Carl E. Edeburn

Carl Ernst Edeburn of Vermillion, SD (formerly of Brookings, SD) passed away peacefully August 8th at the age of 86 at the Sanford Care Center in Vermillion, SD. He was surrounded by loved ones and family in his final days and moments.  A public graveside service will be held at Greenwood Cemetery in Brookings on Saturday, September 14, 2024 beginning at 2:00PM. 

 Carl was born September 6, 1937, on the family farm in Scandia Valley Township, MN near Pillager. He was a student at Rale Prairie Township School and Pillager High School and worked the family farm and logged nearby forest lands to help pay for his first semester at nearby Brainerd Junior College in the fall of 1954. When the spring semester drew near, Carl’s mother Elizabeth sold the chickens she kept to earn money from egg sales to fund Carl’s spring semester. His mother’s commitment to Carl’s education emboldened a lifelong pursuit of learning and teaching.

 Ultimately finishing his college degree was an alternating journey of both school and work that carried him from Minnesota to North Dakota to Washington and back again before receiving his Bachelor’s degree from St. Cloud State University. He accepted a teaching position in Klawock, Alaska, where he balanced the school year with summers crewing and cooking on the Laurie B, a salmon seiner based in nearby Craig. Carl returned to Minnesota in the fall of 1964 to teach English and history at Pine City High School, where he met Cleo Birkholz, who was the new physical education teacher. They were married in December 1964 at the First Presbyterian Church in Two Harbors, MN. Given Minnesota law at the time precluding two teaching salaries in one family, they journeyed to Alaska in the summer of 1965, and both took teaching positions at Palmer and Wasilla schools, just north of Anchorage.

 They returned to Minnesota in 1967 where Carl began graduate school at the University Minnesota at Duluth. Subsequent years and graduate studies led them to St. Cloud and finally to the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, where Carl was graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in educational administration and computer research applications. He ultimately accepted a professorship at South Dakota State University in the fall of 1973 and served as a teaching professor, prolific researcher, and consultant until his retirement in May 2000. While in Brookings, he and Cleo raised their three children. He was a fixture at local band and choir concerts, jazz performances, theatre productions, baseball and hockey games, rarely missing one of his children’s or grandchildren’s many events. Carl was an active member in many civic clubs and organizations, including Masonic fraternities and the Lions Club, served as president of the Brookings Ice Skating Association, and was a member of the First United Methodist Church. An avid touring motorcyclist for many years, Carl logged more than 100,000 miles across the country for both work and fun.

 After retiring, Carl published a comprehensive history of the Sturgis motorcycle rally’s first 50 years. He was a frequent fixture at the Brookings Public Library during retirement as he developed the manuscript. He and Cleo also traveled extensively during their retirement, enjoyed antiquing together, and adored their grandchildren. Carl and Cleo moved to Vermillion in 2016 after 43 years in Brookings to be closer to family. 

 Carl was preceded in death by his parents, Grover and Elizabeth (nee Eksten) Edeburn, two older brothers (Edward and Arvid), and an older sister (Laurel). He is survived by his wife Cleo, three children – Andy (and Melissa) Edeburn, Peter (and Angela) Edeburn, and Mary Jo (Matt) Nesmith – and nine grandchildren: Joe, Oscar, Jack, Cooper, Molly, Zoey, Holly, Teddy and Margaret.

Memorials may be directed to the Brookings Public Library or the Vermillion UCC Church Music Fund.