Wesley "Wes" Elmer Rovang

Mass of Christian Burial for Wesley Elmer "Wes" Rovang, 90, of Aberdeen, will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, October 21, 2014, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 409 3rd Ave SE, Aberdeen with Father David Janes, Celebrant.

Burial, with military rites conducted by Sidney L. Smith American Legion Post #24 of Aberdeen, will take place at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Aberdeen.

Schriver's Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Monday, at the mortuary with a Knights of Columbus Rosary at 7:00 p.m. Visitation continues one hour prior to Mass at church on Tuesday.

Wes passed away Friday, October 17, 2014, at Avera Mother Joseph Manor Retirement Community in Aberdeen.

Memorials are preferred to either The Knights of Columbus or Avera Mother Joseph Manor in Aberdeen.

Wesley Elmer Rovang was born on February 1, 1924, to Elmer and Elma (Rubel) Rovang in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. He described his early days as an adventurous "Tom Sawyer" time, spent exploring, fishing, and catching snapping turtles "as big as wash tubs", which they sold to the local market. In 1938 the family moved to Roslyn, South Dakota where he was active in sports and the Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization. He graduated from Roslyn High School in 1942.

At eighteen years old Wes joined the Navy. In July of 1943 he shipped out to serve in the Pacific theater on the USS Solace as a medical corpsman. As a hospital ship, the mission of the Solace and her crew was to treat and evacuate the wounded. On the Solace, Wes was part of this heroic effort for two years serving at the battles of Tarawa, Kwajalien, Eniwetok, Anguar, Peleliu, Saipan, Tinian, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. During battle, Wes was an operating room attendant working with on-board doctors and nurses to treat the wounded. When the war in the Pacific ended Wes transferred to Minneapolis where in January 1946 he received his honorable discharge as Pharmacist's Mate 1st Class.

Wes married Charlotte Anhalt on February 23, 1946. The newly-wed couple moved to Aberdeen where Wes found employment at Franklin's Dairy which he and business partner Ray Schumacher eventually bought and ran until 1960. Wes re-entered the medical profession as a registered respiratory care therapist at St. Luke's Hospital where he worked with great satisfaction until his retirement in 1989.

Outside work, Wes was deeply involved with the Knights of Columbus, with Sacred Heart parish, and with the Elk's Lodge. He performed countless hours of volunteer work for these organizations as an officer, fund-raiser, painter, and instructor. Wes also had a passion for outdoor activities including hunting, fishing, and gardening, particularly in his retirement years with his good friend Bob Haffman.

Wes and Charlotte raised six children during their sixty-three years of marriage. Together they enjoyed dancing (especially square dancing), and playing bridge. It was a rare Saturday night that they didn't do one of these activities.

Wes was preceded in death by his wife, Charlotte; brother, Donald Rovang; sister, Winnifred Opsahl; and sister, Arlene Carlson.

Grateful to have shared in Wes's life are his children, Cynthia (Blair) Smith of Simsbury, CT., Richard Rovang of Aberdeen, SD, Patricia (Robert) Voll of Lexington, KY, Bonita (Jim) Schmidt of Eagan, MN, Rebecca (Patrick) Curren of Ashburn, VA, and Ronald (Bliss) Rovang of Aberdeen, SD, two sisters, LaVonne (Harold) Peterson of Aberdeen, SD, and Thelma Monshaugen of Webster, SD, his grandchildren, Tiffany Doyle, Sarah Alvarez, Nathan Strudle, Luke Ralston, Ann Ralston, Jacqueline Ralston, Molly Rovang, Hannah Rovang, and five great grandchildren.