PIERRE, SD – Walter Dean Hoelscher, 86, of Pierre, SD passed away January 31, 2024 at his home with Marc and Sharon by his side. He courageously fought cancer to the bitter end since June 2022. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 7th from 5:00pm-6:30pm at Isburg Funeral Chapel. A funeral service will be held at 11:00am on Thursday, February 8th at Lutheran Memorial Church with burial to follow at Riverside Cemetery in Pierre. For those unable to attend the service it will be live streamed on the link below.

Dean Hoelscher was born to Walter and Lottie Hoelscher on November 5, 1937, in Hull, Iowa. Dean was the oldest of 3 children. The family lived in Rock Rapids, Iowa and moved to Lennox, South Dakota in 1946 after purchasing a creamery which became Hoelscher Creamery where Dean helped in the family business after school.

Dean graduated from Lennox Public Schools and South Dakota State College in Brookings, SD with a degree in Civil Engineering. He was also a member of the South Dakota Air National Guard in Sioux Falls, SD from 1960-1966. Dean began his career at the South Dakota Department of Transportation in 1960 with the Sioux Falls Area Office, as a Project Engineer during the construction of the Interstate and other projects in the Sioux Falls Area. Throughout his 38-year career at the SDDOT, Dean fulfilled many roles in the Road Design Office from 1966 to 1998. He had a keen eye and was very meticulous while reviewing plans and specifications for South Dakota highway construction projects.

Dean was united in marriage to Yvonne Andersen on October 21, 1961, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD. To this union a son, Marc was born October 9, 1964. They moved to Pierre in 1966 where Dean built the home he resided in until his death.

Dean was the caregiver for his wife, Yvonne who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis early in their marriage. Dean was the primary caregiver who supported Yvonne physically and emotionally for 29 years while raising a young son. His family was his primary focus throughout his entire life. Early on it was Yvonne and Marc but as his family grew, it included daughter-in-law Sharon, and his two grandsons, Cole and Aaron.

Many hours of family time were spent with Norman and Donna Betsinger, Debbie, Dennis, and their families on weekends, holidays, and summer days on the Missouri River learning to waterski, helping Donna paint a piece of ceramics or two, fixing something around the daycare or spending time visiting. The Betsingers were not only neighbors and friends, but family. Dean traveled with Marc’s family to the Bechen family farm enjoying Sharon’s family and farm life.

Dean took pride in mentoring his son and grandsons with his building and mechanical skills and an eye for detail. He taught his son and grandsons how to use tools and to build with perfection various small to large projects including an addition to his home and the construction of 2 garages, plus projects for Marc, Cole, and Aaron’s homes. A 3-generation project of restoring a 1966 Chevy pickup continues to this day.

His hobbies included family time on the Missouri River fishing, driving the boat, or being the spotter while the boys water-skied and wake-boarded. Eventually the boat gave way to a pontoon where the family cruised up and down the Mighty-MO, enjoying the peacefulness of the outdoors with the family dog, Harley. Dean spent many hours hunting but never carried a gun. He would walk beside the boys and Harley pheasant hunting, helped retrieve deer, and elk hunted in the Black Hills with Marc. He kept right up with the young ones of the group.

Dean had an early interest in trains as he received a Lionel train set for Christmas as a young child. This fascination for trains continued throughout his retirement as he was running out of room in the basement for all his trains and track, so he, Marc, and the boys built a garage for his running Lionel train collection. He took pride and joy showing off the old and new trains to the young and old and even wore an engineer’s hat on occasion. The last time he ran his trains was for his great-granddaughter, Delilah. To continue the love of trains, Dean enjoyed riding the 1880 train in Hill City, SD and took a train trip on the Amtrak California Zephyr with Marc from McCook, NE to Seattle, WA, via the Rocky Mountains and Sacramento, CA and back. There were a couple days in Sacramento during the trip, that allowed time to visit the California Train Museum and San Francisco with its cable cars, Lombard Street, Alcatraz Island and Pier 39 with Marc’s former colleague and family.

He was a longtime NASCAR fan with Dale Earnhardt as his driver. Marc and Dean attended the Inaugural NASCAR race in Las Vegas the year Dean retired, and other NASCAR races throughout the years. He also enjoyed local drag racing and NHRA drag racing in Brainerd, MN.

Dean enjoyed his daily coffee crew and the Wednesday DOT coffee crew along with watching the various construction projects around town. He would be seen speeding around town in his Chrysler 300C with “300HEMI” plates. Dean was very reserved and quiet, but he could produce a “zinger” now and again. His dry sense of humor, intelligence, his eye for detail, and love of his family will be sorely missed by all that knew and loved him.

Dean is survived by his son Marc (Sharon) of Pierre, SD; grandsons, Cole (Mariah) of Metamora, IL, with daughter Delilah and baby due in May 2024; and Aaron and his girlfriend Payton of Lacon, IL. He leaves behind sister-in-law, Marilyn Hoelscher of Sioux Falls, SD, nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Dean was proceeded in death by his parents, wife Yvonne, brother Dennis, sister Deanna Kraus and her husband Dennis.

Memorials may be directed to Countryside Hospice Support and Memory Center of Pierre, SD designating the Pennies for Robert or Countryside Hospice Support Programs.

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