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Mass of Christian Burial for Emil Biegler, 85, of Timber Lake will be at 10:30 AM, Monday, August 10, 2020 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Timber Lake. Burial will be at the Timber Lake Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will start at 5 PM Sunday with a prayer service at 6 PM at the church. Emil passed away at his home in Timber Lake Thursday, August 6, 2020.

Emil J. Biegler, son of Ben and Mary Biegler, was born at home near Firesteel, SD, on May 13, 1935. In 1938, Ben moved his family 6 1/2 miles west and 1 1/2 miles north of Timber Lake, SD, to a farm that has been in the family for 5 generations.

Emil attended the Sprick country school, St. Joseph's Catholic School, and graduated from Timber Lake High School in 1953. He was an outstanding basketball player.

Emil helped his dad and brothers on the farm and experienced the introduction of rural electricity in 1948-1949. It was like having an extra hired man.

On November 3, 1953, Emil married Mary Anne Schweitzer at the Sacred Heart Church in Glencross, SD.

Shortly after their marriage, they moved to Wichita, Kansas where he worked for Boeing Airbase, building the first B-52 bombers. Emil was on a five-man basketball team that won the Kansas State Independent basketball tournament, which was a highlight of his young life.

After their first son Alan was born in 1956, they moved back to Timber Lake, SD, for a short while before moving to Ft. Pierre, SD, where Emil worked at a gas station. The Oahe Dam was being built at this time.

In 1958, Emil and Mary Anne bought the farm from his dad where they raised their five children. In 1978, he turned the farm over to his sons, Alan and Jiggs and moved into Timber Lake, SD. His passion was driving the combine during harvest. He hunted many badgers and gophers, spent many days fishing, loved to play whist and cribbage, always trying to get that illusive "29" perfect hand, and bowling, once having a chance at a 300 game.

Emil passed away peacefully on August 6, 2020 at his home in Timber Lake, SD, from Alzheimer's.

Emil is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mary Anne of Timber Lake, SD, two sons, Alan (Cindy) and Jiggs (Janal) Biegler of Timber Lake, SD, three daughters, Susan (Kelly) Dahl of Mt. Vernon, SD, Bitts (Tim) Schweitzer of Glencross, SD, and Nancy (John) Skosky of Maryville, IL, 11 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, two sisters-in-law, Mary Biegler and Marie Biegler and many nieces and nephews.

Emil is preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Mary, two brothers, Alfred and Pius, and two sisters Phyllis and Martha, who died in infancy, two brothers-in-law, Walter Grage and Joe Martian.

A special thank you to his granddaughter, Karla Bickel for caring for Emil and Mary Anne the past 11 months.

We are blessed!