Gordon Lee Samelson, 72, of Virgil, passed away peacefully on Friday, Oct. 26, at Avera Weskota Memorial Medical Center in Wessington Springs.

His funeral service will be at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3, at Welter Funeral Home, followed by the burial at Maplewood Cemetery in Iroquois. Visitation with the family present will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2, at the Welter Funeral Home in Huron; or visitation one hour prior to the service on Saturday.

Gordon Lee Samelson was born on Aug. 6, 1946, to Virgil and Mary (Writner) Samelson in Iroquois. Gordon attended school at Plainview Academy in Redfield, where he graduated in 1964.

After graduation, Gordy headed for the bright lights of Detroit City where he worked for the Ford Motor Company for a short time. He briefly drove truck in Iowa before traveling to California, and then onto Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, he was employed in the sheetrock trade for many years. There, he married his longtime high school friend, Bonnie Shepherd. In 1975, Gordy moved back to South Dakota where he returned to over-the-road trucking. After driving trucks for various companies, Gordy bought his own tractor/trailer and established “Charity Wagon Trucking.” Most recently, he resided at the Prairieview Healthcare Community in Woonsocket.

Gordon is survived by two sons, Jamie Samelson, of Pierre, and Troy Samelson, of Huron; one daughter, Michelle Cook-Profeta, of Aberdeen; two brothers, Linn (Sandy) Samelson and Virgene (Theresa) Samelson, all of Redfield; two nieces and one nephew.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Virgil and Mary; one brother, Lawrie; one sister, Pamela, and his grandparents, Grace and Clarence Samelson.