Joseph Gunn, 84, of Sioux Falls, formerly of Dell Rapids passed away on Friday, February 19, 2016 at Avera McKennan Hospital. Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 23, 2016 in St. Mary Catholic Church, Dell Rapids.  Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Monday at Kahler Funeral Home.  The family will be present from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and a Christian Wake Service will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel.

Born in Sioux Falls on October 26, 1931 to Joseph and Cora (O’Neal) Gunn, Joe attended Riverside Elementary and Cathedral Catholic Schools, graduating in 1951. While in high school he earned his Eagle Scout badge and, as a senior, enlisted in the Army National Guard.

In 1952, Joe received his draft notice on the day of his sister’s wedding, and entered into the US Marine Corps. He was stationed in San Diego, Pearl Harbor, and Japan during the Korean Conflict and honorably discharged from the 3rd Marine Division as a corporal in 1954.

Upon returning to Sioux Falls, he met and courted the love of his life, Marjorie Niemann, marrying her on September 25, 1954.  Their first years were spent on Bailey Avenue and Dale Drive in Sioux Falls, where Joe served on the Split Rock Volunteer Fire Department. As their family grew so did the need for an acreage, which they purchased near Lyons, SD. During these years, Joe worked at John Morrell and was active as a 4-H leader, baseball coach, Tri-Valley School PTA President, and District VFW Commander.

In 1984, Joe and Marjorie moved to Dell Rapids and, three years later, he retired  from Morrells.  To occupy his time, he worked for the Dell Rapids Public Schools as a custodian and bus driver. He was also active as a member of the St. Mary’s School Board and an energetic supporter of the St. Mary’s Booster Club. Retiring from his work at the school, he continued to be active by mowing at McKennan Park for the Sioux Falls Parks Department. In October 2015, Joe and Marjorie made their home in Sioux Falls.

Joe was proud of his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and was famous for the bearhugs he gave grandchildren when they stopped to visit. He loved to travel and camp, and spent three memorable weeks in 1972 taking ten of his children to Alaska in a van with a pop-up camper. All of his children earned college degrees, and he and Marjorie were honored as the SDSU Family of the Year in 1979, the first family to be chosen for that honor. A proud Irish “North-Ender,” he loved to entertain with a good story and was never afraid to strike up a conversation. He was a generous, patient and loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather and his memory will be cherished by those lives he touched.

Joe is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Marjorie; his sons, Paul (Betty) of Watertown, SD; Steven (Pamela) of Loveland, CO; Jeffrey (JoAnn) of Aberdeen, SD; Scott (Stephanie) of Ankeny, IA; and Patrick (Rachel) of Sioux Falls and his daughters, Deborah of Arlington, VA; Mary (Sean) Sieler of Port Orchard, WA; Diane (Kurt) Gildemaster, Jennifer (Glenn) Brynjulson both of Sioux Falls; and Theresa (Tracey) Gunn of Wisconsin Rapids, WI. He had 21 grandchildren, Melissa, Krista, Shane, Jessica, Keith, Zachary, Holly, Brooke, Sara, Talin, Ashley, Nicholas, Andrew, Kari, Karl, Adriana, Alexa, Allison, Christopher,  Peyton, and Isabella and his 5 great grandchildren, Memphis, Dylan, Avrial, Marlee and JJ.  He is also survived by sisters Patricia Behrends, Karen Wright, both of Sioux Falls; and Mary Cupery of Las Vegas, NV and by brothers Mike, Tom (Carol), and Bill (June), all of Sioux Falls, and many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his son, Robert; his parents; his sister, Sharon; his brother, James; his brothers-in-law, Ed Behrends and Edward Wright, and his niece, Jeannie.

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