David A. Feickert, 77, of Aberdeen, SD, passed away Saturday, December 28, 2024, at his home.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, January 3, 2025, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church Aberdeen, SD, with Father Gregory Tschakert officiating.
A time of fellowship and luncheon will follow the Mass at the Parish Hall.
Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Thursday, January 2, at Schriver’s Memorial Chapel, with a 7:00 p.m. liturgical wake and rosary service. Visitation will continue one hour before Mass at the church.
Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook at www.schriversmemorial.com. Services will be recorded and posted on Schriver’s website following the service.
David Alvin Feickert was born on March 19, 1947, to Elvin and Christina (Geffre) Feickert in Aberdeen, SD. The oldest of seven children, he grew up on the family farm east of Long Lake, SD, where he learned many life lessons milking cows. For his formal education, he attended Hoffman Hilltop School through the eighth grade and graduated from Leola High School.
David served in the U.S. Army Reserve. From a young age, he had a curiosity for how things worked which blossomed into a successful career as a gifted mechanic. His first jobs included running a motor grader for McPherson County, running the tire truck for the Leola Co-op, and running the machinery truck for Leo’s Garage. In the early 1970s, he moved to Aberdeen and worked as a mechanic for Sheehan Equipment. He also worked at Crawford Trucks and JD Evans, servicing equipment lines like Champion, Terex, and New Holland over the years.
On May 7, 1994, David married his soulmate, Sonia Schmidt. The couple operated D&S Service into retirement. David was a hands-on learner who, despite all the heavy lifting and extreme cold and heat that he endured throughout his career, loved what he did and would tell you he never worked a day in his life. He collected and partially restored one of each Oliver model Super 88, Super 77, and Super 55, the same tractors he hauled years earlier for Leo’s Garage. Known as the “Diesel Doctor,” he was a meticulous expert and one of the country’s best mechanics on the two-stroke Detroit diesel engine. He was sometimes in such high demand that customers would wait for him to work on their equipment.
From his early days driving to Pollock or Herreid to pick up Oliver machinery to his days working on construction equipment across South and North Dakota, driving and traveling were in his blood. Later in life he and Sonia began traveling to camp in the summer months. After retirement, they enjoyed spending winters in their Fifth Wheel between Arizona and Texas where they made many friends. David would say half the fun is getting there, and he only ever met a stranger once.
David was a kind and caring man. He was devout in his faith as a lifelong member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. He also served for many years on the Aberdeen Township Board.
He will be missed by his wife Sonia; daughters from his first marriage Deanna (Matthew) Sleep and Roxann Engel, both of Rapid City, SD; step-daughters Jillain (Max) Snodgrass of Wichita, KS, Melisa (Bill) Rosenau of Bristol, SD, and Jennifer Bjorgaard of Aberdeen; brothers, Dennis (Rae) and Roger (Cathy), both of Aberdeen, Philip (Pam) of Sioux Falls, and Sidney (Launa) of Long Lake; sister Joyce (Marvin Kirchler) of Tucson, AZ; sister-in-law Tracy (Peter); six grandchildren, nine step-grandchildren, five great grandchildren, six step-great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews who mourn his passing. We eagerly await the day we can meet him again in heaven.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Peter.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to Avera @Home Hospice Care of Aberdeen. David’s family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to the hospice staff for their professional and loving manner of care.
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