Gordon Holsti, 97, of Spearfish, SD, formerly of Camp Crook, SD, passed away at the David M. Dorsett Health Care Facility in Spearfish, SD on Friday, September 3, 2016.
Funeral Services for Gordon will be on Thursday, September 8, 2016 at the Ladner Church beginning at 2:00 p.m. Pastor Dotty Parfrey will officiate with burial to follow in the Cave Hills Cemetery, Rural Buffalo, SD. There will be a Family and Friends Service on Thursday at the Church beginning at 12:00.

On April 23, 1919 a baby boy was born in Bismarck, ND, to John and Ida (Taskila) Holsti, a couple from the small town of Kintyre, ND. They had had a baby girl a few years earlier who had died at birth. Everything went well this time however and Gordon John Hosti came home with his 39 year old parents. Four years later a brother, Calvin Joseph joined him. The boys enjoyed life in the small town, exploring, going to school, playing with friends and selling milk to the local pool hall for their mother who kept a milk cow at the edge of town. In 1932 the Great Depression forced the family, whose main income was from bank ownership, machinery dealership and farming, to leave and seek another occupation; fully fledged farming and ranching this time in western South Dakota. From living in the nicest house in town ( 3 story with many bedrooms and running water) to a 3 room homestead shack with no amenities was a big adjustment for the boys. They also now had to walk four miles to school. Gordon missed so much school that fist year that he had to repeat 8th grade. This, after completing 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades all in one year in his former school. For their second school year in South Dakota, the family threw up a shack across the road from the school house where their maternal grandmother joined the boys during the week as housekeeper and cook. She kept busy with, among other things, spinning to make yarn for knitting socks, mittens, caps and sweaters for the family; often rising at 4:00 am to begin. Her spinning wheel is a cherished heirloom. Gordon was only able to attend school through 9th grade, but was a lifelong reader committing many political and historical facts to memory. When he had nothing else to read, he would pored over the school encyclopedia. Life was not easy, but Gordon stuck it out for 97 years. Highlights of his life were his marriage to Martha Lu Boyd in 1965; the birth of their two sons, John Boyd in 1967 and Mark Joseph 9n 1969. He also enjoyed traveling to places both in the United States and abroad. It was as if having studied these places in school, he had just been waiting to get to go see them. Gordon was very proud of his membership in the Masons, Shiners' and Eastern Star and was equally proud of being a Finn. Gordon attended the Presbyterian Sunday School as a child in Kintyre, the Finnish Lutherans north of Buffalo, SD, in later years and finally the Ladner Lutheran Church. He was confirmed under Pastor Ulensvang who took a picture of their class which Gordon though must still be in his Camera as Gordon never got one. Gordon had an extraordinary memory, amazing family and friends. Whenever someone wanted to know when something had happened, someone else would always say, "Go ask Gordon, he'll know." And he always did. Gordon was a great story teller and a gracious host to anyone who pulled into the yard. He'd always stop whatever work he was doing, to visit and always invited them in for coffee. He had a steam sauna and the whole community gathered at his place on Saturday nights for T.V. and saunas. He loved his nieces and always kept a candy drawer in his kitchen just for them. He loved music, especially listening to his nieces play and sing; hearing his granddaughters sing or listening to the Lawrence Welk shows. Gordon did not like spending money on anything he thought was non-essential or overpriced. A trip to town usually ended with beef bologna sandwiches on the way home. On their bus trip to Alaska, he and Martha ate sardines in their room while others paid high prices for their meals. He loved old tractors and new pickups, and was a master at using ancient farm equipment. At the age of 80, Gordon had open heart surgery in Rapid City. This was followed by 6 stents and a pacemaker. In 2011 he entered the David M. Dorsett home is Spearfish where he resided until the time of his death.
Gordon was preceded in death by his grandparents, his parents, one infant sister, brother, Calvin Joseph and a sister-in-law, Pauline. He is survived by his wife Martha Lu; sons John and Mark, daughter-in-law, Melanie and granddaughters Morgan and Camille, as well as 5 nieces, Paula, Becky, Annie, Mary and Helen and their families. Gordon's goal was to live to be 100. He didn't quite make it, but he came fairly close.
Krebsbach and Kulseth Funeral Services of Bowman, ND, in charge of the arrangements.