John Douglas Van Wyhe, age 76, of Huron, SD passed away on Sunday, March 20, 2016 at Huron Regional Medical Center.

His funeral service will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday, March 24, 2016 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Huron with burial at Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery, and military honors by the Huron Veteran's Council

Visitation with the family present will be held from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, at Welter Funeral Home in Huron; or one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.

John D. Van Wyhe, the son of Dick and Gertrude (Brink) Van Wyhe, was born on July 8, 1939 in Dell Rapids, SD.  He attended elementary school in Colton, SD and graduated from Flandreau High School.

John joined the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged  in 1961. He also served in the Army reserves for many years until retiring in 1999 with the rank of Sergeant-Major.

John received his two-year degree from Dakota State College, Madison, SD, his Bachelor's Degree from Sioux Falls College, Sioux Falls, SD, and his Master's Degree from the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, all in education. John taught school in Parker, SD and in Sioux Falls, SD before becoming a principal in Hartford-Humboldt.  John then became the principal for the Jefferson Elementary School in Huron for 28 years until his retirement in 1999. During his educational career in Huron, John was also the principal for the Wilson Elementary School. This also included the Huron and Riverside Colonies. After his retirement, John became a Campground Host for the Army Corps of Engineers in Ft. Thompson, SD.  He continued this until 2012 when he retired due to his health.

John married Helen Kuefner on October 17, 1959 in Bayreuth, Germany.  The couple moved to Huron in 1971.

John was a member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church and Kiwanis International. He was also a member of the American Legion.  John served on the Mental Health Board for Community Counseling.  He loved the outdoors and was an avid fisherman, camper, and hunter.

Grateful for having shared in John's life are his wife, Helen of Huron, SD;  son, Bill (Shelly) Van Wyhe of Huron, SD; two daughters, Yvonne "Sissy" (Steve) Strasser of Bemidji, MN and Heidi (Jason) Holforty of Huron, SD; six grandchildren, Thomas, Tyler, Annie, Coty, Jamie, and Jake; great-grandson, Elijah; brother, Dick (Donna) Van Wyhe of Ukiah, CA; sister, Alice (Darold) Sea of Sioux City,IA; sisters-in-law, Edith Hacker, Bayreuth, Germany and Shirley Turgon; and several nieces and nephews.

John was preceded in death by his two sons, Hans and Johnny Van Wyhe; parents, Gertrude and Dick Van Wyhe; stepfather, Hans Jorgenson; Mother and Father-in-law, Hans and Luise Kuefner; and two brothers, George (Jean) Van Wyhe and Bill Van Wyhe.