Dick Lepke, Mitchell

Richard “Dick” Lepke, 69, Mitchell, died Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013, at Dougherty Hospice House, Sioux Falls.

He was born on May 16, 1943.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Zion Lutheran Church, Mitchell. Burial will be in Servicemen’s Memorial Cemetery, Mitchell.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Will Funeral Chapel, Mitchell, with a 7 p.m. prayer service.

Richard “Dick” Allen Lepke was born in Mitchell to Ted and Evelyn (Anderson) Lepke.

Dick graduated from Mitchell public schools in 1962.

He briefly attended college and then joined the U.S. Army and was trained as a helicopter pilot in 1964.

He completed a tour in Vietnam and later returned to Fort Rucker, Ala., in 1968, where he was assigned as an instructor pilot Army Aviators.

On Oct. 26, 1968, he married Donna Jean VanLaecken at Zion Lutheran Church in Mitchell.

They began their lives together in Alabama for the next two years, as they continued his active service in the Army.

Upon his honorable discharge from active duty, Dick continued his long military service, when he joined the South Dakota Army National Guard in Mitchell, while at the same time, he tried his hand at farming in the local area with his uncle, Walt.

After two years of farming, Dick was hired to serve full-time with the National Guard as a technician, first in Huron, for a period of four years, and the remainder of his time with the Army National Guard was served as a technician in Mitchell. Dick retired from military service in May 2003 as a chief warrant officer with 38 years of faithful service to his country. During his life, Dick enjoyed traveling throughout the country with the South Dakota National Guard State Rifle and Pistol Team.

Additionally, he was an avid hunter, golfer, fisherman and card player. Later in life, he also loved to travel with Donna, visiting family and many popular vacation destinations.

Grateful for sharing his life are his wife, Donna, for 44 years; three sons: Scott (Sarah), and son Matthew, Custer; Jade (Catherine), and son Grayson, Omaha, Neb.; and Allen (Amy) and daughters Taylor and Claire; stepgrandchildren: Mason, Tanner, Quinn and Tate, Mitchell; and a sister, Carol (Marvon) Johnson, Fargo, N.D.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Julius “Ted” and Evelyn Lepke; and a granddaughter, Anna.

Tags: obituaries, mitchell

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