David S. Brandriet

David "Dave" Brandriet, age 81, of Watertown, SD, passed away on Sunday, October 22, 2023, at the local hospital.  Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, November 3, 2023, at Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel in Watertown.  Jodi Brinkman will officiate.  Music will be provided by A.J. Sherrill as pianist with Robbyn Givens as soloist.

Visitation will be at the Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Thursday from 5-7 p.m. and prior to services at the chapel on Friday.

Burial will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery.  Military graveside honors be conducted by Codington County Post #17 of the American Legion, Watertown, and the Funeral Honors Team of the U.S. Air Force.  Active pallbearers will be Mike Becker, Jim Dehnert, Steve Horning, Bob Koehn, Bob Lantgen, and Mark Redlinger.

David Stevan Brandriet was born on September 15, 1942, to Venard and Mae (Jensen) Brandriet. Dave was the third child with two older brothers, Gary and Tom, and a younger sister, Julie, who were all born and raised in Watertown, SD.

Growing up with a Catholic education, young David naturally gravitated to the local drag strips and billiard halls. After receiving his “G.E.D. ‘60”, (as he often described his formal education), Dave served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War in 1963-64. After returning home, he soon met Karen Domonoske, a local debutant in search of the man of her dreams. When she couldn’t find that guy, Karen decided Dave would do. After courting for just four months, they were married on September 23, 1967, and moved to Wayzata, MN.

Dave and Karen spent their early years living life to the fullest. Between golfing, racing motorcycles and snowmobiles through the Minnesota woods, and boating with friends, Dave began his career as a Dental Technician at Golden Valley Dental in Plymouth, MN. After seven years of marriage, Dave and Karen had their first son, Gregory, in 1975, and a daughter, Heidi, in 1980. The following year they moved back to Watertown into their home across from Harper Park and welcomed their third child, Nicholas, in 1982. Dave opened Brandriet Dental Studio in the basement, where he would improve the smiles of Watertonians for over 30 years. A staple in the Harper Park neighborhood, he was often seen training his dogs in the park, mowing the yard, or sitting on the front stoop watching the world go by.

Outside of the home, Dave displayed his steady hands at the golf course, the pool hall, the hockey rink, and hunting in the cornfields. Over the years, there wasn’t a sport or hobby he took up that he didn’t eventually dominate, whether he was running the table at the State 8-Ball Tournament or winning racquetball leagues at the Rec Center. A large collection of trophies was not an uncommon site around the Brandriet home, and Dave was proud of all of them.

Dave was a seeker of the latest and greatest gadgets, a late-night infomercial entrepreneur, a class reunion disc jockey, a skilled hunter, an agile athlete, and a proud veteran. He entered every room with a joke, a silly gesture, or a funny face and had an infectious laugh that could be heard across the bar, the gym, or the golf course. Wherever there was a good time, Dave wanted to be the center of it, and wherever a shot of excitement was needed, Dave was ready to provide it at a moment’s notice.

As a father, a husband, a son, a brother, and a friend, we will remember Dave by his kind heart, sense of humor, and love and pride for his wife, children, grandchildren, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Dave lost his love, Karen, on April 5, 2022, after 54 years of marriage.

Dave is survived by son Greg (Cori) and grandsons Willem (11) and Leo (7), of Scottsdale, AZ; daughter Heidi Brandriet and son Nick Brandriet, both of Watertown, SD; brother Tom; sister Julie (Michael) Becker; sister-in-law LaVonne Brandriet; sister-in-law Sue (Alan) Pearson, all of Watertown, SD; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Dave was preceded in death by his wife, Karen; parents Venard and Mae; oldest brother, Gary; infant sisters Janice and Jean; father and mother-in-law Shadow and Allegra Domonoske; and dogs Ginger, Sal, Smokey, Pat, Fred, Buck, and Gus.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Cattail Crossing Golf Course or VFW Post 750, both in Watertown, SD.

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