PIERRE, SD – Kenneth “Shorty” Tassler, 75, of Pierre, passed away Saturday, June 1, 2024, of natural causes at his home in Pierre.

There will be a visitation from 5:00-7:00pm, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at Isburg Funeral Chapel in Pierre, with a prayer service beginning at 7:00pm. Shorty’s funeral will be at 2:00pm on Thursday, June 6, 2024, at Community Bible Church in Pierre.

Shorty was born July 19, 1948, to Johnnie and Eunice (Cunningham) Tassler in Pierre, SD. He grew up in Harrold, SD with his four siblings, Donald, Doug, Tom, and Sharon. He graduated from Harrold High School in 1968.

Following High School, Shorty enlisted in the Army. He wanted to go to Vietnam with his brothers Doug and Tom, but was medically discharged before basic training due to his hearing.

In January of 1971, Shorty married Diane McQuistion in Pierre, SD, and to that union, two daughters were born: Michele and Sheila. On May 2, 1980, he married Vicki Shaw in Pierre, SD and added two more daughters: Nicki and Shawna.

Shorty was a mechanic at Harding Motors-Capital Motors-Gateway Motors for 40+ years. Even in retirement he made it a point to stop by whenever he could to BS with “The Boys.”

He loved to joke and visit with everyone he crossed paths with. If you were one of the lucky ones, he would coin you with a nickname.

Shorty loved playing and watching basketball, especially watching the SD High School State Tournaments. He also loved to watch any activity his kids and grandkids were involved in.

He was an avid fisherman and on any given night, you would most likely find him fishing at the Causeway. He was a collector, and enjoyed going to pawn shops, garage sales and auctions. He enjoyed gardening and doing yard work. He also loved tinkering with clocks, but coo-coo clocks were his favorite.

Shorty was an honest, kind, and gentle soul who believed in living the simple life. He loved his family more than anything. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for them, especially his grand kids. He loved animals, having many fur babies over the years, but his favorites were Sheba, Honey, and Tammy.

Shorty is survived by his wife, Vicki, daughters: Michele (Dion) Johnson of Sioux Falls, and their children: Joey, Christopher, Dominic, and Isabele; Sheila Tassler of Montrose, and her son Lane; Nicki (Patrick) Cleveland of Pierre, and their daughters Khia and Kezrey; Shawna (Joel) Sengelmann of Pierre, and their son Blaze; 8 great-grandchildren with one on the way; his brother, Donald (Karen) of Pierre, sister Sharon (Bill) Lengkeek of Presho; sister-in-law Sandy of Harrold; brother-in-law John (Lisa) Shaw of Creston, IA; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Johnnie and Eunice; great granddaughter Hadley Sky, brothers, Doug and Tom; parents-in-law, Lloyd and Alta Shaw; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Lila and Duane Puffer, and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Sheron and Stanley Archer.

 

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