Dennis "Denny" Stokes

Dates

Obituary

Dennis “Denny” Stokes, 81, of Mitchell, SD, passed away Saturday, July 27, 2024, at Avera Brady Health and Rehab in Mitchell. Funeral services will be at 10:30 AM Saturday, August 3, at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Mitchell. Visitation will be Friday, August 2, from 5:30-7:30 PM at Bittner Funeral Chapel.

Dennis Stokes was born December 28, 1942, in Flandreau, SD, the son of Dale and Borghild (Hanson) Stokes, the third born of five children.

Denny attended a one-room country school for his early education. He then went to Egan High School where he graduated in 1961.

Following graduation, he moved to Brookings with his mother and his brother and sisters where he worked for Kjellsen Chevrolet and then for a farmer near Wentworth. When he finished work for the day, he headed to the local A&W where he met his wife, Linda Shervheim, in May of 1967. They were married September 6, 1969.

When Linda finished school in Mankato, MN and moved to Sioux Falls, Denny followed. He worked as a manager at Anderson Truck Stop. While there, he met the owner of Dakota Welding who offered him the job of driving their semi-truck delivering different products to the other locations. He quickly became friends with the manager of the Mitchell Store who offered him the out-of-town route position which he accepted. He came home and told Linda he accepted a new job in Mitchell, so they made plans to move. He worked for Dakota Welding for nine years, but then a job came open with Philip Morris Tobacco Company so he started another new adventure selling and setting up displays of cigarettes. That job lasted another nine years until working for a large company in New York became too much.

He then went to work for Flack Signs, owned by Hank and Patty Flack (who became like family) selling outdoor advertising which he really enjoyed. When Hank sold out to Lamar Outdoor Advertising it wasn’t quite the same as working for a small company – Denny semi-retired at that time and went to work at Jack’s Campers as a ‘handy man’. After another nine years he left that job and went to work as a stocker at County Fair. He loved meeting all the customers and helping them.

Denny was a member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church where he was a Eucharist Minister and served on the Vestry, a member of the Mitchell Exchange Club for 49 years, serving at treasurer, president and a member of the board. He was also a member of the Corn Palace Sams and Prairie Travelers camping clubs.

Denny is survived by his wife, Linda; son, Derrick (Sarah) and their children, Ian and Paige; daughter, Tina (Martin) Polreis and their children, Joshua and Hilary; sister, Dianne Stokes; brother, Warren (Judy) Stokes; sister-in-law, Loretta Stokes; and numerous nieces and nephews,

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Chuck; sister, Linda; brother-in-law, Ronald Duehr; and nieces, Amy Hilt and Connie Schwartz.

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