Gaylord Lee Sonnenschein | July 30, 1947 - August 3, 2023
Obituaries-Pierre / Posted Aug 6, 2023 | 9:12 AM / 597 views
Gaylord Lee Sonnenschein, 76, passed away peacefully with his loving wife by his side, on August 3, 2023, at his home in Fort Pierre, South Dakota.
Funeral service will be 10:30 am on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, at Community Bible Church with a visitation starting at 9:30 am. Pastor Chance Sumner will be officiating the services with burial at Riverside Cemetery in Pierre, a luncheon to follow the committal at the Casey Tibbs Rodeo Center in Fort Pierre. For those unable to attend the service it will be live streamed in the link below.
Gaylord was born on July 30, 1947, in Pierre, to Earl and Bertha (Rohrbauck) Sonnenschein. Gaylord lived a life full of love, service, and dedication to his family and community.
Gaylord spent his entire life in Pierre, he was an active member at the United Methodist Church growing up and later the Wesleyan Church, proudly serving in many ways and he enjoyed singing in the choir. Gaylord graduated from TF Riggs in 1965 where he was a standout athlete participating in football, basketball, baseball, and track. After graduation he went on to attend South Dakota State University, playing both baseball and basketball and he earned his Ag/Econ degree, graduating 1970. During college he served in the South Dakota National Guard.
Gaylord was united in marriage to Cathy Strudle on August 15, 1970 at First United Methodist Church in Pierre. After marriage they began their life together on Mission Ridge Road while Gaylord ranched, he loved caring for the cattle. After the drought of 1976, his career then took a turn towards finance, where he excelled as a bank manager at Home Federal. In this role, he was known for his willingness to go the extra mile to help customers and colleagues. After leaving the bank, Gaylord worked at the South Dakota Department of Insurance until his retirement in 2017. Gaylord continued to find joy and peace working the land as a rancher following in his father’s footsteps.
Gaylord was an avid Vikings fan, being their #1 cheerleader, he may not have been able to griddy but he showed his support by always having a Vikings phone case. Every year he and Cathy would bring the family up to Minneapolis for the Vikings vs Bears game with the several other family friends, who were always cheering for the silly Chicago Bears. They may have been in the nosebleeds of metro dome, but they sure did have a good time cheering SKOL VIKES! He thought he hit the jackpot when his favorite son-in-law, Sam got those swanky seats at the new stadium! His love for the Vikings continued throughout his entire life, even though they let him down more often than not, he was a fan through thick and thin.
When not cheering on the Vikings you could find Gaylord out on the golf course, playing a round of golf with the “Good Ol’ Boys.” They played many a round at Hillsview. His other favorite courses included Town & Country Club in St. Paul, MN and Sutton Bay in Agar, SD. He always looked forward to his annual trips with his golfing buddies to Arizona and Palm Springs.
Gaylord had a love for keeping his car, shoes, and hair in pristine condition. Whenever he visited Tiffany and family in Minnesota, the minute they got their car unloaded, his favorite thing to do was take it to Paradise Car Wash. Who would have thought his green 1997 Chevy ranch pickup, that had more problems than not, would outlive him! Everyone in Pierre knew Gaylord in that pickup and saw him driving his route around town.
Gaylord is survived by his wife, Cathy Sonnenschein, and their three children: Tiffany (Sam) Anderson, Taylor (Sarah) Sonnenschein, Tarrah Sonnenschein, special nephew Shane Severyn and his SIX grandsons: Zac Anderson, Max Anderson, Sawyer Sonnenschein, Sutton Sonnenschein, Peter de Hueck, and Franklin de Hueck. His legacy will also continue through his siblings: Judy (Gary) Larson, and Diana (Syd) Stevens and Clayton (Sharon) Sonnenschein. His family will remember him as a loving husband, father and brother who always put others before himself. He was preceded in death by both his parents.
Gaylord’s impact on his family, friends, and community was profound and he will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
In Lieu of flowers, Memorials may be directed to Community Bible Church, Countryside Hospice, PAWS, Hopeless to Homes, or the Pierre Athletic Booster Club.
