Dr. Mikel Dean Holland, 56, of Pierre, SD, died on Sunday, April 23rd at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, May 1st at 10:00am at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Pierre. A visitation will be held on Sunday, April 30th from 5:00pm-7:00pm at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church with a Prayer Service starting at 7:00pm. Private family burial will follow the services at Riverside Cemetery in Pierre. For those that are unable to attend the services they will be live streamed.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW LIVESTREAM OF SERVICE

Dr. Mikel Dean Holland was born on February 23, 1967 to Sam Holland and Kathy (Amundson) DeWitt, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He grew up in Mobridge, SD with little sister Cindy, where he was active in rodeo, wrestling, and football. After graduating from Mobridge High School, he attended the University of South Dakota where he received his BS in Biology. He then went on to earn a medical degree from USD Medical School, then completed a residency in Family Practice medicine in Sioux Falls, SD.

Mikel married his high school sweetheart, Deborah Holzer, on June 1, 1990. They lived in Sioux Falls during Mikel’s residency, after which they moved to Manhattan, Kansas. There, Mikel was an active-duty Army physician at Fort Riley Army base, where he earned the rank of Major.

Mikel and Debbie moved to Pierre, SD in 1999, where he worked as a board certified family practice physician for Medical Associates Clinic and then for Avera Medical Group. In addition to family practice medicine, Mikel also became Chief Medical Officer for Avera. He eventually transitioned to full time administration and worked most recently as regional president and CEO of Avera St. Mary’s hospital.

Mikel was active in the South Dakota Academy of Family Practice Physicians and was a past president. He was a clinical faculty member for the University of South Dakota Medical School and enjoyed mentoring future physicians. He served as a past board member for Capital Area Counseling, and was a member of the Izaak Walton League, Pheasants Forever, and American Legion. Mikel was a member of Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and was a Knight of Columbus.

One of Mikel’s greatest joys was being a father to their two sons, Brent and Andrew. He enjoyed attending all of their activities and especially liked sharing his passion for fishing and hunting with them. Mike cherished his annual Canadian fishing trips with his father and eventually his sons. Hiking in the Black Hills and trail walks were one of Mike and Debbie’s favorite past times, as were occasional ATV trail rides and snowmobiling. Other hobbies included woodworking, traveling, and attending country music concerts.

Mike was known for being a man of great character and having a strong work ethic. He had a calm and sensible demeaner. He was a compassionate physician, and his community well-being was important to him. He was a wonderful husband, father, and friend. Mike lost a long and hard fought battle with cancer on April 23, 2023 while surrounded by his loving family. He will be forever loved and missed.

Grateful for sharing in his life are his wife of 32 years, Deborah, sons Brent and Andrew, Father Sam Holland, Mother Kathleen (Glenn) DeWitt, sister Cindy (Don) Erwin, and their children Grant (Michaela) Erwin, Tess Erwin, Meg Erwin. Father-in-law Leo Holzer, brothers-in-law Richard (Bernadette) Holzer, Doug (Char) Holzer, Mark (Dena) Holzer, David (Belinda) Holzer, and numerous in-law nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Sam’s wife LaVer Holland, Mother-in-law Rose Holzer, and niece Emily Holzer.

In Lieu of flowers the family request memorials to be designated to the Avera Foundation Helmsley Center Oncology.

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