, David (Nelda) of Garretson and Keith (Susan) of Jasper, MN; 10 grandchildren: Jim Burma Jr., Amy Ries, Susan Kubat, Stephanie Liester, Tom Liester, Valerie Soules, Krissy Stadther, Jennifer Vollmuth, Andrew Eitreim and Marci Eitreim; 10 great-grandchildren: Crosby Ries, Sophia Ries, Eliza Ries, Lauren Kubat, Kyle Kubat, Jim Burma III, Madeline Burma, Owen Liester, Max Liester and William Noah Liester Jackson. He was preceded in death by his wife, three infant children, parents, five siblings and eleven half-siblings.