George Breidenbach

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Obituary

George Bernard Breidenbach, 87, of Mitchell, SD, died peacefully Monday, February 9, 2026, at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls, SD. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Wednesday, February 18, at First United Methodist Church in Mitchell. Burial will be at Pine Slope Cemetery in Belle Fourche, SD. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5-7:00 PM at the church with a 6:30 PM prayer service. Arrangements by Bittner Funeral Chapel.

A livestream of George’s funeral service can be viewed at: https://www.downtownfirstumc.com/worship-using-technology

George, son of Edward B. and Alma D. (Hamilton) Breidenbach, was born 30 January 1939 at Deadwood, SD. With older brother Don and two younger, adopted sisters, Beverly and Darlene, George grew up on the family farm north of Newell, SD, where he attended school.  He was active in Future Farmers of America (State Reporter) and 4-H (raising and showing Corriedale sheep and winning a SD 4-H Sheep Shearing Contest), winning trips to the Western Junior Livestock Show in Denver, the Central States Fair in Rapid City, and the National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago.

As Senior class President and named “Most Dependable,” George graduated from Newell High School in 1957 and went into a farming partnership with his father. George spent one summer on a combine crew that went as far south as Oklahoma. The severe drought in 1961 changed the course of his life, and he started classes at South Dakota State College, working in the Sheep Unit, and graduating in 1964 with a Bachelor’s in Animal Science and a ROTC commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

George married his high school and college sweetheart, Patricia “Pat” Jacobsen on 23 June 1962 at Newell’s Congregational Church.  The following year, Pat graduated from SDSC and taught school at Elkton, SD, during George’s senior year at SDSU. In the fall of 1964, they moved to Virginia for his Officer’s Branch Schooling at Ft. Eustis, before moving to Frankfurt, West Germany, where he served three years with the U.S. Army Transportation V Corps.  He was honorably discharged as a Captain in 1967.

George then started a career in Ag Banking: 21 years with Federal Land Bank Associations at Mitchell, Winner, Watertown and Mitchell again, followed by 15 years managing CorTrust Banks at Letcher and Mt. Vernon.  Upon retirement in 2004, he continued volunteering with the Mitchell Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee (Volunteer of the Year in 2015), Davison County Fair board, Wesley Acres Board of Directors, Mitchell Concert Series Association (Mr. Top Hat and Tails greeter), President of United Way in 1990, and President of Rotary Club in 1979.  He was a United Blood Services driver for 10 years and a Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol member for nearly 20 years.  He was a member of the Mitchell Masonic Lodge, the El Riad Shrine, and an active member of Mitchell’s Rotary Club and First United Methodist Church, serving on various committees and singing in the choir for many years.

While living in Europe in the Mid-Sixties, George and Pat began a lifelong love of travel, eventually visiting 60 countries, 7 continents, 50 US states, and most Canadian provinces.  A special highlight was visiting his Breidenbach ancestral home in Germany. They also enjoyed participating in Rotary’s Couple’s Friendship Exchanges in France, India and Denmark.

George, always the man of the land, enjoyed taking care of their yards and flower gardens, receiving “Yard of the Month” more than once.  For 50 years, he decorated the outside of their homes and yards for Christmas, eliciting many appreciative compliments and pictures in the paper.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Pat; daughter, Stacey (William “Bill”) Smith, Pierre, SD; grandchildren: Canaan, Alexandra “Alee”, and Noah Smith, Pierre, SD; as well as brothers- and sisters-in-laws, nieces, and nephews.

George was preceded in death by his parents and siblings. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to First United Methodist Church Stained Glass Window Fund, FUMC Love Feast, Mitchell Area Concert Association, or Rotary Foundation.

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