Edwin "Ed" O. Constant

Edwin "Ed" O. Constant, 86, of Dell Rapids, passed away on Thursday, September 28, 2023 at Avera Mckennan Hospital. His funeral service will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at Kahler-Brende Funeral Home. Visitation will be one hour prior to the start of the service. Interment with military honors will be in the South Dakota Veterans Cemetery at 2:00 p.m.on Tuesday.

Ed Constant was born on January 28, 1937 to George and Sylvia (Yates) in Paragould, Arkansas and joined two sisters, Emma and Nina. At the age of 3 months old, his parents moved to California. Ed was raised in Winters, California where he attended school. February 1954 he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and received communications training at Warren AFB, Cheyenne, WY. He was honorably discharged in October 1957 while at McClellan Air Force Base.

Following his discharge, Ed married Joyce Bishop and four children were born to that union. Over the next several years he was both a civilian and Federal employee at the Communications Center in Davis, CA.

Ed married Barbara Watson in 1965 and they had two sons. His career took them to Ft. Irwin, CA, Ft. Carson, CO, Ft. Huachuca, AZ and back to California for Computer Business Program training.

In July 1973 he moved his family to Sioux Falls, SD and he was one of a handful of Federal employees (later referred to as “THE OLD TIMERS”) that had been hired by the Dept. of Interior, USGS, Computer Division. This would soon become what is now known as the USGS EROS Center near rural Garretson. Ed retired from USGS EROS in August 1986 at the age of 48, with 30 years of Federal service.

On July 22, 1983 Ed married Krislyn (Jensen) Jones. They proudly had a blended family

and made their home in the rural areas of Sioux Falls, Brandon, Lake Preston and Dell Rapids. Over the past few years they have spent their summers and falls at their property in the Black Hills of SD. They both loved camping and fishing.

Ed was a humble man who cherished time with Krislyn and their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, extended family, friends and his dogs. His passion for hunting and fishing kept him active and connected with his sons and grandsons.

Ed is survived by his wife of 40 years, Krislyn of Dell Rapids; sons Nicholas (Linda) Constant of Custer, SD; Scott (Shelly) Constant, Mentor-on-the-Lake, OH; Randy (Carmen) Constant, Hot Springs, SD; Christopher Constant, Brandon, SD; step-daughter Amber (Mike) Wirkus, Dodge Center, MN; grandchildren Jeremiah (Samantha) Constant Inver Grove Heights, MN; Jessica Powell, Oconomowoc, WI; Crystal (Justin) Ross, Sioux Falls, SD; Jacob (Heather) Constant, Olivet, SD; Tim (Brittani) Constant, Harrisburg, SD; Danny Constant, Aurora, CO; Joel Constant, Sioux Falls, SD; Triston Constant, Parma OH; Abby and Ellie Wirkus, Dodge Center, MN; 22 great-grandchildren and his ever faithful lab Dakota.

Ed was proceeded in death by his parents; his sisters, Nina Rocha, Emma Duge, Rosetta Taylor; brothers-in-law John Duge, David Taylor; grandson-in-law Travis Powell; nieces, Kristi Taylor and Brooke Penney;

The family asks that memorials be directed to the Sioux Falls Humane Society, Almost Home Canine Rescue, Sioux Falls, SD and B-Squad Rescue, Brandon, SD.

The service will be live-streamed at https://www.facebook.com/KahlerFuneralHome starting five minutes before the start of the service.

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