Memorial services for 68-year-old David Blackstad of St. James, Minnesota, will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, March 25, 2017, at Long Lake Lutheran Church in rural St. James. The church is located at
Buriral will follow at Long Lake Lutheran Cemetery with full military honors.
Visitation will be at Sturm Funeral Home-St. James Chapel, on Friday, March 24, 2017, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The funeral home is located at 906 10th Avenue South. A second visitation will be held at the church the day of the memorial service from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Condolences to the family may be sent online to www.sturmfh.com.
Sturm Funeral Home-St. James Chapel, is handling the arrangements.
David Vance Blackstad was born on September 26, 1948 in St. James, the son of Harris and Evelyn (Luckow) Blackstad. He attended and graduated St. James High School in 1966. On his 18th birthday, David volunteered to draft into the United States Army. He went on to serve in Vietnam from 1967-1968. After serving in the army, David was employed for 12 years shelling corn, combining and swathing, 16 years trucking with Blachowske Truck Line of Fairmont, Minnesota and 11 years Watonwan Farm Service. He retired in 2009.
David enjoyed fishing and spending time with his grandchildren, and often said how combining and corn shelling were the best years of his life. He was a lifetime member of the St. James VFW.
David is survived by his daughters and their families, Missy Blackstad of Mankato and her sons, Cordarius and Cortez; Jessica (fiancé Shawn Becker) Blackstad of Mankato and their children Brooks and Presley and Elizabeth Blackstad of St. James and her children, Jackson and Paige. He is also survived by his sisters, Shirley (Denny) Ferris of Mankato and Karen Schiebe of Madelia, Minnesota; nieces and nephews, David, Anne, Blaine, Brenda and their families and special friends, Mike (Jean) Burke.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Vance and nephew, Kevin Kolstad.
