DRAPER, SD – Noel Leon Henriksen, died on Sunday, December 14th 2025 in Sioux Falls, SD. Visitation will be on Thursday, December 18th from 5:00pm until 7:00pm at Isburg Funeral Chapel in Pierre. Funeral services will be on Friday, December 19th at 2:00pm at the First United Methodist Church in Pierre, with burial to follow at Riverside Cemetery in Pierre.

Noel was born December 25th 1948 to Roy and Roberta Henriksen. After attending country school in northwest Lyman County, he finished school in Pierre. Noel was always strong and determined. He wrestled all 4 years of high school and placed at state. Noel had a strong work ethic, even as a child. One Christmas his dad had him move a saddle around the house, which he later found out was his own Christmas present.

 

His senior year he was diagnosed with incurable cancer in his leg. He rolled with the punches and went on to wrestle in college with one leg. He graduated from college in Springfield with a degree in auto mechanics. He never let his disability define him; he was determined to work and earn his living. Someone once told David, at wrestling tournament, that his dad was a tough wrestler and that even with one leg he was a handful. After college, he taught mechanics at Wagner, then Brookings and eventually Springfield where he also coached wrestling.

 

Noel had a love for motors and mechanics. His dad would not let him have a motorcycle growing up, so when he was in college, he purchased a new Yamaha dirt bike. From that day on he always had a dirt bike and a later also had street bikes. With only one leg, he could not use the rear brake. It was scary when he would fly down the road and slam the front brake! He once wrecked a new Yamaha chasing a coyote, he bent the forks and shattered his artificial leg. He got the coyote. His dad made a deal with him in high school that if he did not drink until he was 21, he would buy him a new car. In 1970 he received a new Torino. His mom said that when he drove it home, he tore the panels off to see how the doors worked. When in Brookings he built a 60 GMC pickup with side pipes, wide tires and shoe horned in a 400. His pipes would load with so much fuel it would light up the area around it. He worried about getting pulled over. He liked fast things.

 

In 1979, he moved back to the ranch to work with his dad. In 1980, he married Patricia and they became a family with 4 children. In 1984 they adopted their son David. In the early 80s Noel and Roy improved the ranch with outbuildings, a new set up, and a new milk cow barn. He changed the herd to red angus and ever since has purchased top end red angus pure bred bulls, mainly from his friends the Petersons. He raised pure bred paint quarter horses and raised many litters of red heelers. One thing he refused to raise was sheep, he said they were only good for dying!

 

After building some fence panels, Noel’s ambition and work ethic, led him to become a dealer for Vern’s Manufacturing. For about 30 years he has done this as well as push their equipment, do repairs and even venture into selling Purina feeds in the 1990s. Through this he became friends with Rocky Tibbs and they helped each other out. Noel was a marksman and loved to hunt antelope and deer. He won state high power and 22 shoots. He became a dealer for firearms and loved his Weatherbies and Colts. He also enjoyed fishing.

 

By 2002, he dissolved the feed store and moved off the home ranch to the Fallow place, 10 miles west. At age 50, he had his ranch but debt forced him to downsize from 250 cattle to 22. He worked long hours and pinched where he could until he brought it back up to capacity. All while helping out Pat’s kids and Dave in their endeavors. He was willing to work hard to help them along.

 

In 2011, Dave moved home to do body work. Noel energetically offered to rent his NLH building and invested countless hours helping with mechanical projects, providing knowledge and sometimes just a listening ear. He was a great guide and cheerleader for Dave. They worked together on the ranch, with Noel doing most of it so David could grow his body shop and towing business that he started. They were always close but became even closer through all of this. They spent every day talking and doing projects and life together. Noel battled cancer numerous times and beat it. He first had prostate cancer, then had to have a kidney removed and finally beat stomach cancer. The man was tough.

 

In 2017, he helped Dave move his body shop into Presho to improve and expand business. Once the shop was up and running, he started bringing his grandson Leif in to learn the businesses. Noel’s energy was contagious. Most recently he was helping Dave, Angie, and Leif expand the ranch, put up hay and get ready for his calf sale. He worked right up to the end, requesting that they take care of mom and the cattle.

 

Noel is survived by his wife Pat, five children: Cindy (Mark) Smith of Pierre, Brett Owens, Matt Owens of Pierre, Becky (Lance) Knudson of North Carolina, and Dave (Angie) Henriksen of Presho, numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren, sister Dawn (Scott) Barnes, brothers Gene Henriksen and Jan (Marta) Henricksen.

 

I think dad really enjoyed these last years, with us debating new ranch strategies. Having his knowledge of cattle and implementing business strategies for the shop was a great asset. Last spring a hostile heifer was trying to take me while I was tagging a calf. Dad calmly, on the four-wheeler, beat her across the head with the calving stick a few times. That’s how I’ll remember my dad, Noel; Always having my back and doing whatever he could to help humanity prosper. He was kind hearted and giving, even if it left him in a less desirable state than before. He understood that our life on earth is irrelevant compared to eternity in Heaven with God. He had an amazing way of overlooking short comings and knowing that heaven was the end goal.

 

I believe he is sitting great now; new leg, full head of red hair, and a pile of his loyal cattle dogs he trained over the years. He will be greatly missed. He was the best dad I could ever have asked for.

 

Utmost love and gratitude, Dave Henriksen

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