Delmar Deiter

Delmar Deiter, 95 of Faulkton passed away Tuesday, November 5, 2019 at the Rapid City Regional Hospice House.

A Memorial service was held 11:00 am, Saturday, November 16, 2019 at the United Church of Faulkton, Faulkton, with Pastor Thomas Sumers presiding. Burial was in the Faulkton Cemetery.

Delmar Donald Deiter was born on November 17, 1923, the son of Charles E. and Gladys (Reed) Deiter. He was raised in Faulkton, SD and graduated from High School there. He served in the US Army in 1945-46 and was stationed in Germany in the Counterintelligence Corps.

Delmar married Verna Miller on Oct 21, 1947 and they began farming on his family homestead six miles NW of Faulkton. They had two daughters, Cheryl who lives in Black Hawk, SD and Diane who passed away in 1992. Verna passed away in 1996 and he then married Loreve Hunt in Oct of 2000.

Delmar became a pilot on the GI Bill after the war and flying quickly became a lifelong passion for him. Along with his farming, he did custom crop spraying for many years. He ultimately sold that business to focus on the farm, but never lost his love of flying. Delmar was very talented mechanically, very detail oriented and creative. Over the years on the farm, he invented, reinvented, and built several pieces of farm equipment. He always remembered a hay mover, bale rack, and a loader in particular that he modified or built to serve specific functions for him on the farm.

He retired from the farm in 1981 and spent months each year in Arizona and Mexico where he eventually purchased a home. As a hobby, he continued his dedication to all aspects of aviation. He built and restored several flying machines (planes, gyrocopter and helicopter) over the next decades. In his mid 70's, he took classes and received his helicopter license. His last solo flight in one of his favorite planes (Cessna 172) was at the age of 90. He was very proud to be inducted into the SD Aviation Hall of Fame in 2003.

Over his lifetime, Delmar was very proud and supportive of his community. He was a member of the United Church, and served on many township, school and church boards over the years. He was instrumental in developing the Flying Club and the Golf Course. Flying, however, remained his passion to the very end of his life.

He is survived by his daughter Cheryl Soyland of Black Hawk SD; four grandchildren: Amy Beth Soyland (Charles Senn) of Piedmont SD, Damon Muehl (Megan) of Missoula MT, Christopher Soyland (Bridget) of Black Hawk SD and Andrea Schaefer of Rapid City SD; six great grandchildren;  one sister, Arlene (Mortimer) Jarvis of Yuba City CA;  one sister in law, Jean Deiter of Faulkton SD;  many nieces and nephews and a couple others of special significance in Delmar's life: Michael (Lori) Carlson of Rapid City SD and Jack Law of Faulkton SD.

Delmar was preceded in death by his parents, two wives, a daughter, and two brothers.

Osheim and Schmidt Funeral Home of Rapid City and Luce Funeral Home of Faulkton have been entrusted with Delmar's arrangements.