Arliss Ellsworth Opheim

Memorial services for Arliss Opheim, 86, of Selby will be at 2:00 pm, Saturday, November 29, 2025, at St. John Lutheran Church in Selby, SD. A time of visitation will begin at 12:00 pm Saturday before the memorial service at St. John Lutheran Church. Burial will follow the service at Selby Memorial Gardens. Arliss passed away on November 20, 2025, at the Bowdle Nursing Home.
Arliss Ellsworth Opheim was Quiet and Generous.

Arliss was born to Lars Opheim and Gunilda (Johnson) Opheim on April 20, 1939, at the Mobridge Hospital in Mobridge, SD. He joined a brother and two sisters.

Arliss grew up on a farm northwest of Selby. He attended grade school in the country and graduated from Selby High School in 1957.

On January6, 1959, Arliss enlisted in the U.S. navy for 4 years. He was installed in San Francisco, California. In February 1959, he attended electrician school in Chicago, Illinois for 3 months, where he graduated with A honors.

He served on the USS Philip (DD-498) in numerous countries. The last year he was stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was released from active duty with honorable service on January 3, 1963, and transferred to Naval Reserves for 2 years, finishing on January 5, 1965.

Arliss returned to Selby in 1963 and began farming and ranching on the family farm. He married Shirley Keller, his best friend, on October 15, 1964, in Java, SD. They lived in Selby, and he commuted back and forth to the farm.

A son Ronald was born in 1965 and a daughter Tammi in 1971. For their 50th anniversary, Arliss and Shirley went on a cruise in Hawaii, going from Honolulu to 5 different islands and back to Honolulu. Two years later, they flew to Fairbanks, Alaska and rode by bus to Anchorage and Seward. They then boarded a Holland Cruise ship and sailed down to Vancouver, Canada. They also enjoyed going to Laughlin, Nevada for numerous 3-day trips in the winter and fall.

Arliss attended a VA school in Selby from 1970 – 74. Jr Prasek and Ken Dumdie were the teachers. Arliss was a life member of the NRA, and he was proud of his F150 Ford pick-ups.

Arliss is survived by his wife Shirley, son Ronald (Sara) Opheim, Daughter Tammi (Bobby) Ducheneaux, grandchildren Jacob & Penni Opheim, Skya (Trevor) and Jayden Ducheneaux, and two great granddaughters Kaezee & Bryah. He is also survived by sisters LaVern Gleason and Darlene Hagg, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Tom & Darlene (Keller) Tefertiller.

He was preceded in death by his parents Lars & Gunilda Opheim, brother Donald, sister-in-law Eva Opheim, brothers-in-law Roy Gleason, Tom Hagg, Wayne Holder, sister-in-law Irene Holder, father & mother-in-law Jeff & Martha (Sandmeier) Keller, 6 nephews and 1 niece.

Honorary Urn Bearers
Arliss's Grandchildren
Jacob & Penny Opheim, Skya (Trevor) & Jayden Ducheneaux
Dave & Tanny Huffman
Bowdle Nursing Home

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