Terry E. Gaikowski

Terry E. Gaikowski, 77, of Webster, passed away, Thursday, June 27, 2024, at Sanford Hospital, Webster.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30am Monday, July 1, 2024, at Christ the King Catholic Church in Webster and will be livestreamed via our Facebook page. Interment will be at St. Otto's Catholic Cemetery near Webster. 

Visitation will be 5-7pm Sunday at the funeral home closing with a Rosary service at 7pm.

Terry was born January 16th, 1947, to Stanley and Caroline Gaikowski in Webster, South Dakota. Terry attended Elementary School at St. Ottos Catholic School in Webster and then graduated Webster High School in 1965.

After High School Terry was employed with Game Fish & Parks. It is at this time that he would reel in the biggest catch of his life, Evelyn. Terry’s work buddy Stanley Dockter invited him over for an evening at his house and it was there he met Stan’s younger sister Evelyn Dockter. Terry and Evelyn were married on October 24th, 1970, and they were blessed with four children, Kyle, Maria, Justin and Tanya.

Shortly after marriage Terry and Evelyn moved into their new home north of Webster that was built by Terry, leaning on his experience from working as a carpenter alongside Larry Sauer

Terry was in the National Guard and was deployed to the 1972 Rapid City Flood. He has shared many memories of his experience working the flood catastrophe with his family over the years.

It was on this land next to their home that Terry opened his first business, that of a welding shop that grew into a manufacturing business building cattle trailer, docks and many other items including the bell tower that still stands today outside of Christ the King Catholic Church. Alongside welding, Terry and Evelyn also farmed and raised beef cattle. He continued to grow and expand his business, soon expanding into small lines of farm equipment that later grew to be known as Northside Implement. In 1991 he expanded again and opened Westside Implement in Clark, SD. Terry’s business legacy is carried on by his daughter Tanya and her husband Lydel in Webster and by his son Kyle and his wife Trudi in Clark.

Terry wasn’t known for his patience, and he wasn’t fond of being told what to do (or how to do it), but he was known for other things, Terry loved to watch his sons wrestle (as Terry was a wrestler himself in High School). He loved ice fishing, playing solitaire, and pumpkin pie. He was VERY fond of ten little things that blessed him immensely, his grandchildren, Brent, Collin, Devin, Cade, Corbin, Camryn, Eve, Onyx, Charlee & Kai. 

The legacy built on that plot of land north of Webster is carried on by his grandchildren who seem to love sports, farming, and cattle just as much as he did. We can only hope that the fences built by his grandchildren will keep the cattle in better than his did. 

Terry is survived by his wife Evelyn. Children: Kyle Gaikowski (Trudi) and their children Collin, Cade, and Eve; Maria Bosak (Tate) and their children Onyx, Charlee, and Kai; Justin Gaikowski (Nicole); Tanya Snaza (Lydel) and their children Brent, Devin, Corbin, and Camryn. He is also survived by his siblings, Linda (Frank) Vogl. (Linda is Terry’s Twin Sister), David (Liz) Gaikowski, Joe (Laura) Gaikowski, Judy Bennett (Pat), and Mike (Michelle) Gaikowski. He was preceded in death by his parents.