Obituary for Sylvan "Syl" Louis Mack
Sylvan “Syl” Mack, age 91, died in his home near Kranzburg, SD on Thursday, May 30, 2019.
Funeral mass will be at 11:00 AM, Monday, June 3, 2019 at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kranzburg with Father Ken Koster as celebrant.
Visitation will be Sunday, June 2nd from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Holy Rosary Church in Kranzburg with a Scripture service at 4:00 PM followed by a rosary. There will also be visitation, at the church, one hour prior to the funeral on Monday.
Interment will be at the Holy Rosary Church Cemetery.
Active Casketbearers will be his nine grandsons, Jay Peterson, Brett Peterson, Tyler Peterson, Charlie Mack, Luke Mack, Casey DeVille, Marshall Mack, Beau Mack, Carter Mack and Brandon Mack.
Honorary Casketbearers will be Melvin Mack, Sylvan’s caregivers and friends, Dave and Jeannie Hedding, Janel, Dallis and Barbara Trego, Jessica Nelson, Daina Heemeyer, Watertown Home Care and Prairie Lakes Hospice employees. With the loving and special care Syl received from these special people, Sylvan was granted his wish of spending his life at his home.
Sylvan “Syl” Louis Mack was born March 26, 1928 to Peter and Susan (Heyn) Mack at the family farm near Kranzburg, SD. He attended grade school at Kranzburg and high school in Goodwin, SD.
As a young teenager Syl began playing the saxophone and clarinet with the Francis Hess Band and later established his own band, Sly and the Boys. Also at the age of 16, Syl learned to fly and purchased his own airplane. During Syl’s time playing Big Band Music for dances he met “the prettiest girl in Clark County”, Corrine Seefeldt. On June 5, 1948 they were united in marriage at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kranzburg. Syl and Corrine had 12 children, 6 girls and 6 boys.
Sylvan and his family raised turkeys for many years and in addition he traveled a four state area to continue his musical career. Before his retirement he worked for the Codington County Highway Department. During retirement Sylvan and Corrine traveled extensively in their motorhome. Syl spent many hours watching EWTN and then on to watching his next favorite channel, The Food Network where he learned gourmet cooking and became an accomplished bread maker. Throughout Sylvan’s life he enjoyed hunting and fishing trips with his family and friends. Other interests were of course airplanes along with his flower garden, golfing and auto racing. Sylvan will always be remembered for his quick wit and unending knowledge on a very wide range of topics which stems from the thousands of books he read.
Sylvan is survived by nine children, Colleen (Jim) Peterson, Eagle NE, Steve (Bev) Mack, Watertown, Randy (Beth) Mack, Kranzburg, Paulette (Dick) DeVille, Watertown, Lynne Stricherz (Greg Krech) Huron, Mary Lea (Steve) Yseth, Watertown, Tim (Lori) Mack, Huron, Barry (Teri) Mack, Huron and Rob (Sue) Mack, Watertown; 31 grandchildren; 42 great grandchildren; his six siblings, Ramona Spartz, Maris Larson, Pete (Donna) Mack, Tom Mack, Doug (Penny) Mack and Diane (Doug) Stormo; his sister-in-law, Marie Mack.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Corrine; three children, Valerie, Kerry “Guy” and Gina; his son-in-law, Stan Stricherz; his parents, Peter and Susan Mack; brother, Jerome; brothers-in-law, Matt Spartz and Jerry Larson; sister-in-law, Anne Mack; and his parents-in-law, Edward Seefeldt, Frances Seefeldt Day and Carroll Day.
Arrangements by Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel in Watertown, www.wightandcomes.com.
Funeral mass will be at 11:00 AM, Monday, June 3, 2019 at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kranzburg with Father Ken Koster as celebrant.
Visitation will be Sunday, June 2nd from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Holy Rosary Church in Kranzburg with a Scripture service at 4:00 PM followed by a rosary. There will also be visitation, at the church, one hour prior to the funeral on Monday.
Interment will be at the Holy Rosary Church Cemetery.
Active Casketbearers will be his nine grandsons, Jay Peterson, Brett Peterson, Tyler Peterson, Charlie Mack, Luke Mack, Casey DeVille, Marshall Mack, Beau Mack, Carter Mack and Brandon Mack.
Honorary Casketbearers will be Melvin Mack, Sylvan’s caregivers and friends, Dave and Jeannie Hedding, Janel, Dallis and Barbara Trego, Jessica Nelson, Daina Heemeyer, Watertown Home Care and Prairie Lakes Hospice employees. With the loving and special care Syl received from these special people, Sylvan was granted his wish of spending his life at his home.
Sylvan “Syl” Louis Mack was born March 26, 1928 to Peter and Susan (Heyn) Mack at the family farm near Kranzburg, SD. He attended grade school at Kranzburg and high school in Goodwin, SD.
As a young teenager Syl began playing the saxophone and clarinet with the Francis Hess Band and later established his own band, Sly and the Boys. Also at the age of 16, Syl learned to fly and purchased his own airplane. During Syl’s time playing Big Band Music for dances he met “the prettiest girl in Clark County”, Corrine Seefeldt. On June 5, 1948 they were united in marriage at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kranzburg. Syl and Corrine had 12 children, 6 girls and 6 boys.
Sylvan and his family raised turkeys for many years and in addition he traveled a four state area to continue his musical career. Before his retirement he worked for the Codington County Highway Department. During retirement Sylvan and Corrine traveled extensively in their motorhome. Syl spent many hours watching EWTN and then on to watching his next favorite channel, The Food Network where he learned gourmet cooking and became an accomplished bread maker. Throughout Sylvan’s life he enjoyed hunting and fishing trips with his family and friends. Other interests were of course airplanes along with his flower garden, golfing and auto racing. Sylvan will always be remembered for his quick wit and unending knowledge on a very wide range of topics which stems from the thousands of books he read.
Sylvan is survived by nine children, Colleen (Jim) Peterson, Eagle NE, Steve (Bev) Mack, Watertown, Randy (Beth) Mack, Kranzburg, Paulette (Dick) DeVille, Watertown, Lynne Stricherz (Greg Krech) Huron, Mary Lea (Steve) Yseth, Watertown, Tim (Lori) Mack, Huron, Barry (Teri) Mack, Huron and Rob (Sue) Mack, Watertown; 31 grandchildren; 42 great grandchildren; his six siblings, Ramona Spartz, Maris Larson, Pete (Donna) Mack, Tom Mack, Doug (Penny) Mack and Diane (Doug) Stormo; his sister-in-law, Marie Mack.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Corrine; three children, Valerie, Kerry “Guy” and Gina; his son-in-law, Stan Stricherz; his parents, Peter and Susan Mack; brother, Jerome; brothers-in-law, Matt Spartz and Jerry Larson; sister-in-law, Anne Mack; and his parents-in-law, Edward Seefeldt, Frances Seefeldt Day and Carroll Day.
Arrangements by Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel in Watertown, www.wightandcomes.com.