Memorial services for Selmer will be held at 2PM on Saturday, November 7, 2020

at Skrefsrud Lutheran Church, rural Beresford.

Selmer Leroy Akland was born August 21, 1926, in rural Menno, South Dakota to Tobias and Cora (Larson) Akland. He was the youngest of 10 children.  His father passed away when he was 2 months old, and Selmer was raised by his mother on the family farm on the banks of the Jim River. He attended Norway District Country School and Augustana Academy in Canton, SD.

He started farming at age 14, joined the US Army Air Force at age 18, and was stationed in Europe following WW II. Selmer returned to South Dakota and began farming near his brothers in the Alcester community.  He married Eleanor Sveeggen on June 18, 1956 at Roseni Lutheran Church.  They lived on the home farm near Menno and in 1959 moved to Beresford where he farmed until retiring.

Selmer spent many years raising crops, as well as feeding cattle, milking cows, and later selling hay at hay sales.  He loved to take a drive to see the crops.   He was a great dad, always providing for his family, going to school concerts/events, and enjoying a game of softball with them.   He was always ready for an adventure, with many camping trips and memorable family vacations to see the United States.  A favorite family vacation was going to Hawaii in 2004 to celebrate their 50 ^th anniversary.

He loved his grandchildren, spending time camping, playing endless games of ping pong, Mile, Ante-I-Over, carroms, and croquet.   He loved going to their school events and concerts, and just spending time with them.

He was a very happy, contented person, and certainly lived up to his childhood nickname "Happy."  He always had a smile on his face.  He could strike up a conversation with anyone, and always found someone he knew.

He spent the past 2½ years in Bethesda – enjoying visits and playing dominoes with Eleanor and Daryl, teasing the nurses, looking at family picture albums, and reading his Bible.   His faith was a huge part of his life, and sharing it with others became very important to him.   He enjoyed visits from the pastor, singing hymns in the chapel, and attending Bible Study.

Selmer died September 27, 2020 at Bethesda in Beresford, SD at the age of 94 years. Grateful for having shared in his life is his wife of 64 years, Eleanor Akland of Beresford; his son, Donald (Heather) Akland of Silverdale, WA; daughter, Marcia Matson of Yankton; daughter-in-law, Marlene Akland of Beresford; three granddaughters, Marilee (Justin) Jones of Bellevue, NE, Kayla (Josh) Collins of Sioux Falls and Jessica Akland of Sioux Falls; three great-grandchildren, Caleb and Nora Jones and Reagan Collins; and a brother, Leonard Akland of St. Peter, MN. His parents, eight siblings, son Daryl Akland, and son-in-law Barry Matson preceded him in death.