Cletus Francis Desmet

Larchwood, IA

      Cletus DeSmet age 89 of Larchwood, Iowa passed away Sunday, December 5, 2021, at his home surrounded by his family.

     Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM Friday, December 10, 2021, at The Church of St. Mary in Larchwood, Iowa, with Father Sunny Dominic as celebrant.

     Burial will follow in the Larchwood Cemetery in Larchwood, with military honors by Flessner American Legion Post No. 561.

     Visitation will be Thursday, December 9^th with family present from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the church. There will be a vigil service at 7:00 p.m.

    Arrangements are in the care of the Jurrens Funeral Home of Larchwood.

     The DeSmet family asks that memorials be directed to Avera at Home, 3901 W. 59^th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57108.

     Cletus Francis DeSmet was born on November 20, 1932, in Larchwood, IA, the son of Ted and Emma (Schettler) DeSmet. He grew up in Larchwood and went to country school near there. For a short time, he attended school in Valley Springs, SD and later graduated from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Larchwood.

     Cletus served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955 and spent two years at Camp Chafee in Arkansas.

     On September 13, 1955, Cletus was united in marriage to Beverly Hoefert at the St. Mary Church in Larchwood, IA. The couple made their home in Sioux Falls, SD for a short time then moved back to Larchwood. Cletus worked thirty-six and a half years at John Morrell in Sioux Falls, worked a short time as a custodian at St. Joseph Cathedral in Sioux Falls before working for Jake’s Electric and RB Electric.

     He was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church, American Legion and Larchwood Fire Department for thirty-six years.

     His hobbies included fishing, vacations in Northern Minnesota, and dancing on the weekends. Special memories the family has are of Cletus working with his boys in the garage and him teaching his grandsons the right way to shake hands. He will be greatly missed.

     Cletus is survived by his wife of sixty-six years, Beverly DeSmet of Larchwood, IA; four children, Patty (Randy) Klein of Sibley, IA, Dan DeSmet of Elkton, SD, Bob (Shirley) DeSmet of Alvord, IA and Scott (Brenda) DeSmet of Sioux Falls, SD; twenty-three grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, twenty great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild; four siblings, Veronica Weins of Littleton, CO, Don (Susie) DeSmet of Canon City, CO, Jane Heirigs of Larchwood, IA, and Dean (Nancy) DeSmet of Omaha, NE; sister-in-law, Audrey DeSmet of Hills, MN; many nieces, nephews and other extended family.

     He was preceded in death by his parents; stepfather, Lawrence Lucas; daughter-in-law, Laurie DeSmet; two brothers and a sister-in-law, Alvin (Darlene) DeSmet and Gene DeSmet; two brothers-in-law, Robert Weins and Harold Heirigs; sister-in-law, Tina DeSmet; and inlaws, Ernest (Gertrude) Hoefert. 

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