Winston Odland

Services for Winston Odland, 82, of Ipswich will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, January 5th at the First Presbyterian Church in Groton. Rev. Terry Kenny will officiate. Inurnment will take place at a later date in Groton Union Cemetery.

Visitation will be held at the church on Friday from 4-6 p.m.

Winston Bryant Odland's life journey began on August 22, 1930. He was the second son and fifth of the 6 children born to Victor and Mary (Miller) Odland on their family farm near Claremont, SD. These were hard times on the farm but many stories are told of the magic they made for themselves there. Winston attended a country school, survived the loss of his father at a very young age, and graduated from Groton High High School when the family moved to town. He met the delightful Sondra Paetznick and after several requests for her hand while he attended the University of South Dakota, they were finally married in 1955 during his last year at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. He completed his residency in otolaryngology while serving in the United States Navy. The family had grown to four children when they returned to South Dakota and Winston joined the Huron Clinic. In 1969 they moved to Aberdeen, where he joined the father and son medical practice of Bunker and Bunker. Winston and Sondra remained in Aberdeen to raise their children until retirement when they moved to Roscoe, SD, to live near their eldest son.


As a person who was always learning, Winston's curiosity led to a diversity of life talents, awards and accomplishments: He had a passion for the outdoors, was forever a farm boy raising Appaloosa horses and Black Angus cattle, ran the Double O stables, authored a western novel entitled, "Cadet The Sunset Cowboy", worked on its sequel, wrote and shared his poetry, loved music and the arts, enjoyed various travels with his wife and family, played the harmonica, sang, and painted scenes of the landscape he knew so well from wildlife to friends who attended his annual Duck Hunt on Lake Enemy Swim. Winston was a Mason and a Shriner who participated in the motorcycle corps and horse patrol. In 1980, he was one of South Dakota's delegates to the National Republican Convention ushering in Ronald Reagan to Presidency. He was a past president of the SD Medical Association, and served on the boards of Dakota Midland Hospital and SD Blue Cross Blue Shield.


When his health began to fail he joined Sonnie at the Golden Living Center in Ipswich. Winston is remembered by the staff for his joy of singing. His journey ended there on New Years Day, 2013.


Winston is survived by his children, Bryant Odland (Debbie Hofer) of Roscoe, Susie Ewinger, Mary Ann (Holler) Stanley, of Scottsdale, AZ , Bradly Odland of Milwaukee, WI; his beloved sister Phyllis Blake of Sioux Falls, SD; his grandchildren Winston (Flanna) Ewinger, Meredith (Damian) Ewinger-Lea, Whitney (John) Buchanan, Russ Holler, Kirk (Shaina) Holler, Bennett Holler; and Hannah Odland; and great- grandchildren Rory Maeve Ewinger, Jack and Charlie Buchanan.

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