Carol Wienk

Carol Ann Wienk, passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones on May 13, 2022 at Sanford Health in Sioux Falls.

Carol, daughter of Oscar and Nettie (Nelson) Casper, was born December 19, 1940. She grew up on a farm south of Lake Preston and graduated from Lake Preston High School in 1958.

A week after her high school graduation, Carol married, Arnold Wienk, on June 1, 1958 at the Lake Preston Lutheran Church. That same year, they purchased their first Charolais, and Arnold would often say, “In 1958, I got the two loves of my life.”

Together, Carol and Arnold established Wienk Charolais, and raised five daughters, Deb, Kim, Peggy, Jody, and Amy, on the farm where Arnold was born and raised.

For decades, Arnold and Carol hosted a bull sale on the farm, with friends and customers gathering to look over their Charolais cattle and spend time with the Wienk family. Attendees loved Carol’s potato salad and pumpkin bars, served alongside burgers cooked over an open fire.

The family’s Charolais business took Arnold and Carol around the world. Together, the couple visited Spain, France, England, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Mexico, Canada, Australia, and across the United States. They often took the girls along as they attended AICA events over the years.

Carol was passionate about promoting beef, and she was an active member of the SD Cattlemen’s Auxiliary, SD Beef Industry Council, American National CattleWomen, SD Charolais Association, and she was one of the founders of the Charolais Dees.

Arnold and Carol always had an open invitation for visitors at the farm, and Carol loved welcoming foreign exchange students, collegiate livestock judging teams, and countless guests to her home over the years.

As a member of the Lake Preston UCC, she was a Sunday school teacher and was involved in the church fellowship group.

Carol’s five children, 16 grandchildren, and 23 great-grandchildren would often find her in the kitchen or out in the garden. She loved to be surrounded by her peacocks and beautiful flowers. Arnold and Carol found joy in growing food together for the family, as well. Carol’s Christmas Charolais cut-out sugar cookies simply could not be beat, and her mouse ornaments gifted to each grandchild will be enjoyed for generations.

Carol and Arnold moved to Brookings in 2017, and they enjoyed attending SDSU basketball games together and spending time at the cabin surrounded by family at Lake Poinsett.

Grateful for having shared her life is her husband, Arnold; her daughters, Deb (Al) Vedvei, Lake Preston; Kim (Scott) Jensen, Lake Preston; Peggy (Dave) Nolz, Mitchell; Jody (Jeff) Eschenbaum, Lake Preston; Amy (Russ) Bailey, Custer; her grandchildren, Corrie, Stacie, Melanie, Danielle, Dannica, Amanda, Courtney, Kaley, Sterling, Ty, Calder, Stetson, Rhett, Rheann, and Rheo; her 23 great-grandchildren; her brother, David (Roxann) Casper; her twin sister, Caren (Roger) Hoyer; her in-laws, Gloria Wienk, Vince (Micky) Wienk, Jerry Fyler, Susan (Ken) Everson, and Janet (John) Koller; and many nieces and nephews.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents, Nettie and Oscar Casper; her in-laws, LeRoy and Frances Wienk; her brothers, Richard Casper and Roger Casper; and her grandsons, Denton Jensen (passed in infancy), and Calder Eschenbaum.

Funeral services for Mrs. Wienk will be 2:00 pm on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at the UCC-UMC in Lake Preston, SD with Pastor’s Chris Larson and  Joleen Pietrzak officiating, burial will be in the Lake Preston Cemetery, Lake Preston, SD.  Visitation will be from 5-7 pm on Monday, May 16, 2022 in the UCC-UMC in Lake Preston and preceding services in the church on Tuesday In Lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to the Ty Eschenbaum Foundation.