Scott A. Ehde

Scott Arthur Ehde, 53, of Hills, Minnesota, died on May 4, 2023, at his parents’ home in rural Luverne.

Scott was born on June 13, 1969, to Arthur and Carol (Nelson) Ehde, in Luverne, Minnesota. He was baptized in Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Hills, when he and his parents lived in Steen.

His family moved to rural Luverne when he was 4 years old. He was confirmed in Grace Lutheran Church and attended school in Luverne, graduating with the Class of 1987. He worked at the family mink farm throughout his high school years.

Scott earned his business degree from Mankato State University where he was a member of the track and field team and was president of the college business and marketing club. His friends at that time remember him for his boundless energy, free spirit and big dreams.

He graduated with honors from MSU in the spring of 1991, and that summer he married Lori (Kroontje) of Kenneth. Their marriage was blessed by two sons, Jonathan in 1996 and Carson in 2001. They later divorced.

Scott had a brilliant mind and a charming personality, which lent well to his chosen career in sales and marketing. He believed in the value of life insurance for protecting families and easily attained top sales goals with Prudential Insurance during his early years in the Plymouth, Minnesota, office.

In 1993 he moved back to Rock County and started his own firm, Scott Ehde State Line Financial Services in Hills, Minnesota, where he thrived with farmers and ag businesspeople as his clients.

A few years later, he started a custom planting business with a no-till drill during a time when soil conservation practices were first getting established. His dad later joined Scott’s farming business, as they added land, machinery and a haying operation.

He made many family memories (as a child and with his own children) during summer trips to Cedar Rapids Lodge on Medicine Lake near Blackduck and winter snowmobiling trips in the Black Hills.

Scott was diagnosed with bipolar depression in his late twenties when he also started leaning on alcohol and drugs for self-medication.

Through many subsequent hardships and losses, he maintained his spirit of kindness and generosity, showing a distinct fondness for the underdog and less fortunate.

For example, while working for several holidays at Baumgartner’s Family Christmas Trees in Sioux Falls, he would purchase trees for local churches and for families who had never before had a fresh Christmas tree.

Scott paid dearly for the effects of his disease, losing lifelong relationships and much of what he had achieved professionally, but he never stopped loving his sons and family close to him. Even in his darkest moments, he was known for randomly sending thoughtful greeting cards with heartfelt, handwritten notes of thanks.

Finally, he never lost sight of his Savior and Lord. On the day he ended his life on earth, a “Verse of the Day” arrived on his cell phone home screen from the Bible app he was using. It was from Psalm 103:11, “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward those who fear him.”

Scott is lovingly remembered by his son, Jonathan (and Brittany Landwehr) Ehde, Sioux Falls; his parents, Arthur and Carol Ehde, Luverne; his fiancé Kari Mess, Hills, and her sons, Cody, Mikael and Donavan; uncles and aunts Elmer (Karen) Ehde, Edina, Margaret (Bud) Sturzenbecher, Sioux Falls, Clarine Hawkins, Sioux Falls, Roger (Barb) Nelson, Mankato, and Marilyn Nelson, Hills; and cousins Dawn (John) Cerqui, Tim (Jennifer) Ehde, Doug (Ruth) Brown, Donna (Don) Larson, Kim (John) Ochsner, Virgil Hawkins and Brandy (Bill) Boddicker, Mark (Julie) Nelson, Marie (Dan) LaRock, Ryan Nelson and Todd Nelson.

He was preceded in death by his son, Carson Ehde, sister Pam (Ehde) Lais, and his grandparents Elmer and Goldie Ehde and Elmer and Opal Nelson.