OBITUARY Harris N.A. Tofte February 27, 1940 – February 2, 2019 LEXINGTON – Harris Neil Allen Tofte, age 78, of Lexington, South Carolina, went to be with the Lord on February 2, 2019 after a long battle with Primary Progressive Aphasia (a rare form of dementia). He was born on February 27, 1940 in Volga, South Dakota, to Harold and Mabel (Quam) Tofte. He was preceded in death by his siblings, Connie (Tofte) Skovlund, Marlyn (Mike) Tofte (Mary), and Ronald Tofte.
Harris grew up on the family farm and had many stories of the fun and hard work that made up part of his childhood. Harris attended Sterling Township Elementary School and graduated from Brookings High School in 1958. He then attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN, where he graduated with a degree in Business Administration.
Harris and Patricia Ann Briggs were married on January 27, 1968, in Minneapolis, and moved to Chicago IL. Harris, a Reservist, was activated to Fort Carson, CO, and then deployed to Vietnam where he served as a document courier and earned the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service against Hostile Forces. Harris had a life-long love for his country and, in later years, took great pride in carrying the American flag for many patriotic parades in Appleton, WI.
Harris loved his two daughters, Kristin Ahn Miller (Mickey) and Stephanie Louise Watson (Michael) and was proud of them. His two grandchildren, Zachary Allen Miller and Hayley Ahn Miller, were the light of his life and he spent endless hours playing with and spoiling them as he had their mother and aunt! Harris also loved his step-grandchildren, Emry (Hillary) Watson and Kaija Watson.
Family was always a priority, and he was a supportive and encouraging husband and father. In his retirement years, he especially loved spending time with Zach and Hayley as their babysitter, which he said was the best job he ever had! Harris is survived by his wife of 51 years, Patricia, his two daughters and their families, as well as his nieces, Sandra Skovlund, Kathleen Caron (Steve), Char Skovlund (Laura Berg) and nephew, David Skovlund (Robin Baumgartner).
He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Dorothy Jean Fischer and her husband, Timothy, and their families. He is also survived by many great nieces and nephews and their children. Special thanks to the staff at National Healthcare-Parklane for providing wonderful care; especially to Vince, his primary caregiver.
A local Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, February 7, 2019 at 1:00 pm at Lexington Baptist Church Chapel at 308 E. Main St., Lexington, SC 29072. Family will receive friends following the service. A Memorial Service will also be held in Brookings, South Dakota (summer of 2019-date and time TBD).
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project, in memory of Harris Tofte, at woundedwarriorproject.org. “We will always carry our memory of Harris in our hearts!
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