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Larry O. Syftestad, age 95 of rural Blanchardville died on Tuesday afternoon, July 28, 2020 at the rural Blanchardville home of his daughter and son-in-law, Marty and Sandy Doran. He was born on November 29, 1924 in the Blanchardville area to Jacob Theodore and Eva Gurena (Rundhaug) Syftestad. He lived his whole life in the Blanchardville area. He grew up in Kittleson valley north of the village and on Old Q south of the village. He attended the Forward and Bainbridge rural schools, and graduated from the Blanchardville High School in the class of 1943. He attended the UW-Madison for a short time. In school he excelled in baseball and basketball and played football. He was also the highest ranked boy in his class of 1943. Larry married Ann Marie Iverson on November 16, 1949 in the Perry Lutheran Church. They met at a dance in Hollandale. They were a close couple, and were married for 70 years. He began farming on the family farm on Old Q after completing his education, and lived there and farmed until 1970 when Larry and Ann built a new home on the ridge overlooking Blanchardville. He then sold life insurance, oil, seed, crop insurance, and served as Town of Blanchard Assessor and Clerk for 37 years. Larry had a love of baseball, including having an incredible mind for math and baseball statistics. Baseball even literally saved both their lives on October 21, 1998 when he stayed up late to watch a World Series baseball game and realized something was wrong, He realized their home had been filled with carbon monoxide, which would have killed both he and his wife if he had gone to bed. Larry played Home Talent baseball from 1943 to the 1960’s. He also loved bowling, playing pool and cards. He was a life-long member and past trustee of the Perry Lutheran Church. He was a life-long baseball and sports fan, especially the Badgers, Packers, local sports, Cardinals and Yankees.
Larry is survived by his wife, Ann Marie of rural Blanchardville; three children, Kathy (Tom) Leschensky of Madison, Sandy (Marty) Doran of Blanchardville and Randy (Linda Novy) Syftestad of Sun Prairie; three grandchildren, Rebecca (Mark Emberson), Thomas (Allyshia Truong) and Sean Doran; four great-grandchildren, Blake, Decklin, Dawsynn, and Daislynn Doran; one sister, Sonja (Gerhard) Luetschwager; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; two children, Suzanne in 1957 and Steve in 1969; and a brother Paul Syftestad.
The family would like to thank the Upland Hills Hospice staff (especially Ashley) and the New Glarus Home staff for their loving and compassionate care.
In these days of COVID-19, if you don’t wish to travel, or if you have special memories of Larry, please consider leaving the family a short video with a notebook computer or a smart phone by going to the following link:
https://www.sendhugs.com/record/ovleeRwet6A/Larry-Syftestad
A public visitation with the family requesting social distancing and wearing of masks will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2020 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. at Blanchard Hall, 206 South Main Street in Blanchardville. A private family funeral service will follow at 4:00 PM at Blanchard Hall. The service will be livecast on the Saether Funeral Service Facebook page at the following link:
https://www.facebook.com/saetherfuneralservice
Rev. Kelli Fisher of the Perry Lutheran Church will officiate. Saether Funeral Service in Blanchardville is assisting the family. Online memories, video recordings of memories and condolences can be shared with the family at www.saetherfuneralservice.com
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Larry O. Syftestad, please visit our floral store.