LaVerne Andersh, 95

Funeral services for Laverne Andersh, 95, of Wagner, SD will be 2:30 PM, Monday, October 13 at the United Methodist Church in Wagner with a visitation from 1-2 PM. Burial is in the Wagner Cemetery south of Wagner with military honors.  LaVerne passed away peacefully on October 7, 2025.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of LaVerne can be given to the Wagner, SD United Methodist Church Memorial Fund.

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LaVerne Andersh was born on April 15, 1930 to Anton J. and Dorothy (Bartunek) Andersh on their farm south of Dante, SD. He was the oldest of four children and had three younger sisters. LaVerne lived in Dante until the family moved to a farm on the east edge of Wagner when he was in high school. He graduated from Wagner High School in 1948. LaVerne earned his Bachelors degree in Animal Husbandry from South Dakota State in 1952.

LaVerne had a successful 30 year career with the US Postal  Service, retiring as Postmaster. He was a celebrated veteran who proudly served his country in the Army, South Dakota Army National Guard, and United States Army Reserve. LaVerne loved God, his family, and his country.

LaVerne married his high school sweetheart, Frances (Slama), in September 1951. Together, they had five children and celebrated 74 years of marriage. Through the years, he enjoyed camping with family and later with their Jolly Rogers camping club in Rogers, AR. He and Fran traveled to all 50 states. He journeyed overseas to several countries including the Ukraine and his ancestral country of Czech Republic.

Using skills he learned on the farm and in his military training, LaVerne with help from Fran, built their Wagner SD and Beaver Lake-Rogers, AR homes. He spent many hours tending to his garden and shared his bounty with neighbors.  As a man of faith, LaVerne was active in the Wagner Methodist church at the local, district and conference level. He also enjoyed planning and driving groups of elderly people on day trips with his church in Rogers, AR.

In LaVerne's career with the USPS, he was promoted to Wagner Postmaster. In 1979, he became Postmaster in Brookings and moved the family.  With his dedication and hard work, he was recognized as the SD Postmaster of the Year for 1982. Upon his retirement from the USPS in 1990, they moved from Brookings to Rogers, AR. LaVerne and Frances returned to South Dakota in 2021, making Sioux Falls their home.

Education was very important to LaVerne. He was a source of encouragement for his children and grandchildren to always keep learning. Three children also graduated from SDSU. During his college time at SDSU, Laverne was a three-year letterman in track and wrestling, a member of the ROTC marching band, and received academic honor awards. He was fair, honest, and hardworking, inspiring these traits in his children, grandchildren, and others around him.

Colonel Andersh served in the South Dakota Army National Guard for 27 years.  He was Infantry, Engineer, and Ranger qualified. His SDSU ROTC commission initially took him to Korea in 1952. Upon return to Wagner, he helped organize the establishment of Company A, 196th Infantry, later reorganized as the 137th Combat Engineer Battalion of the SDARNG. He also commanded the 137th and 153rd engineer units in Huron, SD. He was president of the SD National Guard Officers Association and the NW Arkansas Retired Officers Group. He was a commander of the Wagner and the Brookings American Legion and lifetime member of the American Legion and VFW.

LaVerne was a 32nd degree Mason, a Shriner in the El Riad Shrine in Sioux Falls, and a member of the Scottish Rite, and served as master of the Alpha Lodge 139 in Wagner. In his community, he served as president of Rotary Clubs in Wagner and Brookings. He was a scoutmaster of Wagner Troop 261. He assisted in getting the Wagner school wrestling program started.

LaVerne is survived by his wife of 74 years, Frances; children: Rodney of Minneapolis, MN, Gary of Sioux Falls, Jackie (Rick) Beltran of North Springfield, VA, Lori (Steve) Youngstrom of Colorado Springs, CO, and Shari Bach of Auburn, GA; grandchildren are Katie, Amelia, and Lee Beltran; Talia Youngstrom and Erica (Mychal) Culpepper; Nicole Smith, Jeremy (Heather) and Cortny Bach, and eight great-grandchildren; sisters Mayme (Roland) Crisman of Wagner and Delores Radack of Tripp; brother-in-law Earl Davis of Mitchell; and many other family and friends.

LaVerne was preceded in death by his parents, sister Viola Davis, and parents-in-law Frank Jr. and Amelia Slama; brothers and sisters-in-law to include:  Ivan Radack, Amelia (Slama) and Lee Hebner, Frank, Jr. and Mildred Slama, Martha (Slama) and Lloyd Hrdlicka, Ben and Gail Slama; and several nieces and nephews.

"but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."   ~Isaiah 40:30