Orville A. Helgeson

Langford, SD: The funeral service for Orville A. Helgeson will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, November 15, 2025 at Evangelical Lutheran Church of Langford. Pastor Dan Cole will officiate the service. Interment will take place in the Britton Cemetery under the direction of Olson Funeral Chapel.

Orville Alvin Helgeson, was born in Day County, Peabody Hospital in Webster, SD on June 1, 1942 to Almina and Oliver Helgeson. It cost his parents $72.00 and his mom stayed in the hospital for a whole week. He was raised on a farm near Roslyn, SD. His grandfather and father were farmers in SD. Orville liked to work on the farm.

When he was a small child, their house had no electricity which meant no running water, no furnace, no TV, no telephone and no lights. They even took a horse and sleigh to town. They raised most of their own food on the farm and even butchered their own meat. With no electricity, they had no refrigerator so their meat was kept at the meat locker. So a couple of times a week they would head to town for flour or salt and then cut their meat from the locker. In the winter they heated the house with a wood stove and when the wood burned out, it would get cold enough to freeze the water.

Orville's favorite foods were roast beef or pork, corn and mashed potatoes. When he was a kid he loved to watch the threshers when they came to the farm, especially the big meals and lots of company. One of his favorite childhood memories when he was about 7 or 8 is when his father would let him drive the horses.

Orville went to a country school with about 24 kids and one teacher for grades 1-8. The teacher he had for the first few years was the same as his dad. When Orville was 17 he needed a job so his parents signed a waiver for him to get into the service. He was in the National Guard for 20 years, retiring as a sergeant. When he returned from the service he worked for farmers at different elevators in Andover, Britton and Langford. He married Joyce Moir in 1962 and had Alan and Chris. He later married Gloria Axness. On Halloween 1986 he married Sharon Wade.

Orville enjoyed fishing and hunting. Orville and Sharon spent summers at their Roy Lake cabin. While there, he golfed often. Orville is among the few that could be proud of his hole-in-one.

Orville was a friend to everyone he met and made us all smile. He loved to sit and talk with anyone over several half-cups of coffee. If you're from Day or Marshall county, if you weren't related to Orville, you probably knew him.

Orville passed away Friday, November 7, 2025 at Marshall County Healthcare Center in Britton, SD at the age of 83.

He was proud of his family titles. Together, we're blessed to call him husband, dad, grandpa and great-grandpa: wife, Sharon Wade Helgeson; his son, Alan (Linda) Helgeson; granddaughter, Dylan Martin; great-grandsons, Bear and Beau Martin; grandson, Carter (Becca Sittig) Helgeson; son, Chris Helgeson; step-son, David (Shantelle) Wade; grandchildren: Dayton, Dawson and Addison Wade; step-son-in-law, Steve Schmidt; grandson, Austin Schmidt; great grandchildren, Lily & Elliot; grandson, Andrew (Caren) Schmidt; great-grandsons, Everett & Ivan; grandson, Nicholas (Jolynn) Schmidt; great-grandchildren, Brixlee, Jarrett, & Jensen; his brother, Richard (Imogene) Helgeson; and many nieces, nephews and extended family members.

Orville was preceded in death by his parents; younger brother, Larry; stepdaughter, Brenda Wade Schmidt; and great-grandson Jack.

Condolences may be directed to the family in care of Alan Helgeson – 4100 S Woodwind Lane – Sioux Falls, SD 57103.