Sam Kanda, 89, of Lexington, died Friday, Aug. 4, 2006, at Fountain Springs Health Care in Rapid City, S.D. A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 11, at First United Methodist Church in Lexington with the Rev. Todd Karges officiating. Burial will be at 11 a.m., Friday, Aug. 11, at Greenwood Cemetery.  Burial is open to the public. Visitation will be from 2-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, at the Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington, which is in charge of arrangements.

Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Tokie Kanda of Rapid City, S.D.; one son, Jim (Gloria) Kanda of Los Angeles, Calif.; two daughters, Jean (Kim) Andrews of Rapid City, S.D., and Susan (Jay) Martin of Highlands Ranch, Colo.; five brothers, Todd Kanda of Lexington, Ken Kanda of Lexington, Masami (Sumiko) Kanda of Denver, Colo., Ted Kanda of Lexington, George (Faye) Kanda of Brighton, Colo.; nine grandchildren, Shannon and Ryane Kanda, Justin, Tokie Jean, Lindsey and Jared Andrews and Jayson, Andrew and Sean Martin; one great-granddaughter, Alexis Wyatt; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, and one brother, Yasuo Kanda.

Sam was born Oct. 21, 1916, at Lexington to Tokuichi "Jim" and Hatsuyo (Kawamoto) Kanda. He grew up in Lexington, attending school and graduating from Lexington High School with the class of 1936. He then attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln for two years. He returned to Lexington, where he helped his brothers on the family farm before forming the partnership of Kanda Brothers Construction.

On Dec. 5, 1943, he married Tokie Yamada at the United Methodist Church in Lexington. Three children were blessed to this union, Jim, Jean and Susan.

In the early 1980's, following their move to east Highway 30, the couple opened Sunny Acres Health Foods. They moved to Rapid City, S. D., in the summer of 2006, due to declining health, to be near their daughter.

Sam was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the Cosmo Club and Mercury Club. He always took his homegrown produce to the Farmer's Market in Lexington every Saturday. When Sam was young, he helped with the Boy Scouts. He enjoyed gardening, fishing, playing cards and visiting. Sam will always be remembered for his kind, gentle ways.   Memorials are suggested to the First United Methodist Church, the Tri-County Hospital Hospice in Lexington or the Rapid City Regional Hospital-Hospice of the Hills in Rapid City, S.D.--Obituary obtained from the Lexington Clipper-Herald