Carl Ace Antanitis

Carl Ace Antanitis, 83, of Aberdeen, passed away Monday, January 6, 2020, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.

His memorial service, with military rites, will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, January 11, 2020, at Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary & Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, with Pastor Gary Compton, of First Baptist Church, officiating.

A luncheon and time of fellowship will immediately follow the service at Schriver’s Memorial Fellowship Center.

Carl’s wishes were to be cremated with Navy Burial at Sea taking place at a later date.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the mortuary on Saturday.

Family and friends may sign Carl’s online guestbook at www.schriversmemorial.com.

Carl Ace Antanitis, 83, of Aberdeen, passed away Monday, January 6, 2020, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.

His memorial service, with military rites, will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, January 11, 2020, at Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary & Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, with Pastor Gary Compton, of First Baptist Church, officiating.

A luncheon and time of fellowship will immediately follow the service at Schriver’s Memorial Fellowship Center.

Carl’s wishes were to be cremated with Navy Burial at Sea taking place at a later date.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the mortuary on Saturday.

Family and friends may sign Carl’s online guestbook at www.schriversmemorial.com.

Carl Ace Antanitis was born September 20,1936, in Sterling, IL to Charles and Estelle (Powidzki) Antanitis.

Carl lost his father at the young age of 14.  When he turned 18, he joined the Navy so that he could help support his mother.

Carl was united in marriage to Mary Ann Murray on February 6, 1965, in Menomonie, WI.  They started their married life at the Great Lakes Naval Base near Chicago, IL, and later moved to the naval base in Norfolk, VA.  In Carl’s words, they were blessed with four “rugrats”, two sons and two daughters.

In 1972, he was transferred to Aberdeen, SD as a Navy recruiter where he later retired with the rank of BMC E7. During his 20 years in the Navy, he bravely served his country in both the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War.

Carl went on to become a locksmith, and later a warehouse foreman for South Dakota Wheat Growers. Carl’s favorite pastime was woodworking. Many homes are blessed with shelves, picture frames and furniture that he gladly made for anyone who brought an idea in their head or a picture from a catalog.  He also enjoyed collecting coins, knives, and guns.

Carl enjoyed making people happy and couldn’t pass up telling his latest joke to anyone who would listen. He believed no matter the situation, “you gotta have a little fun.” He also loved to spoil his kids and grandkids.

Carl is survived by his children:  James (Julie Waltman) Antanitis of Aberdeen, SD, Michael Antanitis of Ellsworth, WI, Peggy (Mike) Berg of Cottage Grove, MN and Louise (Micah) Malsom of Eureka, SD; and seven grandchildren:  Madeleine, Steven, Sydney, Sadie, Preston, Mikaela, and Katherina.  He is also survived by many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ann Antanitis; his parents, Charles Antanitis and Estelle (Antanitis) Rank; stepfather, Russell Rank; and his sisters:  Gerry Cordell and Charlene Drane.