Sylvester George Lang was born on September 25, 1927 in Starkweather, ND to Paul and Mary (Herlitz) Lang. He attended country school near Starkweather. Sylvester worked for various farmers before joining the US Army Air Corp at age 18. He was stationed in Iceland and Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada. He was honorably discharged in 1947. When Sylvester returned home, he worked for John Deere in Church's Ferry, ND. On November 22, 1948 Sylvester was united in marriage to Mildred Spidahl at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Cando, ND. After marriage, he continued working for John Deere in Church's Ferry and later moved to Lead, SD. Sylvester worked for the Homestake Gold Mine, Lead, SD. After 2 years they moved to Walhalla, ND and was a mechanic for a local farmer. Sylvester also worked as a mechanic in Munich and Devils Lake, ND. In 1955, Sylvester, Millie and family moved to Mankato, MN where he worked for John Deere Implement. In 1956 they moved to Madelia and he worked for John Deere. In 1961 they moved to Truman where Sylvester worked for Bosshart Construction. In 1990, Sylvester "retired? and worked part time for the city of Truman, Bosshart's and the Southwest Apartments. Sylvester was a member of St. Katherine's Catholic Church in Truman since 1960 where he was an usher and involved in church activities. He was a member of the Lewisville American Legion, The Fairmont Knight's of Columbus and was a dedicated founder and member of the Truman AA Group. Sylvester enjoyed deer hunting, fishing, dancing, vacationing, playing cards and enjoyed visiting and telling stories to family and friends. Sylvester enjoyed car racing, truck and tractor pulls and chuckwagon races. He loved spending time with his loving wife, kids and grandkids. Sylvester spent his last four months at the Lutz Wing in Fairmont. Sylvester struggled the last fifteen months with a lingering illness. He was admitted into the Fairmont Medical Center on Monday, March 29 and was welcomed into heaven on Good Friday, April 2, 2010.
Sylvester is survived by his wife of 61 years, Millie of Fairmont; children, Alan and Pat Lang of Sleepy Eye, MN, Claudia Schaaf of Fairmont, Dan and Marianne of Truman, Cheryl and Howard Culbertson of Truman, Jim and Ruth Lang of Lewiston, MN, Steve and Tracie Lang of Armstrong, IA, Jerry and Amy Lang, Truman, MN, Michelle and Richard Moore, Welcome, MN, Michael and Melody Lang of Sleepy Eye, MN; 32 grandchildren; 58 great grandchildren; three brothers, Eugene and Alpha Lang of Devils Lake, ND, Elroy and Donna Lang of Utica, MN, Ronnie and Karen Lang of Devils Lake, ND; two sisters, Ione and Palmer Pederson of St. Paul, MN, Virgie and Joel Stein of Devils Lake, ND; and many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews. Sylvester was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Richard, Andy and Robert; sisters, Elvera, Sharon, and Mary Ann and Ervin in infancy; grandchildren, Geoffrey Schaaf and twins in infancy, Tiffany and Natasha Schaaf; and one great grandson in infancy, Ethan Cole.