Boyd Landsman

Boyd Francis Landsman was born on October 31, 1931 in Flandreau, South Dakota to Ralph and Lillian (Erickson) Landsman. He moved to Centerville, South Dakota in 1936 with his parents. Boyd graduated from Centerville High School in 1949 and then attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls for two and a half years. He joined the United States Naval Cadets in Pensacola, Florida in 1952. He terminated his flight training and then went into the United States Navy. On April 30, 1953, Boyd married Donna Bishop in Sioux Falls. In 1953 they moved to a farm northeast of Centerville and raised cattle with his father and brother. Boyd and Donna raised four children: Cindy, Brenda, David and Lou Ann. They retired from farming in 1995 and moved to their lake home at Don Ja Lei Beach on the north shore of Lake Benton, Minnesota. They called it “Golden Pond Retreat.” He worked at the Tyler Golf Course after retiring and loved being on the mower. They lived there 15 years until Boyd’s health failed. They then moved to Danebod Village in Tyler in 2009. Boyd loved pheasant and duck hunting, fishing, golf, snowmobiling, traveling in their motorhome for 18 years, woodworking, making pheasant feather articles and spending time with his family. In May of 2014, Boyd and Donna moved to Luverne, Minnesota. Boyd became a resident at the Minnesota Veterans Home where on Friday, December 2, 2016 he died peacefully with his family by his side at the age of 85 years, one month and two days.

Boyd was a member of the First English Lutheran Church in Tyler. He was a Past Commander of the Frank Holcomb Post of the American Legion in Centerville and member of the Sollie Henry Post of the American Legion in Lake Benton. He was a Past Grand Marshall for the Grand Lodge AF & AM and, also was a Past Master of Myrtle Lodge #9 AF & AM. Boyd was also a member of the El Riad Shrine in Sioux Falls. He was Past Patron of Ivy Chapter #25 and, also a Past Grand Patron of OES for South Dakota in 1985-86.

Among those who survive and gratefully shared his life are his wife, Donna of Luverne; four children, Cindy (Mike) Eiserman of Gold Canyon, Arizona, Brenda (Bob) Sichmeller of Tyler, David (Lisa) Landsman of Lake Benton, and Lou Ann (Sam) Massengill of Friendsville, Tennessee; 10 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; a brother, Dick (Priscilla) Landsman of Centerville; and many family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Minnesota Veteran’s Home in Boyd Landsman’s memory.