John Palmquist

John A. Palmquist, 93, of Madison passed away on August 25, 2020 at Bethel Lutheran Home in Madison.  Funeral services will begin on Saturday, August 29 at 11 am at Sun Prairie Baptist Church, rural Salem.  Burial will follow at Sun Prairie Baptist Cemetery.  Visitation will be held from 5 – 7 pm on Friday at Kinzley Funeral Home in Salem.

John Arthur Palmquist was born on August 15, 1927 to Arthur and Ellen (Dahl) Palmquist in rural Winfred, SD.  He was born in the house that was always his home.  He attended and graduated from Winfred High School in 1945.  John served in the Korean War from 1951 – 1952 with the 78^th Engineer Field Maintenance Company as a diesel mechanic.  He married Phyllis Peterson on October 3, 1955.  To this union, children Glen and Cheryl were born.  John and Phyllis were married 64 years, 10 months and 22 days.  He farmed all his life on the family farm.  He also worked in road construction, and as a diesel mechanic for Wulff’s Trucking in Salem.  He attended the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma and obtained his aircraft mechanic certificate.  He also had his private pilot’s license.

John was a lifelong member of Sun Prairie Baptist Church, serving many years as a deacon or trustee.  He served on the Prairie Village Historical Society board of directors for 15 years.  He enjoyed working at the annual Jamboree and showing his 1918 Republic truck and his many other restored trucks and tractors.  Among his many hobbies, he most enjoyed traveling and restoring old trucks and tractors for himself and others.

John is survived by:  his wife Phyllis Palmquist of Madison; his children, Glen (Glenda) of Huron and Cheryl (Kim) Lewis of Winfred; grandchildren, Drew, Callie and Cody Palmquist, Alexander, Ellen and Grace Lewis; great-grandchild, Easton; sister, Deloris Zischke and brother, Donald (MaryAnn) Palmquist.  He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Genevieve Omanson, brother-in-law, Oliver Omanson and one sister-in-law, Lois Palmquist.