PIERRE, SD –

Michael Craig Pietz went to play in a pick-up game of basketball in heaven (without knee pain) on June 11, 2024.

A visitation will be held on Monday, June 17th from 4:30-6:00pm at Isburg Funeral Chapel with a time of sharing starting at 6:00pm. A funeral service will be held at 10:00am on Tuesday, June 18th at Lutheran Memorial Church with burial to follow at Riverside Cemetery in Pierre. For those unable to attend the service it will be live streamed on his obituary page on Isburg Funeral Chapel’s website.

Mike was born on September 11, 1966 in Corpus Christi, Texas, and spent his school-age years in Redfield, Pierre, Huron, and Aberdeen, South Dakota. Above all, Mike’s life was defined by making people feel included, welcome, and supported.

Mike was an incredibly gifted athlete from a young age, and he spent years playing basketball, baseball, softball, and golf. His high school accomplishments included many Aberdeen Central awards, including a nomination for Mr. Basketball. He earned a basketball scholarship to Northern State College, where he also played baseball, and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation and Coaching. He then spent countless years making friends with teammates, rivals, coaches, and officials across the Midwest while playing amateur baseball, softball, and golf in Aberdeen and Pierre. Nothing Mike ever did was done without enthusiasm, laughter, passion, and an inappropriate comment or two.

Mike married Veronica Connolly in 1998, and through this union, the two most important people in his life were born. Mike adored his daughter, Peyton, and his son, Parker, and was an absolutely incredible and ridiculously hilarious father. He raised his kids at the softball diamonds in Pierre on concession stand hotdogs and nachos for approximately the first seven years of their lives, insisting it would build character and a strong GI tract. Although Mike was typically a humble person, the pride and love he felt for his children was apparent every time he spoke about them.

Mike’s life was spent serving others, and he found incredible joy in making sure that everyone he met felt like they were important, needed, and part of a team. The truth is, everyone wanted to be on Mike’s team, because he had a gift for handling the hard stuff well and radiated a positive attitude that just made a person want to be around him. Mike was magnetic. He was fun. He was obnoxious and amusing, and he had a way of making people feel like they could do anything. Mike had no tolerance for bullies, and he always developed an instant comradery with every underdog he met.

Mike began his career advocating for individuals with disabilities through a project called People First, through which he traveled the state educating others about the merits and capabilities of people with handicaps. He then worked many years with Oahe Incorporated, where he provided supported living services for disabled adults, later serving on their Board of Directors. Mike spent the last 30 years of his life working at the Pierre Indian Learning Center (PILC), an off-reservation boarding school for Native American children. But Mike didn’t consider it working—he considered it the best time of his life, his calling, and he referred to the literally thousands of students that passed through the doors of the school as “his kids.” Mike’s role as the Behavior Management Specialist was to help students who were struggling to become successful, and with his unwavering patience, ability to love unconditionally, and tireless coaching he managed to positively change the lives of countless scared, sad, or angry kids for the last three decades. It became an incentive for students to keep their behavior in check to be able to spend time with Mike. They also wanted to be on his team. He was just that guy. That goofy, obnoxious, dependable guy who was giving you hell when you disrespected your teacher, but giving you a pep talk when you struck out in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded.

Mike is survived by his daughter Peyton (Levi) Stoltenburg and son Parker Pietz, mother LaVaughn Pietz and sister Marcia (Jon) Zwanziger, nephews Aaron Zwanziger (Alyssa Groeneveld) and Adam (Morgan) Zwanziger, great nieces Willow and Palmer Zwanziger, beloved dog Butch, and numerous friends and former teammates.

He was preceded in death by his father Clyde Pietz and his grandparents.

Mike loved Jesus, Mike loved people, and Mike loved finding the joy in life and sharing it with others. The family asks that you do the same—love hard, laugh unapologetically, and make sure that others feel included. Love is Mike’s ultimate legacy. Honor him by spreading that love to those around you.

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