Leif N. Eidsness

Leif N. Eidsness, age 104, of Henry, SD, passed away on Sunday, May 25, 2025, at Avantara Clark Nursing Home. Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 1, 2025, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Vienna, SD. Pastor Colin Beveridge will officiate. Music will be provided by Dorothy Fuller as organist
Visitation will be at the Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel on Saturday, May 31, 2025, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. and prior to services at the church on Sunday.
Burial will be at Our Saviors Lutheran Cemetery, rural Henry, SD. Honorary pallbearers will be Leif's grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and the staff at Avantara Clark Nursing Home. Active pallbearers will be Jeff Barthel, Myles Garcia-Eidsness, Paul Eidsness, Paul Anderson, Steve Lantsberger, and Travis Barthel.
Leif Norman Eidsness was born on April 4, 1921, in Henry, SD, to Ole and Anna (Mjos) Eidsness. He was baptized and confirmed at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in rural Henry, SD. Leif graduated from Henry High School in 1939. He attended one year at Northern State College. Leif taught country school for a short time before he moved to California working for a riveting plant, and then moved to Alaska working for a construction company at an airbase.
In November of 1942, he returned to home to farm, which he did his entire life until he semi-retired in 1986. Leif loved farming, especially raising oats, wheat, flax, and taking care of cattle and hogs. He was never afraid of hard work as many warm summer days were spent hauling bales. Even in semi-retirement, he remained active on the farm and managed his own herd of cattle. He sold his last cow at the age of 90.
On June 6, 1956, Leif married Callie Lou Rider. The couple raised three children, Myron (Diane) Eidsness, of Henry, Becky (Jeff) Barthel, of Watertown, and Joe (Sue) Eidsness, of St. Louis, MO.
He was proud of his Norwegian heritage. Growing up they spoke Norwegian at home. When he was able to visit with someone that spoke Norwegian, he could speak it very fluently after many years of not speaking it.
His Christian faith was very important to him. He sang in a men's quartet and sang in the church choir for many years. He served on the church council and was the janitor of the church for many years.
He enjoyed the last 19 months at the Avantara Clark Nursing Home with the residents and staff.
He is survived by his three children, Myron (Diane) Eidsness, Becky (Jeff) Barthel, and Joe (Sue) Eidsness; seven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and several nephews and nieces.
Leif was preceded in death by his wife, Callie, his parents, Ole and Anna Eidsness, two brothers, Hans and Art, three sisters, Berdelle Schmidkunz, Bella Anderson and Selma Lantsberger.
Arrangements by Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel www.crawfordosthus.com Watertown and Hayti
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