Wayne Ehlers, 62, of Canova, passed away in his home on Aug. 17, 2017.
Visitation was Tuesday, Aug. 22, at the United Methodist Church in White Lake from 5-7 p.m., with a 7 p.m. prayer service. The funeral was Wednesday, Aug. 23, at 10:30 a.m., at the church, with burial in the White Lake Cemetery.
Wayne Ehlers was born March 23, 1955, in Mitchell, to Don and Joyce (Campbell) Ehlers. He attended White Lake High School. He left school and chose to enter the work force.
Wayne started his military career as a member of the South Dakota National Guard, and then joined the United States Army full time. He retired as a Chief Warrant Officer 4. He then joined the Louisiana Air Guard as a flight instructor. The military also provided Wayne with his love for education. He earned his GED, and in 1991, graduated at the top of his class from the Jones School of Law in Montgomery, Ala.
Wayne enjoyed raising his prize-winning Long Horn cattle, gardening, cooking and fast cars. He moved to Canova in 2009 to be closer to his family.
Wayne took a trip to the Philippines, where he met Jenicel, and they were married in 2014.
Wayne is survived by his wife, Jenicel Jiao; four children: Joy (Shawn) Peterson of Hartley, Iowa, Anita (Blaine) Jones of Brandon, Shawn (Kaye) Holland of Mitchell, and Meghan Ehlers; four brothers: Ronnie Ehlers, Russell Ehlers and John (Kim) Ehlers, all of White Lake, and David (Denise) Ehlers of New Castle, Wyo.; four sisters: Fay DeBoer and Wanda (Wayne) Hohn, both of Mitchell, Bonny (Terry) Sperlich Warnke, and Suzie Letcher of White Lake; one sister-in-law, Jennifer (Gary) Chance of Letcher; sixteen grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Stacy Ehlers; three brothers, Donnie, Jim and Gary; nephew, Wes Hohn; niece, Amy DeBoer; and two brothers-in-law, Leroy Sperlich and Robert Letcher.
Arrangements were with Bittner Funeral Chapel in Mitchell.