LaJean D. Powell

LaJean D. Powell, age 96, of Jasper, passed away on Monday, April 7, 2025, at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls. Funeral services will begin at 1:00 PM Friday, April 11, 2025, at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Garretson. Visitation with coffee and cookies will be one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Jasper City Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association.

LaJean Doris Powell was born on January 4, 1929, to Lester E. and Mabel J. (Anderson) Pfantz near Jasper, Minnesota. She was raised on the T.K. Anderson homestead northwest of Jasper and graduated from Jasper High School in 1946. On June 3, 1955, she married Donald G. Powell in San Diego, California. LaJean lived in San Diego for five years, while Don served in the US Navy on a submarine tender during the Korean Conflict. After Don’s service, they moved back to Jasper. To this union, three children were welcomed: Edward, Susan, and Daniel. LaJean worked as a secretary for Joe Foss at Raven Industries, until shejoined Don in running the family operation, Powell Truck Line.The business grew hauling grain and other flat-bed freight, eventually moving into specialty hauling of honeybees. While working in honey and bee trucking, the Powells also started Sherman Honey Farms. At its height, it operated more than 1, 000 colonies of bees. After Don’s death on June 18, 1979, LaJean continued to operate the trucking business with her son until retiring in 1996.

LaJean was a member of First Lutheran Church in Sherman. LaJean had a deep love for animals. She raised sheep and cared for many dogs and cats in her lifetime. She fondly remembered growing up on the farm and riding her father’s plow horses bareback at every opportunity. She passed her love and compassion for animals onto her children and grandchildren.

Survivors include her children: Edward (Lynda) Powell, Garretson, and Susan Powell McKenna, Jasper; daughter-in-law, Mary Beth Powell (Mark) Wiesner, Garretson; and grandchildren: Samuel (Brianna) Powell, Sioux Falls, Joshua (Taylor) Powell, Sioux Falls, Cassidy (Chase) Fairbanks, Wood, South Dakota, Stephanie Rauscher, Yankton, and Nichole Wallin, Luverne. Her great-grandchildren are twins Millie and Josie Fairbanks, and Bodie and Colie Powell. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Donald Powell, son, Daniel Powell, and sisters, Dolores and Lois.

LaJean will be deeply missed but we know she is once again at peace in heaven reunited with her husband, son and sisters.