Waldemar Gamaliel Sippel was born February 14, 1925 in Ruff, Washington to parents Reverend John Christoph and Linde A. O. (Sumnicht) Sippel. He died June 19, 2010 at his home in Beresford, South Dakota at the age of 85 years, four months and five days.

Funeral services will be at 10AM on Friday, June 25, 2010 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Beresford, SD with interment to follow at Zion Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday from 4-8PM at Wass Funeral Home in Beresford with the family present from 6-8PM and a prayer service at 7PM.

Because his father served as a minister in various towns, Wally attended several different schools. He graduated from high school at the age of 16 in Revillo, South Dakota. Wally attended college in Vermillion, SD, but his schooling was interrupted so he could serve in the US Army as a medic during WWII. He was stationed at a hospital in India. After his military service, Wally returned to South Dakota to resume his studies. He received a Bachelors and Masters Degree from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. After his marriage to Marjorie Anne Nelson on August 29, 1949 in Beresford, South Dakota, Wally taught at USD. Wally then became an assistant professor, teaching both physics and astronomy at SDSU in Brookings, South Dakota. Brookings was home for Wally and Marge until their retirement. In 1992 they moved to Beresford.

Wally was an active member of the Beresford Lions Club, the Beresford Senior Citizens and the Beresford Emmanuel Lutheran Church.

His parents preceded him in death. His survivors include his wife, Marge; four children, Mark Sippel and wife, Diane Freeman of Denver, CO, Diane Peterson and husband Arnold of Jasper, MN, Kevin Sippel and wife Carrie of Gresham, OR, and Walter Sippel and wife Carol of Renton, WA; seven grandchildren, Rebekah (Travis) Nolen, Amber (Douglas) Palacios, Andrew Peterson, Autumn (Adam) Poston, Joel (Sarah) Sippel, Corey (Angela) Sippel and Mark Sippel; four great-grandchildren, Lexis and Ekoe Nolen and Trevor and Cassidy Sippel; two step great-grandchildren, Cindy and Douglas Palacios; three sisters, Freda Halvorson, Flora (John) Larson and Margaret (Tom) Schmierer; two brothers, Nathan (Lois) Sippel and Jospeh Sippel; and many other relatives and friends.