Rickey Leesman

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Rickey Leesman, 70, of Blunt, passed away Monday, November 13, 2017 at Avera Maryhouse TCU in Pierre, surrounded by his loving wife and children.

Funeral service was held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, November 18, 2017 at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pierre with Pastor Ben Theiss officiating. Burial followed at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Blunt.

Rickey Ray Leesman was born on March 10, 1947 in Pierre, SD to William “Willie”and Lorena (Knodel) Leesman. Rick was raised down the road from his Grandpa Clarence and Great Grandpa Mino Leeman’s homestead northeast of Blunt. He graduated from Harrold High School in 1966. In the evenings after school and after he graduated, he worked for Rankin Implement in Fort Pierre delivering equipment in South Dakota and beyond. He stopped to visit with the farmers on nearly every gravel road.

On August 4, 1967 Rick married his high school sweetheart and neighbor, Barbara Smith, and they were not separated for the next 50 years. To this union 3 children were born, Raleigh, Angela and Pamela.

While continuing to truck grain, beer and cattle, he worked for the local gravel pit which led him to start his own business, R & E Crushing. Rick was a talented bulldozer operator. He once said “you run them with your butt”.  

In 1973 he returned to farming his Dad and Grandpa’s farms, which he eventually bought back from the Bureau of Reclamation and it is still in the family today. Rick bought his first combine and began custom harvesting all around Central South Dakota with the help of his ever present, dad Willie and wife Barb.

Rick was given the opportunity to lease and purchase additional land in the Canning and surrounding areas. When he needed more help, he taught his family. Rick and Barb checked many cows together and harvested many fields with her in the grain cart. He dabbled in the hog business only to find out it was “Hogwash”! Rick sold his truck and started “Leesman Angus”; beginning with 40 purebred heifers growing into a progressive cattle operation.

He enjoyed hunting, fishing, flying his para plane and fried chicken. He loved taking trips with Barb and spending time with the grandkids showing them new tricks, how to shoot a gun, attended numerous wrestling matches and all the grandkid’s activities. He loved his grandkids dearly and was so proud of his own kid’s accomplishments.

After he began “semi-retirement” he would drive around checking area crops with his faithful dog, Gandolph by his side. Rick was fortunate enough to celebrate his 50th Wedding Anniversary this summer with his precious “Barbie”.

Rick was a “Good ‘Ole Boy”, and a man of honesty and complete generosity to all he encountered. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church.

He will be forever missed by his family, wife, Barb of Blunt, SD; son, Raleigh (Leigh) Leesman of Canning, SD and their children Chelsea, Wyatt, Skyler, Faith, Garrett and Sara; daughter, Angela (Michael) Bollweg of Harrold, SD and their children Madison and Regan; daughter, Pamela (Bill) Cuny of Sioux Falls, SD and their daughter Bailey; his siblings: Anita (Frank) Baca, LeAnn (Randi) Baloun, and Mary Jo (Jeff) Shannon; sister-in-law, Mary Leesman; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Clarence and Alma Leesman, and Fred Knodel and Hilda Danburg; his parents, William and Lorena Leesman; brother, Terry Leesman; nephew, Wrangler Leesman; and godson, Jonathan Fanger.

In lieu flowers, memorials can be directed to Avera Maryhouse TCU, 717 E. Dakota Ave, Pierre, SD 57501; AseraCare Hospice, 528 S. Sycamore Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57110; or Avera St. Mary's Foundation, c/o Suicide Prevention, 801 E. Sioux Ave, Pierre, SD 57501.

Luze Funeral Home of Highmore has been entrusted with Rickey's arrangements.