Edythe Fairchild

Edythe Fairchild, age 86, of Watertown, passed away Sunday, March 22, 2026, at a care facility in Clark, SD. Funeral Services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, March 27, 2026 at Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel in Watertown.  Pastor Steve Biswell will officiate.  The funeral service will be live streamed via our website.

Visitation will be at the Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Thursday from 5-7 p.m. and prior to services at the chapel on Friday.

Burial will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Watertown. Active pallbearers will be Troy Costlow, Brett Moffenbier, Kris Eide, Jared Steinberg, Jacob Kjenstad and Kenton Gruenwald.

Edythe was born on October 2, 1939, in Gary, SD, to William and Louise (Hundertmark) Battles. She attended Gary High School and graduated in 1957.

On September 13, 1958, Edythe married Lester Fairchild in Marietta, MN.  They farmed and raised their family near Gary, SD. They started Lester’s Pawn and Gun Shop.  They then moved to Lake Cochrane and in 1985 moved to Watertown, SD.  She worked as an aide at Clear Lake, Jenkins Living Center and worked with her husband at Lester’s. 

She loved doing crafts, painting, thrifting at garage sales, baking and making soup. She loved making Christmas cookies with her grandchildren. She continued to make her home in Watertown.

Edythe is survived by three daughters, Sherrylynn (Duane) Blassl, Sioux Falls, SD, Jill (Duane) Stevenson, O’Fallon, MO, Debby Abers, Watertown, SD; two sons, Clark Fairchild (Stephanie Downs-McGovern), Sioux Falls, SD, Brady (Dawn) Fairchild, Watertown, SD; seventeen grandchildren; twenty five great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Lester Fairchild, and her parents, William and Louise Battles, daughters Joy Fairchild, Elayne Fairchild, brother, Fred Battles and sister, Viola Hass.

Arrangements by Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel www.crawfordosthus.com Watertown and Hayti

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