Funeral services for Alyce F. Steckelberg, 96, of Chamberlain, SD will be 2:00 p.m., Friday, August 4, 2023 at the United Church of Christ in Chamberlain with burial in the Riverview Cemetery in Chamberlain.  Visitation will begin one hour prior to the funeral services.

Alyce passed away on July 20, 2023 at Chamberlain.

Alyce Faye Speckels Steckelberg was born on a farm 4 miles NE of Chamberlain SD to George Speckels and Francis Chamberlain Salisbury on January 5, 1927. Alyce weighed about 4 pounds at birth and was kept warm behind the wood stove in the kitchen. Her mother died when she was 4 and she went to live with her aunt and uncle, John and Dora Glissman. Alyce’s dad, George married Iva Hilton on May 12, 1937, and Alyce moved back home with her 2 brothers, Millie and her new mother Iva, and Iva’s daughters, Evelyn and Ruth.

Alyce attended grade school at the Glissman country school and attended high school in Chamberlain where she boarded in a small house with several other students during the week, going home for weekends. She graduated from Chamberlain High School. Iva was a loving mother and a much loved grandmother to the boys. Iva was an important part of the family until her death.

Alyce married Milton Wayne Steckelberg on June 16, 1945.

They made their home on a farm N of Chamberlain until moving to town where Milton and his brothers, Harold and Darwin, started the block building business, which evolved into the Redi Mix Concrete business in Chamberlain.

Milton and Alyce welcomed 5 sons and Alyce was primarily a homemaker. She was an excellent cook and baker. It seemed she could put on a feast for 50 in 5 minutes!! She had 5 active boys and a yard full of neighbor kids during the years the Big Bend Dam was being built.

Milton’s dream of building the Flintstone theme park became a reality in 1965. The family packed up and moved to Custer during the summer where everyone worked! Alyce started up and managed the drive-in serving brontosaurus burgers, etc. to tourists, something for which she had no experience but was very successful in doing.

After selling the Flintstones, Alyce and Daughter in law Connie Steckelberg (now deceased), started and ran the Fabric Inn, a successful fabric store in downtown Chamberlain.

Alyce was extremely active in the United Church of Christ, singing in the choir as a talented soprano, involved in women’s fellowship and ran the kitchen for funerals for many years

Alyce had a fun and full life. She had wonderful times with her girlfriends, she and Milton traveled with 3 other couples in 2 campers to the west coast etc, she babysat a lot of grands, entertained a host of people in their backyard pool, voluntarily drove several people to Sioux Falls for their cancer treatments, she was a very creative, artistic, and a she loved painting in various mediums on canvas, and on and on—she had a great life!

2 years ago, Alyce decided to sell her beloved home, which Milton built, and moved into the Regency assisted living center. She loved her time there and was lovingly looked after by a wonderful staff until her death.

Alyce was preceded in death by her husband, Milton, sons, Dennis, (Hertha) and Gerald, (Julie Mertz); brothers Woodrow and Edward Speckels, sisters Millie Wieczorek and Evelyn Peterson, grandson, Danny, and daughter in law Peggy Steckelberg(Oz).

Alyce is survived by sons, Dob, (Diane) Yankton, Don-Oz, (Kathy), Chamberlain, Mike (Judy) Sioux Falls, daughter in law Hertha(Denny) Albert Lea, Mn. 12 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, and very special daughter in law Julie Mertz (Tim) Chamberlain and their 3 children and 7 grandchildren .

Pallbearers are her grandchildren: DJ, RD and TC Steckelberg, Corbin Lingeman, Kendra Beringer, Shane, Shannon, Matthew, Jacob, Alayna, Andrew, and Katie Steckelberg.

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