Avor B. “Sam” Boeve, age 81, of Dell Rapids, passed away on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at his home, surrounded by his wife and his daughters. Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:30 AM Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at St. Mary Catholic Church, Dell Rapids. Inurnment will be in the church cemetery. Memorial visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM Tuesday, at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Dell Rapids, with a Christian Wake Service and Rosary beginning at 7:00 PM. The funeral mass will be live streamed on Sam’s obituary page at www.minnehahafuneralhome.com.

Sam was born on December 4, 1939, in Rock Rapids, Iowa to William and Hattie (Kracht) Boeve and attended Doon Public School. He entered the United States Navy in 1959 and was honorably discharged in 1963. He married Phyllis Watters in 1964 and they settled in Corvallis, Oregon in 1965. Phyllis died in 1997. In 1998, Sam moved to Dell Rapids and married Lucille (Watters) Mersch in 2003. Sam worked for International Harvester and then as a mobile home transporter and over the road flatbed truck driver. Sam enjoyed being on the road. He owned several different semis and made sure he took pictures of each and every one of them. In retirement his love of trucks continued while driving semi and working for the Lebrun family. Here is where he met his special friend Joe, who he taught how to drive a semi.

Later in life Sam found his faith in the Catholic Church. He became very loyal to the church and compassionate to his faith. Sam was a very patient man that had compassion for everyone that was in need. Always concerned for everyone…even when his health was failing. Cracking jokes even with the hospice nurses. He had a special bond with his dog Willy, even though he joked around that someday he would be in the burn barrel. Willy stayed by his side till the very end.

Sam was also a skilled small engine mechanic and could fix anything. If Sam couldn’t’ fix it, it couldn’t be fixed. Through the years he enjoyed camping with his family, fishing, and cooking.

Sam is survived by his wife, Lucille, Dell Rapids; daughter, Barb (Larry) Redinger, Corvallis, OR; step daughters: Kathy (Mike) Bolt, Dell Rapids, Diane (Jeff) Bunkers, Dell Rapids, and Debra (Doug) Mergen, Dell Rapids; grandchildren: Ricky Redinger, Rachelle (Justin) Hiestand, Chad (Karen) Gerdes, Amy (Kelly) Lahr, Cj Park, Cody (Danielle) Bunkers, Summer (Billy) Klein, Trevor (Cassie) Mergen, and Mariah Mergen; 17 great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Hattie Boeve, California; and good friends, Marvin Albers, Hills, MN and Joe Thornell, Dell Rapids.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Phyllis; parents; infant sister, Jenny; three brothers, Richard, John, and Albert; and a sister, Pearl Schomaker.