Gilbert Gukeisen age 78, of Plankinton, died Monday May 11, 2009 at his home. Funeral services will be Friday 10:30am at St. Pauls Lutheran Church in Plankinton. Visitation will be Thursday from 6 to 8pm at the Church in Plankinton with a prayer service at 7:00pm. Burial will be in the Mizpah Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of the Will Funeral Chapel.

Gilbert, son of Herman and Viola (Nagy) Gukeisen, was born January 5, 1931, in Parkston, S.D. He attended country school in Platte, S.D., through the eighth grade. He was drafted into the United States Army in 1952, served in the Korean War with a military transport unit, and was honorably discharged in 1953. Gilbert married Darlene Westendorf in 1955. They had one daughter, Nancy Ann, and lived on a farm near Kimball, S.D. After Darlenes death, Gilbert spent some time in Escondido, CA, with his brother Gerald and wife Iva, working at Calavo as a dock supervisor. Gilbert married Evelyn Spissman on August 14, 1965. They lived in Sioux Falls; Gilbert worked for Davis Taylor Cleaners as a deliveryman. They moved to Plankinton in 1970, where they raised his daughterand their two sons, Michael and Daniel. Gilbert was an independent truck driver, hauling petroleum and gravel/rock locally for many years. With his family he enjoyed yearly vacations to visit relatives in California and Georgia. He moved to Sioux Falls after Evelyns death, and married Charlotte (Bradwisch) in 1991, returning to Plankinton in 1993. Gilbert was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Plankinton, S.D. He enjoyed meeting his friends, having coffee with them each morning, and playing cards. Watching game shows and the daily weather forecast, and trading cars and pickups were some of his favorite pastimes.

He had been living independently in the house where he raised his family, and had resided since 1971.

Gilbert is survived by a daughter, Nancy (Vern) Leftwich, Plankinton, S.D.; two sons, Michael, Hartford, S.D., and Daniel (Kim), Tempe, AZ.; a brother, Gerald L. Gukeisen (Iva), Kingsburg, CA.; a sister in law, Norma (Dale) Parriott, Kimball, S.D.; a brother in law, Marvin (Kathryn) Spissman, Tucker, GA.; a niece, Barbara Faye Zisler (Bill), Kingsburg, CA.; three great nieces, Stephanie Zisler, Kingsburg, CA., Kristie Densley, Oceanside, CA., and Cindy Zisler, Houston, TX.; and two great-great nieces, Erica Uhl, Kingsburg, CA., and Chanel Densley, Oceanside, CA.

He was preceded in death by his first wife Darlene, his second wife Evelyn, and his parents Herman and Viola.