Columbia: Joseph P. Engelhart, 69, of Columbia passed away Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013, surrounded by his loving family in Brookings.
A memorial Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Aberdeen.
Rude's Funeral Home of Brookings is assisting the family with arrangements.
Joseph P. Engelhart was born in Aberdeen on New Year's Eve, 1943, to Joseph L. and Edith M. (Hickenbotham) Engelhart.
Joe attended Sacred Heart School, Central High School and was a graduate of Northern State Teachers College, now known as Northern State University. After numerous part time jobs in his life, he joined 1st National Bank of Aberdeen (now Wells Fargo) on June 1, 1965, upon graduation from NSTC. Joe held numerous positions with the bank in Mobridge, downtown and east Aberdeen until his retirement in December 1998. Joe was a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking in Madison, Wis.
On May 22, 1965, he married Ellen Janis at Sacred Heart Church in Aberdeen. Together, they raised six children: Barbara LeBeau, Rapid City, Jolane (Dennis) Tomhave, Brookings, Diane (Tim) Bruha, Crete, Neb., Dr. Joseph R. (Sharon), Huron, Daniel, Göttingen, Germany and Allison, Denver, Colo.
While Joe was employed at 1st National/Norwest/Wells Fargo, he was a member of Mobridge Jaycees, Mobridge United Way, Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce, Sertoma, Kiwanis and Brown County Sportsman's Club. He was also a longtime member of the board of directors of the Aberdeen Adjustment Training Center and was on the board of directors of the Aberdeen Credit Bureau. Joe was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. Joe's loves were his family, including seven wonderful grandchildren and one great-granddaughter, hunting, gardening, canning, fishing, travel, cooking, baking and he was also an avid reader (not necessarily in that order).
Joe's hobbies reflected his love of the outdoors and wildlife in general and he had a lifelong respect for the land. Due to his abiding respect for the land, Joe requested cremation and the scattering of his ashes over the land he so loved.
Joe is survived by his six children; nine sisters: Karen (John) Cowles, Aberdeen, Marge Zerr, West Fargo, N.D., Pat Silvernail, Blue Springs, Mo., Judy (Andre) Fontenelle, Aberdeen, Nancy (Michael) Hatzenbeller, Aberdeen, Kathy (Dave) Bormes, Downers Grove, Ill., Mary DeVaan, Minnetonka, Minn., Janet (Stuart) Barton, Aberdeen, and Jean (Mike) Weston, Lakeville, Minn.; and one brother, Jim (Susan) Engelhart, Rosemount, Minn.
He was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; one granddaughter, Diamond Joy Two Hawk; two brothers-in-law: Dwayne Zerr and Gary Silvernail; one nephew, Tom Cowles; and one great-nephew, Andre Spier.
Condolences may be sent to the family through rudesfuneralhome.com.