Gilmore Koepsell: 1925-2021
Gilmore “Gil” J. Koepsell, age 96, passed away Oct. 27, 2021, at the Sioux Falls VA Hospital with his granddaughter, Michelle, at his side. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, at St. John American Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, S.D., with burial to follow at Woodlawn Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday at George Boom Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory in Sioux Falls from 5 to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the St. John American Lutheran Church Endowment Fund, USD or Augustana Scholarship Funds or a charity of your choice.
Gil was born October 12, 1925 to Adolph and Helena Koepsell and grew up on a farm in the Canova, S.D. area and went to Salem High School where he played flute and basketball and graduated in 1943. After high school, he farmed for four years and then moved to Sioux Falls. He took courses at Nettleton College, worked at Red Owl, Fuller Brush, and most importantly, met the love of his life, Dorothy Bender. He served in the United States Army for two years in 1951 and 1952. He was home on a two-week leave when he and Dorothy decided to plan a wedding in 10 days and were married on June 25, 1952, in Menno, S.D. They were married 68-plus years before Dorothy passed away earlier this year. Two sons, Randy and Jay, were born into this union.
In early 1953, Gil started work at Tri-State Electric in Sioux Falls which lasted 38 years until his retirement in 1991. Twenty of those years he was the purchasing manager and the last three years he served as president. He was very active in his church, St. John American Lutheran, serving as president, Building Committee Co-Chair, and on many other committees. He was also active in the community as a volunteer for VA activities, participating in American Legion programs, in particular the Honor Guard, helping with Meals on Wheels and serving on the Luther Manor Board. He was a life member of the American Legion Post 15, VFW Post 628 and 40 & 8 Voiture129. He was “Legionnaire of the Year” in 1981 and “Veteran of the Year” in 2009. He was also a member of the Elks #262, UCT and Augustana Fellows. He can best be described as a man of faith, integrity, humbleness and generosity. He and Dorothy supported numerous charitable organizations over the years.
He loved bowling and enjoyed playing cards, golfing, gardening and traveling with Dorothy. Even more so, he loved his family and will be missed by his two sons, Randy (Marilyn) Koepsell Chanhassen, Minn., and Jay (Deb) Koepsell Medina, Minn.; seven grandchildren: Nicole (Walter) Kulbaba, Michelle (Jon) Wiegand, Ryan (Tracy) Koepsell, Angela (Michael) Manes, Katherine Koepsell, Jennifer Koepsell and Lindsay Hastings; 11 great-grandchildren: Carter, Spencer, Parker, Harper, Braelynn, Amelia, Lucas, Kaylee, Rylee, Annalee, Westlee, plus one more due in May 2022; and a host of other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy; parents Adolph and Helena; brother Elroy (Lyla); brother in-law, Wilmer Bender, and brother in-law and sister in-law Oliver and Verna Bender.
