Vincent "Vince" Henry Erz, 85 of Brookings, SD and formerly of Spearfish, SD died Wednesday, March 20, 2012.

Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10:30 A.M., Friday, March 23, 2012 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Spearfish; burial will follow with full military honors at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers memorials have been established to benefit the South Dakota Grain & Feed Assn. Scholarship Fund.

Vince was born August 5, 1926 to John and Mary (Rubner) Erz at Watauga, SD. He attended high school in McIntosh, SD. He enlisted in the United States Navy and served in the South Pacific during WWII. Vince married Marilyn Hepper on September 26, 1949, the couple made their home in Aberdeen, SD from 1958-1987, where Vince worked for the South Dakota Wheat Growers Association. Following retirement the couple moved to Spearfish, where Vince enjoyed golfing, fishing, woodworking and crossword puzzles. The couple later moved to Brookings to be near family.

Vince was on the National Board of the NGFA, Past President and Director of the South Dakota Grain Dealers Assn, Recipient of SD CO-OP Hall of Fame, and was a member of the Lions, Elks and Knights of Columbus. Vince also was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Aberdeen and St. Joseph' s Catholic Church in Spearfish.

Survivors include his wife, Marilyn Erz of Brookings, his children; Jane Hamre of Maple Grove, MN, Thomas Erz of Brookings, Dan Erz of Savage, SD, Barbara Erz of Columbia Heights, MN and Bradley Erz of Chicago, IL, ten grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and eleven siblings.