Les Thorstenson

Funeral services for Les Thorstenson, 69, of Selby will be at 2 PM, Saturday, April 12, 2025, at St. John Lutheran Church in Selby. Burial will be at Selby Memorial Gardens under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will be one hour prior to services. There will be a luncheon at The Den in Selby following the burial. Les liked being comfortable in his blue jeans and would like everyone else to be comfortable by wearing blue jeans to his service.
Leslie August Thorstenson was born July 2, 1955, in Hoven, South Dakota to Norman Thostenson and Marcella "Sally" (Eisemann) Thorstenson of rural Selby. Leslie passed away comfortably at home on March 29, 2025. He attended public school in Selby, class of 1973, enjoying basketball, football and a special passion for wrestling.
Les drove truck for Norm Thorstenson and Sons at an early age. He also worked on the family farm in rural Selby and farmed in Canada. After graduation he worked for Hieb Chevrolet in Selby, SD, selling vehicles. Then he moved to St. Charles, MO, to sell trucks. During his stay in St. Charles, he was requested to come home and help at the family-owned business, Phillip 66 in Mobridge. This is where he met his future wife, Carlotta Helvik, of Mobridge. Les and Carlotta were married December 18, 1982, and moved to Irving, TX in January 1983. In 1985 they moved to Grapevine, TX where they resided until September 2014, when they moved back to the home, on the family farm in rural Selby.
While in Texas, Les worked for Frank Parra Chevrolet Truck Department from 1983 to 1987. In 1987 he opened L.T. Automotive Care, which he owned and operated until 1996. In 1994 he went to work for Action Truck & Trailers of Dallas, buying and selling semi-trucks and trailers. In 2010, Les found an opportunity to purchase his own business and bought a mobile tire repair company which he operated until he sold in 2014. He then returned to South Dakota, where he worked with Rory at Thorstenson Cattle Company. He retired in 2020 after selling his herd. In retirement Les enjoyed going into town and playing pinocle in the afternoons.
Leslie is survived by his wife of 42 years, Carlotta of rural Selby, siblings, Angie of Nisland, SD; Trent (Bill) of Selby, SD; Rory (Linda) of Selby, SD; Desi (Scott) Simons of Selby, SD; Tone of Hudson Oaks, TX, brother in laws, Quentin (Joan) Helvik of Gillette, WY; Miron (Jenni) Helvik of Arlington, SD; Wayne (Deb) Helvik of Hazen, ND, sister in law, Noreen (Jerry) Lehrkamp of Aberdeen, SD, many loved nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, aunt, JoElla Thorstenson of Selby, SD, and numerous cousins.
Leslie was preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents, parents, Norman and Sally Thorstenson, brothers, Albert and David, great nephew Adam Thorstenson, and numerous aunts and uncles.
Memorials may be directed to the Selby Senior Citizens Center, the Lake Hiddenwood Foundation or Selby Memorial Gardens.