Samuel Aeilts

Services for Samuel Aeilts, 89, of Groton will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, December 16th at the Groton C & MA Church. Rev. Bill Duncan will officiate. Burial will follow in Groton Union Cemetery under the direction of Paetznick-Garness Funeral Chapel.

Visitation will be held at the chapel on Thursday from 4-8 p.m. with family present from 6-8 p.m. A prayer service will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Sam passed away December 11, 2011 at Avera St. Lukes Hospital, Aberdeen.

Sam was born Sept. 7, 1922, on a farm near Claremont, SD to Eerko and Anna (Sweeter) Aeilts. He had two brothers and three sisters. He graduated from Britton High school in 1940. After helping assemble military planes at Northrop Aircraft in Hawthorne, CA during World War II, Sam returned to farm in the Britton area. In 1959, he accepted a feed sales position with Northern Feed and Supply, first at Britton and later at Groton. He worked as a consumer feed salesman for Ralston Purina Company in 1967 and became district manager in 1971. Sam joined South Dakota Wheat Growers in 1972 as a feed salesman, was named feed sales coordinator in 1975 and was promoted to feed division manager in 1979. He retired this position in 1988, but for several years continued to work with area livestock producers.


A follower of Christ and a natural leader, Sam served on the boards of churches in Britton, Groton, and Bristol. In the 1970s and 1980s, he frequently filled pulpits for congregations through the Aberdeen Area Ministry.


Sam married Iva Mae Carson March 4, 1951. The couple made a Christian home, first in Britton and for the past 40 years in Groton. Sam is survived by his wife Iva Mae of Groton, his son Dave (Nanci) Aeilts of Bloomington, MN, his daughter Jane (Ken) Burg of St. Louis Park, MN, his daughter Nancy (Doug) Piper of Irvine, CA, five grandchildren, and one great grandchild.


He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers and sisters.

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