Elden Woken

ROSLYN- Elden Woken, 75 of Roslyn died on Thursday, June 17, 2010 at Strand-Kjorsvig Community Rest Home in Roslyn. His funeral will be at 10:30 A.M. Monday, June 21, 2010 at Fron Lutheran Church with Janet Johnson officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with military rites. Visitation will be Sunday from 5-7 P.M. with a prayer service at 5 P.M. at Fiksdal Funeral Service in Webster. Elden Wilbur Woken was born on November 16, 1934 to Alfred and Florence (Fossum) Woken at Colton, South Dakota. He was baptized and confirmed at Willow Creek Lutheran Church in Dell Rapids, South Dakota. He attended grade school and high school in Lyon, South Dakota and graduated in 1952. After high school he joined the United States Navy. He was stationed out of San Diego and served in the supply division across the Pacific during the Korean War. He received the China, United Nations, Korean, and National Defense Service Medals. He was honorably discharged in 1955. After serving his country he returned home and worked for Sweetman Construction and later went to work for the government in the Indian Health Service department. He was employed there until his retirement. On October 17, 1959, he married Virginia Hunt at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Aberdeen, South Dakota. To this union a son was born in 1960 and a daughter in 1963. The family made their home in Aberdeen. In 1980, Elden retired from government service and he and a partner began a medical equipment supply business until 1983, when they sold the business. Elden spent the next ten years racing sled dogs with his son. After 1994 Elden enjoyed traveling with Virginia until settling in Roslyn in 2006. Elden was a 50 year member of the American Legion and he was also a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. He thoroughly enjoyed hunting, fishing and slow-pitch softball. Elden passed away on Thursday, June 17, 2010 at Roslyn, South Dakota at the age of 75 years, 7 months, and 1 day. Survivors include, his wife of 50 years, Virginia, one son Craig, and one daughter Marnah all of Roslyn, SD, one brother Milton (Mary) Woken of Bakersfield, CA, and one sister Arlis (Leroy “Bud”) Prescott of Minneapolis, MN. He was preceded in death by his parents.