On January 29, 1944, during the second heaviest snowfall in any one day since 1888, Lynn Edward Laumer was born after a long drive following a snowplow from rural Newell to the Rapid City hospital. It was also a long drive for his parents Bernard and Alma Laumer!

Lynn grew up on farms in the Newell area, helping with chores and in the fields. He attended school in Newell and graduated from high school in 1962. During those early years, he joined 4-H, raised registered Columbia sheep, and at the time of graduation, had over 50 head of sheep. He loved sports, participating in baseball, football, basketball, and track. He pitched on baseball teams in college and with a town team in Aberdeen sponsored by Paisley Auto Parts. Fishing and bowling were hobbies as well.

Friends were classmates and neighbors, as well as cousins who lived close. His love of music came naturally in his family and he played the baritone horn in grade school and high school as well as into his adult life. Singing was one of Lynn's passions and the boys' quartet at the Lutheran Church was a favorite activity. Four part harmony remained with him throughout his adult life as he participated in sharing his faith by singing in church and as part of the praise and worship team at Believers Fellowship for many years. He was a member of the barbershop chorus in Spearfish. Like many guys, he enjoyed cars. His particular favorite was the '67 Ford Mustang Fastback he owned and drove for over twenty years. Both of Lynn's daughters still mourn the sale of this car!

For three years, Lynn attended the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City. In 1965, Lynn married the love of his life, Karen Edlund, and they moved to Aberdeen where he completed college at Northern State, receiving a teaching degree with a math major and physics minor. His love of the land brought him full circle when he and Karen bought land on Horse Creek, near Newell, where they raised hogs and built barns and finishing lots. A few years later, they added more land and a Grade A dairy herd purchased from Karen's parents. They maintained the dairy herd for nearly twenty years, and their cows won many awards for milk production. During their time in Newell, Lynn received two special gifts in the births of his daughters: Tracy in 1970 and Karlie in 1976. They were both wonderful in his eyes and he loved them unconditionally.

In late 1987, Lynn and Karen moved to Spearfish where he began working for the U.S. Forest Service. He became a Licensed Land Surveyor (Karen teased him that all the time he spent surveying ditches in the corn field did serve another purpose!) He enjoyed his time at the Forest Service and surveyed and maintained miles of property line between private and Forest owned land, which usually involved a long climb on a hot (or cold) day, with a 40 pound backpack loaded with a survey instrument, other equipment, and sometimes carrying steel posts.

The Minnesota Twins became a baseball team the Laumer household followed closely--before retirement, who knew baseball games were on afternoon TV? Professional bull riding--as spectators only--was enjoyed by both Lynn and Karen.

This gentle, quiet man left us on Saturday, January 2, 2016, to spend eternity with Jesus, the One he had faithfully served and honored his whole life.

Lynn is survived by his wife of fifty years, Karen, and his two daughters: Tracy Jepson of Ankeny, IA, and Karlie Laumer, of Spearfish, SD. Also surviving are his grandsons, Christopher and Steffan Jepson; they were the delight of his life and he was so proud of them. Other survivors include his mother, Alma Laumer of Lennox, SD; brothers, Jack (and DeAnne) of San Marcos, TX, Joel (and Rita) of Lennox; and his sister, Jill Sand of Spearfish. Also surviving are aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, and cousins. Other survivors include the extended Edlund family, a group he knew truly accepted him as a "card-carrying" member of their family!

Services will be held at Believers' Fellowship in Sturgis on Friday, January 8th at 1:00 pm. Visitation will be Thursday evening January 7th from 5-7 pm at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis.

In lieu of flowers memorials have been established to Hallelujah Sunday School Teacher's Training, Myanmar, Happy Family Ministries, Baguio, Philippines, and Hospice of the Northern Hills.

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