Alvin Kalenda, 84 of Winner, SD passed away on Wednesday, October 9, 2019 at the Elder Inn in Winner, SD.  Funeral service will be held on Tuesday, October 15 ^th , 2019 at 2:00pm at the Winner United Methodist Church.  Burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery.  A visitation will be held one hour prior to funeral service on Tuesday.

Alvin Kalenda was born to Joe and Alice (Vrbsky) Kalenda in rural Tripp County, SD on October, 28, 1934, the fifth of eight children.  He attended Vobr grade school and worked on the family farm.  He joined the National Guard in the late 1950's.  Alvin was at Fort Riley, KS, for the Berlin Crisis from 1962 to 1963 with a medical unit.  Upon his return from Kansas, Alvin continued to work on the family farm and served in the National Guard for a total of six years.  He met Jackie Hanson and they were married in 1964.  To this union three children were born: RaeMalea Kalenda of Valentine, NE; Kaylyn (Dustin) Wright of Bellevue, NE; and Denice (Troy) Gehling of Grand Meadow, MN.

Farming was Alvin's passion and he loved his animals and working in the fields.  He enjoyed a good game of pitch and could not stay off the dance floor, especially when a good polka was being played.

He is survived by his daughters RaeMalea, Kaylyn, and Denice and many other family members.

Alvin is preceded in death by his wife Jackie; parents Joe and Alice; brothers Joey, Robert, and Stanley Sr.; sisters Evelyn, Nettie, Rose and Marie along with several other family members.