Eugene "Gene" Heitland

Eugene "Gene" Heitland, age 68, of Bryant, SD, passed away on Monday, April 22, 2024, at Prairie Lakes Healthcare.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at the De Smet Community Church. Pastor Jim Millman and Pastor Brenda Wicks will officiate with music provided by Crys Grann as organist. Active pallbearers will be Kevin Barr, Kip Davis, Tom Hoek, Tate Munger, Bob Garry, Kirby Wicks, and Dean Steffensen. Honorary pallbearers will be Cutler and Blair Davis.

Burial at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Cemetery following the service.

Visitation will be held at the church prior to the service from 12:30-2:00 PM.

The family requests memorials be made to Prairie Lakes Hospice in Watertown, SD, in Gene’s memory.

On November 3, 1955, Gene Heitland was born to Robert and Darlene (Marx) Heitland in Lake Preston, SD. He graduated from Willow Lake High School in 1974. On October 10, 1980, Gene and Lori (Garry) were married in De Smet at the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. The couple moved to Huron, SD, where Gene would work for 18 years at the OK Tire Store. Before moving to rural Bryant, SD, Gene spent a few years working at CMI in De Smet, SD. Later in life, Gene would work at Legend Seeds until his health led to his retirement.

Gene enjoyed collecting model cars, tractors, and trucks as well as being outside working in the shop and on motorcycles. He loved spending time with his family and keeping up with all the grandchildren’s activities. His greatest joy was having quality time with all his grandkids out on the farm. Outside of his family, his cats (specifically Buddy and Punky) and maintaining his acreage were both very important to him.

Gene is survived by his wife, Lori of Bryant, SD; three daughters, Shelley (Kevin) Barr of Aberdeen, SD, Sarah (Kip) Davis of De Smet, SD, Shauna (Tom) Hoek of Brookings, SD; seven grandchildren, Cutler, Harper, Kendall, Blair, Layton, Keeley, and Carsyn; three sisters, Sharon (Scott) Wicks of Carpenter, SD, Susan (Mike) Sprang of Sioux Falls, SD, Shirley (Mike) Flanagan of Garretson, SD.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Darlene (Marx) Heitland.

Arrangements by Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel www.crawfordosthus.com Watertown, Hayti, De Smet, Bryant, Arlington, Lake Preston, Oldham

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