Vernon E. Roeber, 100, of Redfield, SD, died March 23, 2012 at the Eastern Star Home in Redfield.

His funeral will be Monday, March 26, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at First Congregational UCC Church in Redfield. Reverend Tim Fugman will officiate. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery with military rites.

Visitation will be Sunday, from 2-6:00 p.m. at Thelen Funeral Home with Masonic Rites and a prayer service starting at 7:00 p.m. at the Eastern Star Home Chapel. (www.thelenfuneral home.com)

Vernon Edward Roeber was born March 11, 1912, in rural Tulare, SD, to August and Martha (Otto) Roeber. He was the oldest of seven children. He attended rural school and graduated from Tulare High School in 1928. He also attended Minneapolis Business School for a short time before returning to Spink County to help on the family farm.

In 1942, Vernon and Iona Schlecht were married at the family farm before he reported for duty with the United States Navy. He was honorably discharged in 1945 when he once again returned to Spink County to work in the County Treasurer's office. Shortly thereafter, he was asked to join in establishing the Spink County Bank, where he started the Haynes & Roeber Insurance Agency. During this time, Vernon and Iona were raising two children in Redfield, a daughter LaRee and a son Clark.

A strong community supporter, Vernon was involved in Kiwanis, VFW, American Legion, Masons, Yeldez Shrine, Eastern Star and was an active member of the UCC church, where he was treasurer for more than 30 years. Through all of his years, Vernon loved the game of baseball as a player, a manager, a commissioner and a Minnesota Twins fan. He was inducted into the South Dakota Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975.

The last nine years of his life, he enjoyed the comfort and companionship he found at the Eastern Star Home, highlighted by a 100-year birthday party in his honor on March 11, 2012.

Vernon is survived by his two children, LaRee (Terry) Mayes of Rapid City and Clark (Diane) Roeber of Zell; 2 sisters, Evelyn Wagner of Redfield and Bernadine (Harold) Schultz of Watertown, and a sister-in-law, Marvine Roeber of Redfield. He also will be missed by 4 grandchildren, Michelle (Jim) Boushee of Lakeville, MN, Kelene (Troy) Johnson of Cheyenne, WY, Michael Roeber of Casper, WY, and Justin (Amber) Mayes of Black Hawk, SD, as well as 3 great-grandchildren, Aubrie Johnson, Gage Boushee and Ava Marie Roeber.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Iona in 2001,2 brothers, Donald and Paul, 2 sisters, Leona Tubandt and Bertha Harford, and his first great-grandchild Cole Boushee.