Laine C. Warkenthien, 62 of Miller, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, September 7, 2026 at the Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital in Miller.
The funeral service was at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, September 14, 2026 at the Miller Community Center with Rev. Allison Galbreath officiating. Burial was at Collins Cemetery in Willow Lake. Visitation began at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 13, 2026 followed by a 7:00 a.m. prayer service, all at the Miller Community Center.
Laine was born on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1963 to Elwood and Barbara (Pommer) Warkenthien of Willow Lake, S.D. He was the baby of three children—a role he took very seriously throughout his life. Just ask his sister, Laurie.
He was baptized at the Willow Lake Presbyterian Church and graduated from Willow Lake High School in 1982. Over the years, Laine called several South Dakota communities home, spending 22 years in Wessington Springs before settling in Miller, where he spent the final years of his life and became deeply involved in the community he loved.
On September 3, 1999, Laine married Darla Willman, and with their marriage came the beautiful blending of two families and six children: Andy, Rebecca, Ashley, Alex, Adam and Eric.
Of all the roles Laine held throughout his life, being a father was one he took especially seriously—and one he was exceptionally good at. His children never had to wonder whether their dad was in their corner. He gave them his time, energy, advice, support, and above all, unconditional love. Family wasn't simply important to Laine; it was the center of his life.
And then came a title that somehow mean just as much: Grandpa.
Laine and Darla embraced being grandparents with their whole hearts. Together, they covered countless miles on the road traveling to games, concerts, activities, celebrations and everything in between. If one of their grandchildren was participating, chances were Grandpa and Grandma were somewhere in the stands. They didn't just ask how things went—they were there to see it for themselves.
Nine grandchildren were blessed to call him Grandpa: Micah, Taylor, Rylan, Makenzie, Jalyn, Jocelyn, Evan, Aiden, Brody and Harper. Laine loved each of them and immensely, and they all knew it. More importantly, they loved their grandpa just as fiercely in return. The memories he made with them, the lessons he taught them, and the love he gave them will remain part of who they are for the rest of their lives.
When Laine and Darla weren't on the road chasing grandchildren, Laine could often be found at work or giving his time to the Miller community. He took tremendous pride in his career with Quoin Financial. But for Laine, work was never simply about a job. The people he met along the way—coworkers, customers and community members—often became much more than that. They became friends, and many became family.
Laine believed in giving back to the community that had given so much to him. He was an active member of the Miller Lions Club and On Hand Development Corporation, generously giving his time and talents to help make Miller a better place.
He also loved sports. Whether he was cheering from the stands at one of his grandchildren's events, following his beloved Los Angeles Dodgers or attending SDSU Jackrabbits games with Darla, sports brought Laine a great deal of joy. One particularly special memory was finally seeing his Dodgers play in person in Minneapolis—a memory that became even more meaningful in the final chapter of his life.
Laine is survived by his wife, Darla; his six children: Andy (Ashley) VanDenOever of Huron, Rebecca (Jared) Grassel of Woonsocket, Ashley (Jonathan) Moe of Atlantic, Iowa, Alex (Aaron Earl) Warkenthien of Sioux Falls, Adam VanDenOever of Spirit Lake, Iowa and Eric (Shelby) Warkenthien of Brookings; his nine grandchildren: Micah, Taylor, Rylan (Makenzie), Jalyn, Jocelyn, Evan, Aiden, Brody and Harper; his mother, Barbara Warkenthien of Willow Lake; his sister, Laurie Nelson of Sioux Falls; sister-in-law Karla (Kurt) Hall of Faulkton; brothers-in-law Rod Willman of Rapid City and Randy (Linda) Willman of Wessington Springs; special friend, Tim Holzwarth of Mitchell; along with many cousins, nieces, nephews, extended family members, coworkers and countless friends who were fortuante enough to know him and love him.
He was preceded in death by his father, Elwood Warkenthien; his brother, Loren Warkenthien; and his in-laws, Robert and Karen Willman.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to On Hand Development Corporation, 526 N. Broadway, Miller, S.D. 57362 or the Miller Lions Club, in honor of Laine's commitment to the community he loved.
Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Laine's arrangements. Visit www.luceluzereck.com.
