Notes:
Ferdinand "Ferd" Albertus, 86, of Pierre, died Monday, June 4 at Ft. Meade in Sturgis. Memorial Service was Monday, June 18 at First United Methodist Church in Pierre. Inurnment was Monday, June 18 at Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis
Ferdinand Junior Albertus was born December 27, 1925, to Ferdinand and Henrietta Wilhelmina (Hymen) Albertus in Blunt, South Dakota. Ferd and "Minnie" settled down just outside Blunt, SD, to farm and start their family. The family raised wheat, corn, hay, cattle and sheep. Ferdinand Junior was the youngest of five children: Dorothy, Laura, Theodore, and Otto.
Ferdinand Jr. joined the US Marine Corp in 1944 and was stationed in San Diego, California. While preparing for deployment, he became seriously ill and suffered a collapsed lung. Arlene Telford, the love of his life, moved out west to work at the shipyards in order to be closer him during his year of convalescence. He was honorably discharged with a permanent disability on January 31, 1945.
On June 7, 1946, Ferdinand and Arlene were joined in marriage at the First United Methodist Church in Pierre, SD. They lived in Brookings, SD, while Ferd completed his mechanical engineering degree at South Dakota State University. He graduated with the class of 1949. After a short stint working for a company in Watertown, they moved back to Pierre to open their own business, Hull & Albertus Electric, and begin their family. Marta Marianne was born on July 11, 1950. Robin Adair came into the world on March 24, 1953. One year later, on July 6, 1954, Guy was born. Gloria joined the family on February 21, 1956. They spent many happy years living and working in central South Dakota. Family was always the focus of their lives. Ferd's health had been declining since his wife's death in 2010. On May 11th he was admitted to the Ft. Meade VA Medical Center in Sturgis, SD.
Grateful for having shared his life are their children, daughter & husband of Cottage Grove, MN, daughter & husband of Sioux Falls, SD, son & wife of Apple Valley, MN, and daughter & husband of Pierre, SD; fourteen grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.
Ferd is preceded in death by his wife, his parents, his sister, Dorothy, and his brothers Ted and Otto.
The family sends their deepest appreciation to Homecare Services, St. Mary's Home Health Services, the staff and residents of Dakota Heritage House, and especially the Ft. Meade VA Medical Center in Sturgis, SD, for their compassionate care of our father during his last days. He died peacefully on a beautiful June day.