Leroy Jerome Skatvold

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LeRoy Jerome Skatvold, 67, of Sioux Falls passed away Sunday, February 14, 2016 at Avera McKennan Hospital.

Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 2:30 PM Thursday, February 18, 2016 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Dell Rapids. Inurnment will be in Pioneer Cemetery, rural Baltic, SD.

Memorial visitation will begin at 4:00 PM with a Wake service at 5:00 PM Wednesday, February 17, 2016 at Minnehaha Funeral Home in Dell Rapids.

Leroy Jerome Skatvold was born on March 19, 1948 in Dell Rapids, South Dakota to Joel and Lucille Celeste (Opien) Skatvold. He attended Dell Rapids public schools, graduating from Dell Rapids High School in 1966.

Leroy entered the US Navy immediately after his graduation. He served during the Vietnam War Era in California, Guam, Cuba, Boston and Naples, Italy ending in Cape Hatteris, NC. He was also a member of the US Navy's Sixth Fleet located in the Mediterranean. Leroy was honorably discharged in 1972.

While stationed in Boston he met his wife, Diane. They were united in marriage January 25, 1971 in Naples, Italy. Together they welcomed their first born Eric Lee on September 15, 1971. A short time after moving to Dell Rapids, SD, they welcomed their second child Michael Roy on March 16, 1975. On November 6, 1977, both Leroy and Diane were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Natalie Anne.

Leroy was an excellent and loving husband, father, grandfather and brother. In his spare time Leroy enjoyed carpentry. He always had a project. In his younger years he enjoyed hunting and as he grew older trying to golf with his friends, Al and Bob. He even tolerated his wife's obsession with her sporting teams, the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots. His favorite teams were whichever one his child was playing on whether it is football, softball or a wrestling match. With all of his Navy traveling it made it more important to travel with his wife more recently. He really enjoyed going to Las Vegas to visit their close friends, Dick and Kris Goodale.

Leroy is survived by his wife, Diane (Oliver) Skatvold; his children, Eric (Rebecca) Skatvold, Michael (Ashley) Skatvold and Natalie Skatvold, all residing in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; nine grandchildren, Devon, Christian, Riley, Hunter, Pegan, Madison, Austin, Trayden and Ava; siblings, Judy Walters, Dean (Karen) Skatvold and Keith Skatvold and numerous other in- laws and friends. He will be missed by his family, friends and trusty companion, Red.

Leroy was preceded in death by his mother, Lucille, father, Joel and brother- in- law, Les Walters.