Bernie Huisman | December 5, 1952 - December 26, 2021
Obituaries-Pierre / Posted Dec 28, 2021 | 5:27 AM / 341 views
Bernie Huisman, 69, of Miller, passed away Sunday, December 26, 2021, surrounded by his family at his home in Miller.
Celebration of Bernie’s Life will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, January 8, 2022, at the First Presbyterian Church, Miller, with Rev. Janice Palmer officiating.
Bernie was the third child born December 5, 1952, to Dean and Elaine (Gaudig) Huisman in Miller, SD. He was named after his dad’s brother, Bernard “Bennie” Huisman, who enlisted at age 19 and died February 1, 1918, of pneumonia at the Government Base Hospital in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, which was Hand County’s first casualty.
Bernie attended grade school in Glendale Township and graduated from Miller High School in 1971. Bernie was his dad’s shadow and grew to love farming and red (international) tractors. After moving to Miller, he continued to enjoy his tractors as a hobby both fixing and competing in tractor pulls.
His footprints still remain on the farm, with his designs for the cattle working set-up, located in the barn, are still being used today, as well as gates and a calf shed, just to name a few.
His lifelong resumé after farming included working for Nelson Brothers and the Hand County Highway Department. He retired from the Highway Department as a road grader operator at which time he continued to grade township roads with Dave Evans.
He had a horrendous wreck with his Scout on July 3, 1976 and lived to tell about it.
Bernie was a member of the South Hand Fire Department and later the Miller Fire Department. He served on the Glendale Township Board a number of years, he belonged to the Miller Area Jaycees, and he also helped out at the Miller Speedway during racing season.
Bernie became a husband to Ginger, and a father to Holley, on October 23, 1982, when he was united in marriage to the love of his life, Ginger Ann Herman.
His memory will always be cherished by his wife, Ginger; daughter, Holley (Jeff) Smith of Wahoo, NE; sisters: Gloria Myers of Ipswich and Diana (Bob) Tong of Miller; brothers and sisters-in-law: Tim (Lisa) Herman of Carollton, GA, Larry (Dianne) Herman of Miller, Jill (Bob) Laird of Sioux Falls, Pat Herman of Miller; a host of nieces and nephews; and his fur babies: Boo and Bella.
Bernie was preceded in death by his parents: Dean and Elaine Huisman; parents-in-law: DeWayne and Mary Herman; brother-in-law, Dave (husband of Gloria) Myers; and nephew, Rob Tong.
Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Bernie’s arrangements.
