HURON — Paul Aylward, 77, of Huron, passed away Sunday, January 22, 2023, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, surrounded by his family.

His Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish with burial to follow at St. Martin Cemetery. Military Honors will be provided by the Huron Veteran’s Council. Visitation, with his family present, will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Welter Funeral Home. A Scripture Service will begin at 4 p.m. Sunday.

Paul David Aylward was born on a farm near Boyer, Iowa on Oct. 9, 1945, to parents Leonard and Jessie (Bell) Aylward. Paul grew up in Vail, Iowa attending school and graduating from Ar-We-Va High School  in Westside, Iowa in 1964. After high school, Paul attended Huron College where he met Mary Baum.

Paul and Mary were married on Aug. 13, 1966, at St. Martin Catholic Church in Huron. Paul was drafted into the United States Army where he served as a Medic and Occupational Therapist.He was honorably discharged in 1968 and returned to Huron. Paul started his career at Armours, where he worked for 15 years. He then started a 27-year career at American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Union, Council 59, as the state director representing public employees in South Dakota and North Dakota. During this time, he was elected Vice President and President of S.D. AFL-CIO, representing all union workers in South Dakota. He was appointed by S.D. Governors to represent workers on various councils and commissions. He spent many years lobbying for the rights of union workers at the State Legislature in Pierre. Paul was elected Mayor of Huron for two terms from 2013-2020. He loved to serve the people of Huron by participating on many different boards and organizations.

In his free time, Paul enjoyed hunting, fishing and attending events of his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed playing, coaching, and umpiring softball and helped establish the South Dakota Umpire Association and Huron Umpire Association. Paul was inducted into the Umpires National Indicator Fraternity in 1998 and the South Dakota ASA-USA Hall of Fame in 2008. He was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Parish, AFL-CIO, American Legion, Beadle County Sportsman’s Club, and several other organizations.

Grateful for having shared in Paul’s life is his wife, Mary of Huron; daughter, Chris (Doug) Stahly of Cavour, and their children, Spencer (Taylor Kevan) Stahly of Huron, Mason Stahly of Huron, and Nolan Stahly of Cavour; daughter, Angie (Bill) Schultz of Sioux Falls and their children, Emma (Alex Aesoph) Schultz of Phoenix, Ariz., and Cooper Schultz of Sioux Falls; two sisters, Joyce Kock and Jeanne Hawley, both of Vail, Iowa; brother-in-law, Jon (Jan) Baum of Huron and sister-in-law, Jane Rashcke of Huron; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers-in-law, Kenny Kock and Ted Hawley; parents-in-law, Christie and Valla Vee Baum.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Paul’s name to the HRMC Foundation-Dialysis Expansion.

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