Earl Liebnow, age 80, of Brookings, and formerly of Huron, died Monday, December 26, 2005, at the Brookings Hospital. His funeral service will be at 10:30 AM Friday, December 30, at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church with Rev. Dale Sattgast officiating. Burial will be at Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery. Friends may call Thursday afternoon and evening at the Welter Funeral Home or prior to the service at the church Friday morning. The family will be present from 7:00 to 9:00 pm Thursday evening at the funeral home. Memorials can be mailed to Bea Carr, 806 Slip-Up Road, Brookings, SD 57006; or Audrey Fuerstenau, 1312 N. Maple, Watertown, SD 57201; or Kathleen Carstens, 1101 Stevens St., Bridgeport, TX 76426. Earl H. Liebnow was born on July 1, 1925, to Herman and Caroline (Wadtke) Liebnow at Wolsey, SD. When he was 9 years old he moved with his family to Rock Creek, MN. Over the next 10 years, the family also lived at Montrose, MN, and Mayer, MN. Earl received his education while living in Minnesota. At the age of 19 Earl returned to the Wolsey area. On November 30, 1947, Earl married Elena Elaine Reimers in Iowa. The couple made their home in the Wolsey area where Earl farmed. In 1956 they moved to Huron. He worked for Armour and Company for a short period of time, and in 1960 began a 10-year career with the Huron Police Department. In 1966 he started the Rite-Way Cleaning Service which he and his family operated until 2001. In June of 1970 he began working in the maintenance department for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company retiring in 1991. In 2001 he became a resident of the United Retirement Center at Brookings. He was a member of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, Fraternal Order of Police, and the Telephone Pioneers of America. He was a dedicated family man who enjoyed his time with his grand- and great-grandchildren. His many interests included flower and vegetable gardening, yard work, his pet dogs, traveling of which he visited Alaska twice and Japan, bowling, and playing cards in which he was a master bluffer. He is survived by 3 daughters, Kathleen (Herb) Carstens of Bridgeport, TX and formerly of Gillette, WY, Beatrice Bea (Gene) Carr of Brookings and formerly of Huron, and Audrey (Troy) Fuerstenau of Watertown; 7 grandchildren, Tammi (Curt) Schmahl, Duran Johnson, Chad Carstens, Corey Carstens and his fiance Lisa Brownlee, Matthew Carr and his fiance Liz Ludens, Kaitlin Fuerstenau, and Valarie Fuerstenau; 6 great grandchildren, Dannie Borah, Elena Borah, Calvin Schmahl, Zachery Carstens, Andrew Carstens, and Sadee Carstens; 1 brother, Herschel (Doris) Liebnow of Wolsey; and 1 son-in-law, Dannie Johnson of Wentworth, SD. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Elena on April 17, 1971; 1 daughter, Mary Ann Johnson; and an infant sister.