Sylvester "Les" Boik, 96, of Turton, SD, died Saturday, May 08, 2010 at Golden Living Center in Groton, SD. Funeral Mass will be Thursday, May 13, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Turton. Father William Osborn will celebrate the mass. After lunch and fellowship, the burial will be in St. Ann's Cemetery in Frankfort. Visitation will be Wednesday from 1-8:00 p.m. with a rosary at 7:00 p.m. at Thelen Funeral Home in Redfield, SD. www.thelenfuneralhome.com

Les was born November 14, 1913 in Grenville, SD to Joseph and Mary (Block) Boik, the oldest of six children. He grew up and attended school in Grenville. He worked for farmers in the area for some time before the CCC at Lightening Creek near Custer, SD. In 1940, he moved to California to attend Aircraft School in Hawthorne. Following graduation, he worked for Consolidated Air Craft in San Diego and later transferred to Douglas Air Craft in Chicago where he worked until the end of WWII. Upon returning home, he worked at Sash and Door in Aberdeen until purchasing a business in Frankfort where he met and married Rita Fehlman Jandel in 1947.

After selling the business he worked for Civil Service on the Irrigation Farm south of Frankfort. Les and Rita farmed for a few years, before moving to Turton, They owned and operated the Corner Station until selling it in 1971. Les worked at the Doland School until retiring in 1981.

He enjoyed gardening, hunting and fishing and spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Les is survived by his children: Jolene (Robert) Brennan of South Windsor, CT; Rita Ann (Albert) Imm of Turton, SD; and Vincent (Marilyn) Boik of Waubay, SD. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, two step great grandchildren and his sister Amy (Roman) Wirkus of St. Paul, MN.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Rita in 2003, four brothers: Edward, Bill, Ted and Tony and two infant siblings.