Clifford Diekhoff, age 80, of Wessington, died Tuesday, February 26, 2008, at the Prairie Good Samaritan Center in Miller. His funeral service will be 2:00 PM Saturday, March 1, at the First Presbyterian Church in Wessington with Rev. Allen Sager officiating. Burial will be at the Wessington Cemetery with Military Rites by the Watson-Krauter American Legion Post #110 of Wessington. Visitation will be this Friday afternoon from 1:00 oclock until 5:00 oclock at the Welter Funeral Home, continuing at 7:00 oclock this Friday evening at the First Presbyterian Church in Wessington with a Prayer Service at 7:30 PM. Clifford Lane Diekhoff was born on September 28, 1927, to Frank and Blanche (Johnson) Diekhoff on the family farm near Wessington. In 1929, the family moved to the Pactola area in the Black Hills. Clifford loved the time his family spent at Pactola, and until his death, always had a special place in his heart for those times. The family relocated to the Sand Creek Township in the 1930s where Clifford and his sister Thelma attended school. Clifford graduated from Wolsey High School in 1945. On July 9, 1946, Clifford was drafted and served in the United States Army, being honorably discharged on August 13, 1947. On February 1, 1951, Clifford married Shirley Jean McNeil at Huron. They lived in Sand Creek and Dearborn Townships. In 1962, the family moved to Grand Township in Hand County where they farmed and raised their four children. Cliff and Shirley moved to Wessington in the fall of 1997. He was a member of the Watson-Krauter American Legion Post #110 of Wessington, and the First Presbyterian Church at Wessington. In his spare time, Clifford built a solar panel to heat his home, a satellite dish for the TV, and many treasured wood working projects. Clifford also loved technology and became an avid computer user and digital photographer in his later years. Clifford was a very intelligent, strong-willed, and independent man. He and Shirley worked many long and hard days on their dairy farm to provide for their family. His strong work ethic, devotion to his family, and love of learning has influenced those around him. Clifford is survived by 2 daughters, Penny (Byron) Woodruff of Wessington, Peggy Diekhoff of Mission; 2 sons, Gene (Char) Diekhoff of National City, CA, and Kirk (Vicki) Diekhoff of Wessington; 4 grandchildren, Terri (Michael) Woodruff-Roth, Shane (Jan) Woodruff, Laurel Diekhoff and Aaron Diekhoff; 5 great-grandchildren, Brendan Roth, Brexton Roth, Breanna Roth, Kylie Woodruff and Kasey Woodruff. He was preceded in death by his wife Shirley; his parents; and his sister Thelma.