Clifford W. Hotchkin

Clifford Hotchkin, age 88, of Colton, died Thursday, March 8, 2018, at Good Samaritan Center, Sioux Falls.  Funeral services will be 10:30 AM, Monday, March 12, 2018, at the Ellsworth Funeral Home in Madison. Burial with Military Honors will follow at the Graceland Cemetery in Madison. Visitation will begin at noon on Sunday with the family present from 2-4 PM at the Ellsworth Funeral Home.

Clifford W. Hotchkin was born August 2, 1929, at Madison, to Chester and Helen (Mehren) Hotchkin. He grew up in Ramona and Madison. When Clifford was seven years old his father was killed in a construction accident while working on Highway 19. At the age of 12, Clifford’s family moved to a farm north of Chester. He attended school in Chester and graduated from Chester High School in 1947. Clifford joined the US Army in 1951 and served as active duty until 1953 then in the reserve until 1959. Clifford married Ruth JoAnn Johnson on December 3, 1953 at Pipestone, MN. The couple farmed near Nunda and Chester.

In 1960, the family moved to Sioux Falls where they owned and operated the Rite Spot Café. Clifford drove city bus from 1965-1967 when the family moved to Norwalk, CA, where he worked for McDonell-Douglas Aircraft Factory, Bell Foods, and Hughes Aircraft Factory. In 1971, the family returned to Chester where Clifford ran the family farm until retiring to Colton, SD.

Clifford loved fishing, taking care of his kitties, birds, and collected many cans even being known as “the can man” in Colton.

He is survived by his wife Ruth JoAnn of Colton; daughter, Cheryl (Al) Carstens of Garretson; three sons, Dale (Stacy) of Sioux Falls, Rolland (Peggy) of Huron, and Mark (Pam) of Colton; nine grandchildren, Randy (Heidi) Hotchkin, April Carstens, Kelsy Carstens, Sarah Hotchkin, Heather Hotchkin, Kyle (Mindy) Hotchkin, Amanda Hotchkin, Matthew (Amanda) Hotchkin, Melissa (special friend Chad) Hotchkin; 12 great-grandchildren, Kinley, Adelyn, Benjamin, Charlotte, Lilyanna, Calvin, Marcus, Marea, Kevin, Kaleb, Olivia, and Sophia; three sisters, Janice Drewes of Sioux Falls, Bernice Schuldt of Colman, and Jo O’Meara of Sioux Falls.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one infant son; and one brother Orville Hotchkin.

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