Kris Iwan | 1989 - 2024
Obituaries-Pierre / Posted Mar 21, 2024 | 3:17 PM / 268 views
PIERRE, SD – Kristoffer Callen Iwan, a beloved son, brother, grandson, nephew and friend, was born to Dawn (Tassler) Magee and Jeff Iwan on November 4, 1989, in Pierre, South Dakota, and passed away in White River, South Dakota, on February 21, 2024. Kris’ life was a vibrant tapestry of passion, kindness, and vitality. A memorial service will be held at 1:00pm on Wednesday, February 28th at Isburg Funeral Chapel in Pierre. For those unable to attend the service it will be live streamed on this page the day of the service.
Kris grew up in White River and Pierre. As a child, Kristoffer was known for his contagious grin, flaming red hair, his love of Power Rangers, WWE Wrestling, and Ninja Turtles.
Kris enjoyed playing hockey as a Mite through Bantam for the Capitals. He favored the rough type of hockey with his favorite player being Chris “Nuckles” Nilan. He passed his old school hockey philosophy on to his siblings, Katie and Danny, and he always praised Danny for spending so much time in the penalty box. An avid Minnesota Wild fan, Kris could debate the finer points of the game with anyone.
As a teen, Kris began skateboarding and became quite proficient. He was instrumental in building a skate park in Pierre, which has provided a place for skateboarding enthusiasts to have fun for years. Kris could be found hanging out with his friends at the skate park, perfecting his skills if he was not at home, school, or work.
Kris had one of those minds that loved to think about complex subjects. His academic curiosity and intelligence shone brightly in the classroom, earning him the admiration of both teachers and peers. He loved science. His science teacher was amazed when he saw Kris reading a physics book for pleasure. To the amazement of anyone who watched, Kris could solve a Rubik’s Cube in record time.
Kris had a strong work ethic. When he was fourteen, he began sweeping and cleaning at a local convenience store. Kris worked at various restaurants in Pierre and became an assistant chef at the View, where he discovered a passion for cooking. He worked at Dakota Supply Group in Pierre, providing local contractors with expert advice and service.
Kris established lifelong friendships with Tane Graves and Paul Mullaney bonding around a love of music. Kris played a prominent role in the local Indie/Punk scene in Pierre from 2003-2009, playing in local bands, attending concerts, and helping arrange lodging for traveling artists. In recent years, Kris’ love of music led him to work in the IATSE Local 13 Stagehands Union in Minneapolis.
In 2013, Kris moved to Minneapolis and began a career as a plumber. He joined the U.A. Local Plumbers 15 union in 2014 as an Apprentice Plumber. Working during the day and studying at night, Kris obtained the status of Journeyman Plumber in 2019. During his time with the union, he worked on many of Minneapolis’s more significant construction projects.
He embraced his Irish heritage to the fullest, enjoyed listening to various Irish bands, and was always ready to enjoy a pint of Guinness, correctly poured, or a shot of Jameson. He proudly displayed a tattoo of the Guinness harp on his wrist.
Kris’ body was a canvas for his eclectic personality. Kris captured the world around him with a unique and thoughtful perspective. His tattoos were a window into his soul, revealing his deep appreciation for life.
In December 2022, Kris moved to White River and lived with his father. Over the next 14 months, Kris and Jeff got to know each other better as father and son, and as men. Together, they battled the harsh winter of 2022 – 2023, helping countless people dig out of snowstorms. Kris impressed Jeff with his culinary skills and was always creating a new dish for Jeff to enjoy. Kris was very artistic and found Jeff’s shop the perfect place to work on his metal and wood projects. He loved helping Jeff on the Iwan family ranch and took a special interest and was quite successful in eradicating the ranch prairie dog population “by any means available.” While battling the prairie dogs, Kris took up rock collecting and amassed quite an assortment of rocks. He was beginning to establish himself as a plumber and had a bright future.
With his outgoing nature and strong work ethic, Kris made friends easily and impressed everyone he worked for. All who knew Kris had nothing but good things to say about him. His legacy of kindness, laughter, and love for life will continue to inspire all who knew him. As we bid farewell to this remarkable man, let us carry forward the light he brought into our lives.
He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Dawn and Jack Magee, father Jeff Iwan; siblings, Katie Magee, Danny Magee, and Alexis Moran; paternal grandparents, Jean and Roland Iwan; maternal grandparents, Donny Tassler and Richard Regennitter; aunts and uncles, Kim Tassler, Donald (Dawn) Tassler, Tootsie (Lee) Ramey, Brenda (Brady) Badger, Teresa (Derk) Campbell, Jennifer (Mark) Lewis, Heather Regennitter, Steve Iwan, Shelly (TJ Powell) Quam, Kathy (Les) Horseley, Karen (Tim) Hagen, and his honorary siblings Kelsey Ellis, Lindy Gandy, and Tane Graves, and numerous cousins.
He is preceded in death by his grandmother, Stella Regennitter, grandfather, Duane Magee, and grandmother, Anna Beth Magee.