Wayne Jessen, 80, of Redfield, SD, died Monday, July 20, 2009 at Community Memorial Hospital in Redfield. His funeral will be Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Redfield. Reverend Brian Wasmoen will officiate. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday from 1-8:00 p.m. at Thelen Funeral Home in Redfield. www.thelenfuneralhome.com

Wayne was born July 7, 1929 in rural Redfield, SD to Peter and Anna (Johnson) Jessen. He attended the Brink school and Redfield High School before farming in partnership with his dad and brother Don. Wayne married Ruth Anderson on August 30, 1952 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church. In 1960, Wayne and Ruth purchased and moved to the Ray Hansen farm southeast of Redfield. Wayne farmed and raised cattle for forty years before they semi-retired and moved into Redfield, in 1999.

Wayne was a Lodi Township clerk, and a 9 year director of Spink and Northern Electric. His passion was singing and playing guitar, riding 4 wheelers and checking cattle in the Bald Mountains. His band, The Lodi Countrymen, played at various events in the Redfield area. He looked forward to the annual cattle drive, with his family, from the Bald Mountains to the family farm. Wayne was an active life-time member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church and served on the church board and sang in the church choir for many years. He was known for singing "The Palms" consistently for 65 years on Palm Sunday. He sang at many weddings, funeral and community events.

Wayne is survived by his wife Ruth, sons, David (Mary) Jessen, Redfield and their children Michael (and friend Dawn), Matthew (Randi) and their children Conner and Cully and Doug (Debbie) Jessen, Ft. Worth, TX and their children Erik and Stacey, daughter Rhonda (Mitch) Woodruff, Savage, MN and their children Luke, Hanna and Erika, his sisters: Julianna Rice of Oakdale, MN, Ida (Dean) Orton of Salem, OR, Arlene (Howard) Bich of Sioux Falls and many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Donald and his wife Marilyn and Russell and one sister Elaine.