Holly Samelson, age 83, of Bryant, SD, and formerly of Bancroft, died Wednesday, December 16, 2009, at Parkview Care Center in Bryant.

His funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, December 19, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Iroquois with burial at Maplewood Cemetery in Iroquois.

Visitation will be Friday from 5-8 p.m. at Welter Funeral Home with family present from 6-8 p.m.; or Saturday morning one hour prior to the service at the church.

Holly Lee Samelson, son of Lawrence and Grace (Cook) Samelson, was born on February 27, 1926, in Bancroft, SD. When he was a child he moved with his parents to live on his grandparents farm located west and south of Bancroft.

During his high school years he attended the Seventh-day Adventist Academy in Redfield. After a couple of years at the Academy he returned to the family farm.

On February 4, 1952, Holly married LaVonne Geiman. They lived on a farm near Iroquois where he did custom farming and custom combining. During the winter months he drove truck delivering cattle to various locations. Working on the farm was not only Hollys occupation but his pride and joy, working the land, the livestock, and proudly operating his John Deere equipment.

In March of 2002, Holly became a resident of Parkview Care Center in Bryant where he lived until the time of his death.

He was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist South Dakota Conference. His interests, besides farming, included reading the green sheet; and the familys annual vacation trip to the Clay County Fair in Spencer, IA.

He is survived by his wife, LaVonne of Sioux Falls; 1 daughter, Lana (Todd) Bornitz of Sioux Falls; and 1 granddaughter, Kiersten Warkenthien of Sioux Falls.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Virgil Samelson; and his sister-in-law, Mary Samelson.