Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel
Lester A. Kampen, age 95, of Watertown, SD, passed away on Tuesday, December 1, 2020, at a local care center. Private family funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, December 4, 2020, at Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel in Watertown, SD. Pastor Luke Smith will officiate. Services will be Live Streamed via Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel's website and Facebook Live.
Burial will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Watertown, SD. Active pallbearers will be: Jason Kettwig, Josh Kettwig, Tanner Kettwig, Ty Kettwig, Kobe Kettwig, Jax Kettwig, Cooper Kettwig and Kaejen Surat.
Lester A. Kampen was born on April 19, 1925, in Ortley, SD, to Albert and Hazel (Reno) Kampen. He attended school at the Ortley Country school. He received his GED and went on to join the military in 1944. He was wounded in May of 1945, received an honorable discharge in December of 1945. He also was the recipient of The Purple Heart.
On May 26, 1946, Lester married Helen Dorsett on her maternal grandparent's farm in Grant County. The couple lived in Watertown until moving to Ortley in 1948, where they purchased and ran the grocery store and cream buying station until 1954. They moved back to Watertown and lived there until 1964. Lester and Helen then moved to Brookings, SD, where Lester worked at the USDA Agricultural Services. He retired in 1990. The couple built a home on Lake Kampeska that same year. In 1999 they moved into Watertown.
He was a former member of First United Methodist Church in Brookings and then became a member of Cornerstone United Methodist Church in Watertown.
He enjoyed square dancing, wood carving, gardening, hunting deer and pheasant.
Lester is survived by his daughter, Bette (Lee) Kettwig of Hazel, SD and his son, Lester (Francine) Kampen of Jefferson City, MO.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Helen; his daughter, Joanne Tuschen; one son, Daniel Kampen; one grandson; two brothers and two sisters.
Arrangements by Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel www.crawfordosthus.com
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