Colonel Berwyn Place

Colonel Berwyn Lewis “Red” Place, US Army, Retired, 84, died peacefully in his New Orleans, Louisiana, home on May 26, 2019. A veteran of Vietnam, he served primarily with HQ USAREUR & Seventh ARMY, 92B Logistics Management, and 53C AUTO DATA Systems Management. He was awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal 1st Class, and Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Badge with Palm.

Col. Place was born on July 12, 1934, in Conde, South Dakota to Emerson Place and Nina Cleveland. He received a degree in Economics from South Dakota State University where he was active in the Army ROTC program. In 1956, he entered into active duty and was stationed at Fort Lee, Virginia. He later obtained his MBA from American University with a concentration in Auto Data Processing. He spent the majority of his military career between the continental United States and Germany with longer duty stations at Zweibrucken, Germany; West Point, New York; Fort Lee, Virginia; and Heidelberg, Germany.  

Col. Place recently wrote, “Be happy, look forward and have fun. I had the most amazing life possible, coming from a small village and having enhancing breaks in life that let me meet wonderful people, have great children and grandchildren, met and married women who loved and helped me through the good and hard times, and in having great friends over the course of my life I have learned from everyone. Thanks for being in my life and world. Hope to see you in the after-life!”

He is survived by his devoted and loving wife Cheryl B. Wiley-Place; his daughters, Vanessa Place, Casey Place Hu, and Cameron Venuti; their spouses; his six grandchildren and three step-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his former wife, Carolyn K. Place and their son, Ian Andrew Place, who died in infancy.

A memorial service will take place at the United Methodist Church on June 5, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. in Conde, South Dakota with a luncheon reception following. Rev. Brandon Dunham will officiate.  An interment service, given with military honors, will occur at 09:00 a.m. on June 7, 2019, at the Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota. For those wishing to give a monetary memorial, gifts may be made to the American Legion Centennial of Conde - Post 148 (256 Broadway Conde, SD 57434) for the Veteran Home in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

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