Harry Harold Stockwell

Harry “Shy” Stockwell, age 98, of Garretson, died on Wednesday, April 8, 2009, at Palisade Manor in Garretson. Funeral services will begin at 1:30 P.M. Monday, April 13, 2009, at Zion Lutheran Church, Garretson. Visitation with the family present will be from 6-8:00 P.M. Sunday at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Garretson.

Harry was born on August 2, 1910, at Shindler, South Dakota, to Henry and Anna (Hass) Stockwell. He grew up in the East Sioux area, where the family farmed and operated the local store. On April 6, 1947, Harry married Geraldine Colby at Lake Whitewood Lutheran Church, near Arlington. The couple lived in Sioux Falls until moving to a farm just north of Garretson in 1952. Harry continued to farm until 1986 at which time Geraldine and Harry moved into Garretson. Following his retirement from farming, Harry began working for Oak Ridge Nursery in Brandon and continued to do so for over twenty years.


Harry was a member of Zion Lutheran Church and served as a deacon, council member and janitor. He served on the board of the Southeast Experiment Farm and won a National Pork Producer’s Award. Harry’s hobby was his work. He loved digging around in the dirt, gardening and planting trees.


Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Geraldine, Garretson; children: Pat (Darrell) Hellie, Beresford and Randy (special friend, Heather Bode) Stockwell, Rochester, Minnesota; a grandson, Kyle Hellie, Aurora, Colorado; two siblings: Ruby Meester, Ellsworth, Minnesota and Rex Stockwell, Lennox and a sister-in-law, Delpha Stockwell, Sioux Falls.


Harry was preceded in death by his parents and siblings: Reuben, Virgil and Louella.