Obituary of Edwin Auch

Edwin J. Auch, 88, of Menno passed away on February 22, 2023, at his home. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at Grace Lutheran Church, Menno, South Dakota, with Pastor Morgan Hendershott officiating. Burial will be at the Menno Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the Grace Lutheran Church on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. with a prayer service starting at 7:00. Online condolences may be sent at: www.opsahl-kostelfuneralhome.com. Livestreaming of Edwin’s service can be found at: https://my.gather.app/remember/edwin-auch.

Pallbearers are Edwin’s grandsons, Lee Schenkel, Aaron Thielsen, Joshua Pulscher, Travis Thielsen, and Dylan Mehlhaf. Honorary pallbearers are Edwin’s granddaughters, Melissa Giannelli, Jessie Holmstrom, Emily McComish, Kendra Nichols and Darin Ramsdell.       

Edwin John Auch was born on the family farm near Menno on November 17, 1934, to Emanuel and Salamina Auch. Eddie attended country school through the eighth grade and attended one year at Springfield College for carpentry.

He married Shirley Frank on November 14, 1954, in Scotland. They spent the next 60 years by each other’s side until Shirley’s death in 2014. Eddie and Shirley did everything together. They enjoyed going to movies, going on drives to look for wildlife, polka dancing and eating out. To their union five daughters were born.

In 1958 Eddie joined the Army doing his basic training at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, and then was transferred to Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. He later transferred to the Army Reserves in Sioux Falls.

Eddie enjoyed having coffee with his friends and always had a smile and friendly hello for everyone. He spent his whole life working as a cabinet maker, refinisher of antiques, and carpenter – finishing a project on the day of his death. Everyone knew that if you couldn’t find him in his shop, he was probably fishing, hunting or gardening. He grew up just up the hill from the Menno Lake and the love of fishing was paramount in his life. He was instrumental in the rebuilding of the Menno Lake dam and spent countless hours on its banks catching numerous fish over the years. Hunting pheasants and deer were his pleasures in the fall. Springtime meant planting and he was the first to have his potatoes and radishes planted. His green thumb in the garden supplied his daughters, grandchildren and friends with an abundance of vegetables over the years. He could grow anything and spent many hours tending to his garden. If you had a question about vegetable plants, you asked Eddie. He also had a love for his German heritage, speaking fluent German and of course eating the German food that Shirley cooked frequently.                               

Thankful for having shared his life are daughters: Garnet (Arnold) Paulsen, Brenda (Gordon) Pulscher, April (Brian) Thielsen, all of Flandreau, Darinda (Darrell) Mehlhaf, and Shirlene (Scott) Simonsen both from Menno; 10 grandchildren: Melissa (Evan) Giannelli, Jessie (Nathan) Holmstrom, Emily (Mike) McComish, Lee (Maggie) Schenkel, Aaron (Bethany) Thielsen, Joshua Pulscher, Travis Thielsen (Richelle Browne), Kendra (Joshua) Nichols, Dylan (Amber) Mehlhaf and Darin (Mike) Ramsdell; 19 great-grandchildren: Christopher Boetger, Caleb Trevor, Samantha Holmstrom, Kaycie Boetger, Jackson Trevor, Sierra Thielsen, Blake Thielsen, Jonathan Boetger, Rory Thielsen, Abigail Trevor, Ty Nichols, Erica Thielsen, Noelle Thielsen, Marlayna Thielsen, Jensen Nichols, Kaylee Thielsen, Sebastian Schenkel, Owen Mehlhaf, and Cassandra Schenkel; sisters-in-law Alvina Auch and Luella Auch, numerous nieces and nephews, and special friend Betty Wormsbecker.

Edwin was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley, his parents, all eight of his siblings, a great-granddaughter, Charley Rose Holmstrom and numerous other relatives.