Harlan W. Schild was born on March 25, 1924, in Fort Collins, CO, the eldest of 4 sons of Henry and Eva Schild. He attended country schools in Colorado and graduated from Windsor High School as salutatorian in 1942. He was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1944 and served overseas during World War II until being discharged in 1946. Upon returning home, he was engaged with the family farm until he went to Greenland and worked for Peter Kiewit Sons Construction for 8 years. In 1966, he graduated from Wartburg College in Waverly, IA, followed by Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield, IL, for 2 years. He graduated with a Master's Degree in History and International Relations from New Mexico Highlands University in 1969. He married Lena Dassenko on September 7, 1968, and they moved to Sturgis in 1971. He returned to farming for a number of years followed by becoming an Independent Sales Distributor for Harper Industrial Brush.

Harlan, 91, Sturgis, passed on to his eternal home on Thursday, January 14, 2016, while residing at Hospice House in Rapid City.

He is survived by his brother, Richard (Dorothy) Schild; sister-in-law, Marlene Schild Cockroft; and brother-in-law, Ivan Dassenko.

Preceding him in death were his parents; wife, Lena; and brothers, Wilbur and Raymond.

Harlan will always be remembered for the love he showed his numerous nieces, nephews, friends, and his strong Christian faith.

Funeral services will be at Zion Lutheran Church, 4550 US-16, Rapid City, on Friday, January 22, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. Burial with military honors will be at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

Memorials, in lieu of flowers, can be made to: Zion Lutheran Church building fund, or Rapid City Regional Hospice, in care of Kinkade Funeral Chapel, 1235 Junction Ave., Sturgis, SD 57785.

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