Myron "Bud" Kleppin, age 90, of Wessington Springs, passed away Sunday, June 20, 2021, at the Weskota Manor at Wessington Springs.

His celebration of life was held at 2:30 PM, Tuesday, June 29th, at the 1905 Opera House at Wessington Springs.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be left to the Wessington Springs Opera House, c/o Brian Bergeleen, 109 Dakota Ave. North, Wessington Springs, SD 57382.

Myron was born December 12, 1930, in Wessington Springs, South Dakota, the youngest son of George P. Kleppin and Eva M. (Frommel) Kleppin. He attended rural schools in western Jerauld County and graduated from Wessington Springs High School in 1948.  He was active in band, chorus and sports. He was a Boy's State delegate in 1947 and was proud to tell you that he was a member of two award winning quartets his junior and senior years.

He attended South Dakota State College from 1948 – 1951, leaving college to return to the farm to help when his father's health declined. He was involved with farming and ranching with his parents, and later his brother, in both rural Jerauld County and Valley County Montana.

He was called to the military during the Korean Conflict and served as an Army Medic in Alaska from 1954 - 1956. Anyone who knew Bud knew he had unending stories of his time in Alaska.  In 1956, upon the death of his father, he was discharged from his military services and returned to Wessington Springs and eventually began a farming partnership with his brother, Keith.

On January 10, 1970, he was united in marriage with Cheryl (Sherry) Bell, in a private ceremony at Huron, South Dakota.  He reminisced often that he nearly missed his own wedding because the January temperatures had the well for the cattle frozen solid.

Myron was a member of Templeton United Church of Christ for more than 50 years, and served as a church officer, Sunday School Superintendent, youth advisor, and Sunday School teacher.  He served as an officer of the Township board off and on for decades and was a member of the Weskota Manor Board of Directors for more than 30 years.  He also served on the Wessington Springs School Board for several terms.

Although a farmer never retires, Myron did shift his focus in later years and dedicated countless volunteer hours to restoring the Wessington Springs 1905 Opera House, helping to bring the building from a nearly condemned state to the vibrant theatrical show piece that it is today.

He is survived by his wife, Sherry; his daughter, Kerrie Kleppin-Winn (Mark) of Omaha, Nebraska; and his son, Toby (Lynette) of Long Valley, South Dakota, and his children, Neil Kleppin and Megan Poyer; his sister-in-law, Alexa Kleppin of Wessington Springs; and several nieces and nephews and their children.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Eva Kleppin; two brothers, 1st Lt. Donald Kleppin, killed in action in France in WWII and Keith Kleppin; and two sisters, Jeanne Thomas of Mitchell and Shirley Grube of Huron.

View Bud's Floral Arrangements