Vilo M. Dahmes

Vilo Dahmes, 81, of Clements died Monday, April 8, 2013, surrounded by his family, at his home following a courageous battle with Mesothelioma. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 13, 2013 from First United Methodist Church in Redwood Falls with burial to follow in New Avon Salem Cemetery, rural Wabasso. Visitation will be held on Friday, April 12, 2013, from 4 until 8 p.m., at Nelson-Martin Funeral Home in Redwood Falls and will continue on Saturday at the church for one hour prior to services.

Arrangements are with Nelson-Martin Funeral Service of Redwood Falls. E-mail condolences may be sent via www.nelsonmartinfuneralservice.com .

Vilo M. Dahmes was born February 21, 1932. He was the eighth of nine children born to Otto and Hilda Martha (Steinhaus) Dahmes on the family farm near Clements. He attended Redwood County District 15 school in Clements and graduated from Springfield High School in 1951. Vilo played football and baseball in high school and was a member of the Clements Crusaders 4-H Club. He entered the United States Army in 1953 and was later honorably discharged.

On August 11, 1957, Vilo married Joan Tisue at the Delhi Presbyterian Church and they made their home on the family farm. Vilo lived and farmed the family farm his entire life; it was named a “Century Farm” in 2002. He was a lifelong member of the United Brethren Church and then the United Methodist when the churches merged. Vilo took great pride in caring for the New Avon Salem church grounds and cemetery as his parents had done before him. He served as an usher, trustee and on the cemetery board. Vilo was instrumental in dismantling the “little church on the hill,” distributing the contents and lumber where they would be put to good use. He brought the steeple home to the farm.

A life-long farmer, Vilo was always optimistic and looking forward to the next growing season. Along with farming, Vilo sold Hi-Line chickens, Pride seed corn and MPS Seed. He did custom baling, swathing, and silo filling. Vilo owned the first self-propelled corn chopper in the area and opened up many neighbors’ corn fields. Vilo experienced many changes in agriculture – from using only horsepower to using a Farmall F-20 tractor, using threshing machines to combines, walking the fields pulling weeds to spraying, planting soybeans as a new crop, saving one’s own corn for seed to paying $360 for a bag of seed corn, seeing a crop destroyed by insects to planting genetically modified seed, milking by hand to free-stall milking, and from small family farms to those of tens of thousand acres. Vilo enjoyed animals, including his many pets and the farm livestock, all of which were well cared for. Vilo could always be heard happily whistling as he worked on the farm he loved.

Vilo was Santa’s helper, along with Mrs. Claus and the grandchildren as elves. Santa loved to see the joy on the little children’s faces and pride on parents’ and grandparents’ faces.

Vilo enjoyed traveling with friends, going to auction sales, checking out machinery lots, shopping, going to art shows with Joan, collecting toy machinery, belt buckles and coins, as well as restoring the century-old farmhouse. He enjoyed Joan’s home-cooked meals – especially her caramel rolls and pies. Vilo had a special place in his heart for his aunts, uncles and cousins. He never tired of reminiscing about the happy times they had in the past. But of most importance to Vilo were his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Vilo was a generous man and a good Samaritan – always willing to help others. He enjoyed taking care of houseplants and enjoyed Joan’s outside flowers. Vilo and Joan did almost everything together. There is no greater gift in life’s journey than to have a faithful, loving companion sharing the feelings of mutual love, mutual trust and mutual joys.

Vilo is survived by his wife of 55 years, Joan; children Vicky Dahmes and special friend of Clements, Bradley and wife Lisa of Hawick, Scott and wife Crystal of Springfield, and Forrest and special friend Jenny of Hawick. Also surviving are grandchildren Amanda and husband Troy Goblish, Brittany and husband Robert Krueger, Brandon and Bailey; Nick and wife Amanda Dahmes, Ben, and Mark; Lindsey and husband Jose Zandonadi, Jordan, Brooke, and Rebecca; and Christopher and Alexandra; and great-grandchildren Thomas, Olivia, Camila, and Maximus. Further surviving are his siblings Virgil and wife Dorothy Dahmes of Farmington, Phyllis Posz of Sanborn, Darlene Hoffbeck of Redwood Falls, Verlin and wife Doris Dahmes Alexandria, and Arvin and wife Lola Dahmes of Morgan. He was preceded in death by brothers Oliver, LaVerne, and Orville; and his grandson Joshua Dahmes.

Vilo will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Blessed be his memory.