Wesley C. Julson

Wesley C. Julson, age 81, of Sherman, SD, passed away after a brief illness on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 at Sanford Hospital Luverne. For the past two years he was a resident of the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, July 21, 2007 at Zion Lutheran Church in Garretson with interment following at Hills of Rest Memorial Park in Sioux Falls. Visitations will be from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Friday at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Garretson.


Wesley C. Julson was born on April 12, 1926, at Garretson, South Dakota to Emil and Viola (Rademacher) Julson. His father died when Wes was three. The family moved to Brainerd, Minnesota in 1936 and lived off and on with Uncle Ralph and Aunt Minnie Rademacher until 1942. Cousins Harold, Donald and Dick Rademacher were like brothers. After quitting school in 1942, Wes went to work for Garretson area farmers including August Anderson and Wes’ Uncle Bill Rademacher.

He entered the U.S. Army on January 1945 as an infantryman, and was stationed in the South Pacific and occupied Japan. He received a Good Conduct Medal, a Victory Medal, and an Army Occupation Medal. On July 27, 2007, he was to have received a medal at the Minnesota Veterans Home in honor of his service.

After returning home, he and his brother Vernon went into a trucking business for one year.
On February 22, 1948, Wesley wed Veryl McDowell in the Lutheran parsonage at Garretson. Veryl and Wes were lifetime farmers in Palisades Township, South Dakota, selling milk for 47 years. Wes served on the township board for 15 years, was a member of SD Farm Bureau for several years, and a member of the Garretson American Legion since 1946.

A lover of horses and dogs, they belonged to Twin Village Saddle Club and helped start Dakota Harness Club, participating in parades, trail rides and wagon trails. Lots of people and children learned to ride on the Julson’s horses and ponies. Wes had a small wooden wagon collection that he liked to share with others.

He enjoyed making things out of metal, doing wood carving, coloring and drawing, hunting and fishing. Wes was proud to continue the tradition of August M. Anderson by providing land to the Garretson Community for enjoyment by children and families. Facilities on that land include the Zion Lutheran Church, Tandberg Field, Community Swimming Pool, Garretson Jaycee’s Softball Complex and the Garretson School Athletic Complex.


Survivors include his wife, Veryl, Sherman, South Dakota; a son and his wife, Bob and Betty Julson, Sherman; a daughter and her husband, Linda and Steven Holmes, Houston, Texas; two grandsons, Cody and Kipp Julson; three granddaughters, Erin Karnofski, Tina Scott and Kassie Holmes; and two step great granddaughters, Teila and Teisha. He was preceded in death by his parents, in-laws, Earl and Florence McDowell, and a brother, Vernon.

Wes always liked to say that “the guy who never made a mistake never did anything” and “I am as good as I can be for the shape I am in.”