Clifford K. Ruotsalainen

Lake Norden, South Dakota

Funeral Service

2:00 P.M., Saturday, November 1, 2008

Trinity Lutheran Church

Lake Norden, South Dakota

Pastor Gene Peterson, Officiating

Interment

Trinity Cemetery

Lake Norden, South Dakota

Visitation

4:00 PM to 7:00 PM Friday at Geise Funeral Chapel in Lake Norden.

Clifford Kenneth Ruotsalainen, son of William and Emma (Kinnunen) Ruotsalainen, was born March 11, 1928, at Arlington, South Dakota. He received his education in Lake Norden and graduated from Lake Norden High School in 1946. Cliff served in the United States Navy from 1951 to 1954 and was united in marriage to Barbara J. Koistinen on June 26, 1955, in Lake Norden. Following their marriage they lived in Iowa, North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota, where Cliff was employed in road construction until 1963. They then moved to Lake Norden and he worked at Land O' Lakes until his retirement in 1990. After retirement he did lawn work in and around Lake Norden. He entered the Golden Living Center in Lake Norden on May 2, 2006, and died there on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, at the age of 80 years, 7 months and 17 days.

He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and the VFW in Lake Norden. Cliff enjoyed hunting, attending auction sales and especially spending time with family and friends.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Barbara of Lake Norden; their children, Sherri Tormanen and her husband Randy of Sioux Falls, SD, Richie Ruotsalainen and his wife Laura of Lake Norden, Bradley Ruotsalainen and his wife Kelly of Wichita, KS, Jan Sowers and her husband Stanley Jr. of Hayti, SD, Daniel 'Gus' Ruotsalainen and his wife Lori of Lake Norden, Devon Graham and her husband Lance of Rapid City, SD; 18 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; six step grandchildren; seven step great grandchildren; two brothers, Howard Ruotsalainen of Lake Norden, Roger Ruotsalainen and his wife Marilyn of Cumming, GA; several nieces and nephews; and a host of other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother Robert and one sister Olga.