Obituary of Leroy Frederick Werkmeister

Armour - Leroy Frederick Werkmeister, 96, passed away at Avantara Nursing Home in Armour on Tuesday, December 10, 2019. Funeral service will be Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 10:00 AM at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Armour with burial following in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Armour. Visitation will be at Koehn Bros. Funeral Home in Armour from 5 - 7 PM on Friday, December 13, 2019 with a prayer service at 7:00 PM.

Leroy Frederick Werkmeister, resident of the Avantara Nursing Home of Armour, SD passed away December 10, 2019 at the age of 96. Born to Adam and Lizzie (Meister) Werkmeister on April 22, 1923. He attended country school west of Armour. He farmed with his parents and siblings until he enlisted in the U.S. Army on March 15, 1945. Leroy served overseas at Okinawa and was honorably discharged on November 29, 1946. He returned to Armour and met Verna Hartmann, who he married on August 9, 1947 and was married for 70 years. Verna passed away on May 15, 2018.

Leroy is survived by 4 children, Gary (Judy) Werkmeister of Madison, SD, Dwayne (Evelyn) Werkmeister of Armour, SD, Rhonda (Steve) Kirton of Garretson, SD, and Myron (Karen) Werkmeister of Waxachachaia, TX, brother, Leonard (Sylvia) Werkmeister of Armour, SD, and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded by his parents, wife, Verna, 4 brothers and 5 sisters.

Leroy Werkmeister served our country by enlisting in the U.S. Army on March 15, 1945 and was honorably discharged on November 29, 1946. At the age of 22, he headed to Army Boot Camp, then to Artillery Combat Training. Orders came to board a Navy Troop Ship to invade the island of Okinawa. His ship had 7000 Army troops on board and it was 7600 miles and close to a month at sea. While steaming toward Okinawa one of the ships motors failed and they limped into Pearl Harbor for repairs. In late July of 1945, LeRoy’s troop ship was headed to Okinawa from Pearl Harbor for battle, when a historic event took place that would change the entire war zone. The Atomic Bomb was ordered by our President and was dropped on August 6, 1945. Three days later on August 9, 1945 another order was given for another Atomic Bomb to be dropped, and the Japanese surrended on August 15, 1945 and the war was over. Still steaming to Okinawa for battle, the ship was notified the war was over, but orders to continue to Okinawa for "clean-up" work under the Occupational Rules of War. Leroy’s job changed from Combat Artillery Soldier to Telephone Lineman when he landed, repairing phone lines, poles, etc. for all Allied Forces. Sixty days of lineman duty and the ship was ordered back to the United States. The war was over for LeRoy Werkmeister and he was Honorably Discharged on November 29, 1946 serving his country for 1 year and 8 months and he started the long train ride home.