Funeral services for Duane Schmidtgall, 87, of Selby will be at 10:30 AM, Friday, November 8, 2024, at St. John Lutheran Church in Selby. Burial will be at Selby Memorial Gardens under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. There will be a visitation Thursday from 5-7 PM at the church. Duane passed away Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at the Mobridge Regional Hospital.
Duane William Schmidtgall was born on November 25, 1936, to Wilhelm C. and Katherina (Schilling) Schmidtgall. He attended Surrey Country School near Lowry, South Dakota through the eighth grade. He worked the family farm until he was drafted into the United States Army in 1960. He served his country for six years, two years on active duty and four years in the Army reserves. He was honorably discharged in May of 1966. He began working for a local farmer in 1962 doing what he knew best, farming, ranching, and fixing. Duane repaired all types of equipment and kept a very neat, tidy shop in the process. No one borrowed a tool from his shop without him knowing.
Duane married Bev Naasz on March 20th, 1964, in Aberdeen, South Dakota. To this union three daughters were born: Linda, Arlene, and Elaine. For years, Duane and Bev raised their children, cattle, and crops on a rural Selby farm. In March of 2003, Duane officially retired, and he and Bev moved into Selby to begin their “golden years”. The house in town kept him busy for a while, but in 2012 Duane started mowing at May Acres Golf Course in Selby. He finished his last season in 2024.
Duane is survived by his wife of 60 years, Bev of Selby; daughters Linda (Claude) Olson of Selby, Arlene (Ted) Hicks of Kadoka, SD, and Elaine (Chase) Sanftner of Black Hawk, SD; a sister Irene Schlecht of Bowdle, SD, a brother Harold Schmidtgall of Giltner, NE, a brother-in-law Ruben Brown of Bowdle, SD; five grandchildren, Lindsey (Joe) Grone of Black Hawk, SD, Kayla (Trevor) Laine of Selby, SD, Levi (Autumn) Sanftner of Black Hawk, SD, Kassie Hicks of Piedmont, SD, and Jarred Hicks of Kadoka, SD; great-grandchildren Jameson, Lydia, and Joelin Grone, Liv Sanftner, and Brookelynn Laine; along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Duane was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters Bernice Schlecht, Adeline Brown, and Verna Mehlhaff; granddaughter, Kara Olson; three brothers-in-law Fred Schlecht, Edward Mehlhaff, and Art Schlecht; and one nephew, Mark Schlecht.
