Eureka: Werner Straub, 100, of Eureka died Sunday, March 24, 2013, at the Avera Eureka Healthcare Center. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Saturday, April 20, 2013, at Zion American Lutheran Church, Eureka, with Pastor Ryan Gage leading the service. Werner's daughter, Barbara, will be the organist; soloists will be granddaughter Leslie Anderson Ajmani and great-granddaughter Annalise Ajmani. Violinist will be great-grandson Ian Ajmani. Ushers will be Waldemar Beck and Duane Wanner.
Visitation will be at Lien-Straub Funeral Chapel, Eureka, from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 29, 2013.
Werner M. Straub, son of Albina (Brandt) and Henry Straub, was born at Eureka on July 14, 1912, the youngest of eight children (four of which died as young children in the scarlet fever epidemic of 1910). He was raised and educated in Eureka, graduating with the EHS Class of 1930. Werner was on Eureka's first basketball team to qualify for the state tournament in 1929. He attended college in Brookings for one quarter and then returned to Eureka, as both banks had closed. In 1931, he earned his mortuary science degree at the University of Minnesota, as well as his Minnesota and North Dakota funeral director's license. He then returned to Eureka, where he joined his father and brother, Theodore, in the firm H. Straub and Sons, the local family furniture and funeral business.
Werner married Sisseton native Gladys M. Torvik at Clark on Jan. 4, 1934. She preceded Werner in death on Aug. 4, 1997. Werner was president of Straubs Inc. from 1964-2013. The Straubs' sold their funeral business to Scott and Gale Lien of Bowdle on Jan. 1, 2007. Over the years, Werner was active in the Eureka community, where he was a volunteer fireman, on the Eureka School Board, was a Zion Lutheran Church board member and Eureka Chamber member. He was also active in the funeral industry as he served on the South Dakota State Board of Funeral Service from 1963 to 1968, was a member and past president (in 1972) of the South Dakota Funeral Directors Association, served as vice-chairman of the advisory council for the pre-mortuary program at Northern State College in Aberdeen in 1973 and was longtime McPherson County coroner. He was licensed to practice funeral service in both North Dakota and South Dakota. His N.D. license number was 563 and his S.D. license number was 780, which earned him the distinction as being the oldest license holder in each state. Werner's hobbies included fishing, hunting and traveling with close friends.
Werner is survived by one son, Henry W. Straub of Eureka; one daughter, Barbara Ann Anderson of McLean, Va.; six grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father on June 21, 1952; his mother on March 21, 1973; his wife; one son, Thomas; five brothers: Otto, Oscar, Theodore, Arthur and Albert; and two sisters: Erna Straub and Emma Graepp.
Honorary bearers will be all funeral directors attending the service.
Casketbearers will be Werner's grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Please visit MillerLienFH.com to leave an online condolence or to view the tribute video.
Werner's family prefers memorials to the Organ Stops Fund, C/O Zion American Lutheran Church, PO Box 546, Eureka, SD 57437.
Lien-Straub Funeral Chapel of Eureka is in charge of arrangements.