Garry Olmstead, age 70, of rural Iroquois, passed away on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, at his home due to an accident in his machine shop.

His funeral service will be at 2:00 PM on Saturday, September 26, 2020 at his home, 21720 413 ^th Ave, Iroquois, SD. Vehicles may park at the church parking lot, motorcycles may park at the house. Please bring a lawn chair.

Burial will take place at Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota with military honors on Monday, September 28.

Visitation will be on Friday, September 25 from 3-6:30 PM with family present from 5-6:30 at Welter Funeral Home in Huron. A time of sharing and prayer service will begin at 6:30 at the funeral home. CDC guidelines and masks are required at visitation.

There will be an honorary motorcycle ride on Sunday, September 27 at 2 PM beginning at the Wal-Mart parking lot, to Cavour, and then to Yale for food and beverages.

Garry Ross Olmstead was born on September 7, 1950 in Huron, SD to George and Lorraine (Larghe) Olmstead. He grew up as the middle sibling of older sister Georgia known as Babe, and younger brother David. As a young teen, Garry ran away from home, leaving a note stating that he was "not the proper person to be a son to some fine parents like you and dad. I'll keep in touch and don't worry about me I'm very healthy."

Garry graduated from Huron High School in 1969 after winning awards in broad and long jump and being active in FFA. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and moved his way through the ranks to Lance Corporal in the 1st Marine Division, 3 ^rd Battalion, 7 ^th Marines. He reported to call of duty to the Vietnam War in the fall of 1969, where he sustained a bullet wound to the right wrist on September 17, 1970, and received an honorable discharge on November 9, 1970 decorated as a Purple Heart veteran.

Garry received numerous military medals of honor, including the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 1 Star, Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device, Expert Rifle Badge, and Good Conduct Medal.

Garry returned to the US and married Eunice Brooks on June 12, 1971. They lived in Huron where he ran Norbo machine shop with his brother David. Garry and Eunice had two daughters, Amy Lynn born January 28, 1973 and Terra May born August 1, 1976. Garry and Eunice moved to the farm southeast of Cavour in 1980 where he began Garry's Machine & Welding and tended to a herd of sheep.

Garry remarried on August 13, 1994 to Marlene (Boetel) Wilde at the 54 ^th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis City Park. Garry and Marlene attended numerous rallies across the United States adding motorcycle miles in almost every state. On these trips, including the Freedom Ride from California to Washington, D.C. on Memorial weekend, Garry met many new mid-life friends.

He loved traveling as much as time around the bonfire on the farm with his family and friends, grandkids running around.

Garry was preceded in death by his brother David, and his parents George and Lorraine Olmstead. Garry is survived by his wife Marlene Olmstead, ex-wife Eunice Alexander, sister Georgia Cox (Dorian), children Amy Johnson (Chad), Terra Goehring (Kelly), stepchildren Chad Wilde, Chasity Marcus (Adam), Heather Morris (Miguel) and Mallory Wilde, 5 grandchildren: Tanner, Ty and Jocelyn Kettwig, Olivia and Emma Johnson, 11 step-grandchildren: Damian, Alexandra, Gavin, Lily and Braydon Wilde, Scarlet and Lucas Marcus, Gabrielle Wilde, Markus and Zoe Morris, and Marley Wipf.