Lester Alfred Kirkegaard, son of Rasmus and Anna (Grindberg) Kirkegaard, was born May 2nd, 1921 in Moody County, SD and passed away at the Flandreau Medical Center on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at the age of 88. He received his education at Pleasant Prairie School and Egan High school in 1939. He was a veteran of World War II. On July 12, 1947 he married Doris Myers in Sioux Falls, SD. Except for the time that Lester was in the service he farmed in Moody County, working with Leonard Hove which progressed into a partnership with and then continued on his own for the remainder of his life even though the last few years he couldn't actually be out in the fields himself. He enjoyed working with his cows and calves and it was a sad day for him when he had to finally sell them. Lester was known for his large sweet corn patch and garden and thoroughly enjoyed sharing his produce with the neighborhood and beyond. He was a member of the Hjelman-Anderson American Legion Post 122 of Trent. He was a lifetime member of Bethania Lutheran Church and Messiah Lutheran Church.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Doris; his son, Dennis (Peggy Jensen), of Sioux Falls, SD and daughter, Margo (Bob) Brandt of Rapid City, SD; 3 grandsons, Daniel (Donene) Kirkegaard of Mitchell, Cory (Derika) Foreman of Rapid City and Nicholas Kirkegaard of Sioux Falls, SD; 2 great grandsons, Justin and Calvin; 2 sisters, Alice Denton, Springfield, VA and Iona (Curtis) Raines, Las Vegas, NV; 1 brother, Wilbur (Beverly), LaMesa, CA and a sister-in-law, Laura Kirkegaard, Trent. Survivors also include his extended family: Jeanne and Stuart Benson, David and Connie Hove and Charlie and Alice Ryan and families all of Flandreau and his many friends and neighbors who enjoyed his sense of humor. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Jane and brother, Orville.

Services will be 2:00 pm Monday, December 7, 2009 at Messiah Lutheran Church, rural Trent, with burial in Bethania Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation begins 2:00 pm Sunday with a 5:00 pm prayer service at Skroch Funeral Chapel.