Vernon Mylo Haffield, age 89, of Winner, South Dakota, was born on June 15, 1937, to Mylo and Gertrude (Farmer) Haffield in Cody, Nebraska. He was the oldest of four boys. When he was five years old, the family moved to Ocheydan, Iowa, where Vernon attended school. While growing up, he returned to the Cody area during the summers to help his relatives with haying. He graduated from Ocheydan High School in 1955 and began his military service in October that year. After basic training, he was stationed in Washington, D.C., as a radar mechanic operator where his duties included keeping track of unidentified aircraft. After he was honorably discharged, Vernon stopped in Gregory, South Dakota, to see his mother. While there, he took a job at Karls TV for about a year. He then worked with a cement crew that was building the Gregory hospital. On this job site, he met Dyke Burdick, the plumbing contractor, who asked Vern to work with him. That was the start of his lifelong occupation — plumbing and heating. He became licensed under Doug Peterson of Winner Plumbing and started his own business — Haffield’s Plumbing and Heating — in the 1960s. He was part of the construction of several homes in Winner, especially in the 1970s through the 235 housing program. He also worked on many commercial projects, including the Galaxy Inn, the Warrior Inn, the original medical clinic that was operated by Dr. Robert Stiehl, the Winner Nursing Home (now Daybreak Village), and many other building projects. Vernon was also the plumbing and heating contractor on several apartment complexes in Gregory and Burke.
Vernon was a member of the Winner Elks Lodge and a former member of the Winner Masonic Lodge and the Rosebud Shrine Club.
Vernon married Jo Ann Nebola in 1962 in Gregory, and they had two children: Jerry and Julie. They later divorced. He married Carol Cerny in 1993, and they were united in marriage until her death in 2023.
Vernon moved into Daybreak Village (Elder Inn) in April of 2023 and resided there until his death.
Vernon Mylo Haffield passed away on June 16, 2026, one day after celebrating his 89th birthday. A family committal service will be held at the South Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Sioux Falls at a later date. Mason Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Vernon is survived by his son Jerry and his wife Pam of Sioux Falls; daughter Julie and her husband Ryan of Colome; grandchildren and their families: Morgan Haffield and her daughter Daniella Sponsler of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Michael (Brittney) Rohde of Colome and their son Rocker, Justin (Kate) Haffield of Sioux Falls and their son Charlie, and Zane (Caylee) Rohde of Colome and their daughte, Odessa; stepdaughter Leslie Smith and her family; sister-in-law Georgie Haffield and her children Terry, Jill, Susan, and Mark and their families.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Carol; his three brothers – Enoch (Tom), Jerry, and Norman; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
