Bruce L. Lien

Bruce L. Lien, age 72, of Watertown, SD, passed away on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at his residence in Watertown, SD. Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 22, 2024, at Hosanna Lutheran Church in Watertown. Pastor Janine Rew-Werling and Pastor Craig Werling will officiate. Music will be provided by Angie Eickmeyer.

In lieu of flowers the family is requesting memorials to Watertown Boys and Girls Club.

Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at Hosanna Lutheran Church in Watertown.

Burial will be at Our Saviors West Cemetery in Lily, SD. Active pallbearers will be his grandchildren: Jasper Lien, Trent Lien, Gavin Lynch, Cheyenne Lynch, Kaitlyn Lynch, Jolie Lien, Piper Lynch, Bella Lynch and Triggvie Lien.

Bruce Lloyd Lien was born during a snowstorm on March 20, 1951, to Lloyd and Eunice Lien at Peabody Hospital in Webster, SD. He joined his sister, Sharry, at home and later sister, Candace, and brother, Peter (Randy), joined the family.

They lived on a farm near Bradley, SD, until 1956 when the family moved to Phoenix, AZ, where Bruce attended grade school and graduated from East High School with the class of 1969. He attended Phoenix Community College and later studied animal science at the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ. Bruce began working at a young age and held many jobs in Arizona with some of the most mentioned being a mechanic at Phillips 66, a miner in the copper mines, a farmhand for John Wayne’s 26 Bar Ranch and a farmhand for Gene Autry. He loved coming back to South Dakota every summer and would help relatives with farming.

In 1973, he moved back to South Dakota permanently and settled near Clark. On July 3, 1976, he married Patricia (Patti) Audus in Clark, SD. To this union, two children were born: John Nicholas (Nick) and Kerrie Lynn. He loved family time, was proud of his children and grandchildren and looked forward to family gatherings. In 1999, Bruce and Patti relocated to Watertown, SD.

He worked as a mechanic for a few years and then held jobs and was involved in various agricultural businesses, always doing mechanic work on the side. Bruce and Patti enjoyed many traveling trips earned by his successful sales of agriculture products. He never passed up a chance to help family and friends work their cattle. The most recent 20 years before retirement in 2017, he was employed by Midwest Ag Supply selling animal health products. He enjoyed the many friendships he made with customers and co-workers over the years.

Bruce loved rodeos and served on the East River High School Rodeo Board. His children competed then and for many years after. He enjoyed the years his children were involved with 4-H and served as a 4H Leader. He had a passion for car racing and while living in Arizona he and a friend traveled and participated in many races, both being pit crew and drivers. He continued this passion for a few years with another friend and another car when he moved back to Clark. He enjoyed sharing stories and pictures of these adventures with his grandchildren. He loved animals, especially dogs, cattle and horses. He was known for his generosity; he was quiet and reserved. He had a special talent and love for decorating the house for all holidays.

He enjoyed fishing, gardening, bird watching, small house remodeling projects and attending as many grandchildren events as possible in his retirement. Bruce and Patti and their children made many trips to Arizona over the years and his only bucket list item left was to have all nine of his grandchildren visit Arizona as well. Before his health began to fail, he managed to take the oldest six grandchildren, but has left the task for Patti to take the three youngest.

Preceding Bruce in death are his parents, Lloyd and Eunice; brother, Randy; his in-laws, Walter and Arlene Audus; brother-in-law, Robert Audus; and nephew, John Audus.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 47+ years, Patti; children: Nick (Trina) of Aberdeen, SD, and Kerrie (Chris) Lynch of McLaughlin SD; nine grandchildren: Jasper, Trent (Ruby Leins), Jolie and Triggvie Lien and Gavin, Cheyenne, Kaitlyn, Piper and Bella Lynch; sisters: Sharry Lien of Payson, AZ, and Candace Burns of Phoenix, AZ along her sons, Brady, Thomas and Kristopher Burns; Randy’s son, Dalton (Danielle) Lien of Madison, SD, and their children Adilyn and Sawyer. He is also survived by brothers-in-law, Ken (Cherie) Audus and Jeff (Sharon) Audus; sister-in-law, Jodi Audus and their children; and several cousins.

Arrangements by Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel www.crawfordosthus.com Watertown, Hayti, De Smet, Bryant

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