Alvin "Sam" Seehafer

Alvin "Sam" Seehafer, 91, of Milbank, SD, passed away on Monday, October 20, 2025, at St. William's Care Center in Milbank.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Milbank. Pastor Chris Davis will officiate. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at Mundwiler Funeral Home in Milbank from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue at the church on Wednesday, one hour prior to the service. Burial with military honors will be at Milbank City Cemetery.

The service will be livestreamed and recorded and will be viewable at the bottom of this page.

Alvin Frederick Seehafer, known by all as Sam, was born to Charles and Ida (Poel) Seehafer on May 23, 1934. A choking dust storm blocked the sun that day and caused a blackout. Due to the storm, his parents could not make it into the Milbank Hospital from their rural Corona home, so Sam was born at home with the help of Grandma Sophie Harms’s assistance. He was baptized and confirmed at the Corona Lutheran Church. He attended Corona School and played basketball with his brothers for the Corona Midgets. He graduated from Corona High in 1952. They also loved to play baseball, where you would often find Sam filling the role of catcher. He also spent a lot of time rooting for his favorite baseball team, the New York Yankees.

He was drafted into the Army after high school graduation and served until his honorable discharge. Upon returning to Corona, he was hired by Milbank Mutual Insurance Company, where he worked for over 40 years until his retirement. Sam met his future wife while she was working at Schad’s Bakery. Alvin “Sam” Seehafer and LaVonne Bohn were united in marriage on October 22, 1960, at Central United Methodist Church in Milbank. To this marriage, they were blessed with three sons and two daughters. He was a long-time member of Emanuel Lutheran Church in Milbank.

He loved baseball, fishing, playing pool, attending auction sales, collecting and reading western books, and collecting phonograph records. Sam and LaVonne served as volunteer host and hostess at many South Dakota State Parks, staying in their camper at each location. He loved woodworking projects, remodeling family homes, and building their cabin on Big Stone Lake. The grandkids always said if they wanted to see Grandpa, they just had to look in the garage. He enjoyed attending threshing shows and reminiscing about threshing when he was younger with his brothers and their father.

Left to mourn his passing are his sons: Brad Seehafer of Mitchell, SD; Kevin (Angela) Seehafer of Ortonville, MN; Rod Seehafer of Alexandria, MN; and his daughters: Rhonda (Todd) Thyne of Corona, SD; and Denice (Shaun) Hooth of Wilmot, SD; ten grandchildren: Hannah (Randy) Dombeck, Haley Seehafer, Isaiah (Katie) Thyne, Mykayla (Cody) Buttke, Brandon (Susie) Hooth, Brittany (Jordan) Pedersen, Jesse (Elizabeth) Hooth, Austin (Kayla) Hooth, Shelby Hooth, Tanner Hooth; twelve great-grandchildren: Harper, Grayson, and Sawyer Hooth, Hayden, Emery, and Rylie Pedersen, Leyton, Nixon, and Watson Hooth, Crosby Masterson, Cooper and Calvin Dombeck; sister-in-law, Eleanore Seehafer of Milbank, SD; brother-in-law, Stan Bohn of Fremont, NE; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Sam was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, LaVonne; one granddaughter, Kelly Ann; two sisters; and three brothers.

Memorials may be sent to: It Only Takes a Spark: PO Box 105, Milbank SD 57252 or to American Cancer Society.

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