Louis Steven Polasky, 87, of Winner, South Dakota, passed away surrounded by the love of his family. He was born on August 28, 1938, in Tappen, North Dakota, to Ralph and Margaret Polasky. Louis was raised on the family farm and graduated from Tappen High School in 1957.

Following graduation, Louis proudly served his country in the United States Army. He was stationed in Germany for two years, serving as a teletype operator, before receiving his honorable discharge. While in the service he met and was forever grateful for his lifelong friend Herb Hulls.

After his military service, Louis moved to Holloway, Minnesota, where he managed the Peavey Elevator. It was there that he met MaryAnn Albright. The two were married on July 11, 1964, in Appleton, Minnesota. They lived in Holloway for a short time before moving to Miller, South Dakota, where Louis continued his career with Peavey. His work took their growing family to several South Dakota communities, including Winner, Huron, Gettysburg, and Chamberlain.

Eventually, Louis and MaryAnn made Winner their permanent home, where they owned and operated Polasky Feed & Seed until their retirement in 2000.  Louis also served as Tripp County Commissioner from 1991-2006 and served on the Board of Directors for the State County Commissioners Association.  Together, they built a successful business, raised their family, and shared 50 years of marriage. They enjoyed traveling, camping, visiting family, and taking casino trips. Most of all, they treasured the time they spent with their children and grandchildren. MaryAnn passed away in 2014.

In 2017, Louis married Kathleen Flakus, and they continued to make their home in Winner. During their eight years together, they enjoyed gardening, spending time with family, casino outings, and working on complicated jigsaw puzzles—a challenge they happily spent many hours tackling together.

Louis and Kathleen were devoted members of Immaculate Conception Parish, which held a special place in both of their hearts. They served the parish in several capacities and valued their faith, their church family, and the opportunity to serve others.

Louis enjoyed many of life's simple pleasures. He loved hunting, especially pheasants and ducks, fishing, gardening, senior casino trips, and spending time with family. He was an avid Minnesota Twins fan and had the joy of witnessing two World Series championships. He remained a loyal Minnesota Vikings fan through all of their seasons, including the particularly difficult ones.

Above all, Louis was a devoted family man, provider, and man of faith. He worked hard to provide for his family and instilled in his children the importance of faith, responsibility, and a strong work ethic. He was loving, generous, and compassionate, often giving quietly and freely to charities and to those who needed a helping hand.

His grandchildren brought him tremendous joy. Louis took great pride in watching them grow and made every effort to attend their activities. He was always there with a proud smile, an encouraging word, and a hug of support. His family knew how deeply they were loved, and they will carry his example with them for generations to come.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Kathleen of Winner, South Dakota; his children, Michael and Penny Polasky, with their family Kara, Kirstyn (Austin) Ryan, and Kenzie, of Brandon, South Dakota; Patricia and Ron Waltman, with their family Zachary, Madisyn, and Jordan, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Robert and Cindy Polasky, with their family Garett (Nicole) Whipple and their children Reed and Rowan, Jaymason (Tyson) Bramblee and their children Gavin and Riplee, of Pierre, South Dakota.

He is also survived by Kathleen's children, Cheryl (Cam) Dougherty of Colome, South Dakota; Lori (Wes) DeMers of Colome, South Dakota; and Jody (David) Burger of Winner, South Dakota; and their families as well as his brothers, David (Patty) and Donald (Nancy), and his sister, Catherine Jane and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Louis was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, MaryAnn; eight brothers; and two sisters.

Louis leaves behind a lasting legacy of faith, hard work, generosity, and love for family. He will be deeply missed by those who knew and loved him. His memory will live on through his children and grandchildren, the many lives he touched, and the values he so faithfully lived each day.

May he rest in eternal peace.