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Obituary
Gary Lee Kratochvil was born April 20, 1943 to Charles and Maxine (Anderson) Kratochvil in Hawarden, IA. He died March 24, 2016 at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, SD at the age of 72 years, 11 months and five days.
He was raised on a farm southeast of Alcester, active in 4-H and he was selected a South Dakota Representative to the National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago. He graduated from Alcester High School where he met his future bride, Karen Lykken. While in high school, Gary was active in band and participated in all sports. Gary was a student at both SDSU in Brookings and USD in Vermillion. He and Karen were married on March 22, 1963. While their children were growing, he volunteered as an Indian Guides Leader through the YMCA and coached Little League softball. Gary worked in sales for years, starting in the Twin Cities, then moving the family to Sioux Falls in 1971 where he co-owned Walden Carpets. He later worked independently as a carpet representative, developing his own agency.
Tennis, fishing, golf and international travel with Karen, family and friends were the activities he enjoyed.
Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Karen; son, Todd Kratochvil of Minneapolis, MN; two grandchildren, Austin and Ashley Mielke; son-in-law, Steve Mielke of Hartford; sister, JoAnne (Wayne) Kratz of Maple Grove, MN and their sons, Scott (Shannon) and Kevin (Meghan); sisters-in-law, Barb (Dennis) Dahlin, Marie Lykken; Diane (Bill) Bruns, Nancy (Steve) Bell; brothers-in-law Kerwyn (Rachel) Lykken, David Lykken, Mike Dalton; four aunts, Mary Reppe of Alcester, Audrey Gaul and Irene Gosch of Hawarden, IA and Dorothy Kratochvil of Brookings; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother-in-law Merle Lykken and his daughter, Tamara "Tami" Mielke, in 2014.
He was raised on a farm southeast of Alcester, active in 4-H and he was selected a South Dakota Representative to the National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago. He graduated from Alcester High School where he met his future bride, Karen Lykken. While in high school, Gary was active in band and participated in all sports. Gary was a student at both SDSU in Brookings and USD in Vermillion. He and Karen were married on March 22, 1963. While their children were growing, he volunteered as an Indian Guides Leader through the YMCA and coached Little League softball. Gary worked in sales for years, starting in the Twin Cities, then moving the family to Sioux Falls in 1971 where he co-owned Walden Carpets. He later worked independently as a carpet representative, developing his own agency.
Tennis, fishing, golf and international travel with Karen, family and friends were the activities he enjoyed.
Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Karen; son, Todd Kratochvil of Minneapolis, MN; two grandchildren, Austin and Ashley Mielke; son-in-law, Steve Mielke of Hartford; sister, JoAnne (Wayne) Kratz of Maple Grove, MN and their sons, Scott (Shannon) and Kevin (Meghan); sisters-in-law, Barb (Dennis) Dahlin, Marie Lykken; Diane (Bill) Bruns, Nancy (Steve) Bell; brothers-in-law Kerwyn (Rachel) Lykken, David Lykken, Mike Dalton; four aunts, Mary Reppe of Alcester, Audrey Gaul and Irene Gosch of Hawarden, IA and Dorothy Kratochvil of Brookings; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother-in-law Merle Lykken and his daughter, Tamara "Tami" Mielke, in 2014.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30AM Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. Visitation with the family present will be 5-7PM Monday at the church with a prayer service at 7PM.
To order memorial trees in memory of Gary Lee Kratochvil, please visit our tree store.
Services
Funeral
March
29
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
Starts at 10:30 am
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