Dale Svacina

Dale Svacina, age 83, of Lesterville, South Dakota, died Wednesday, November 15, 2023, at Avera Sr. James Care Center in Yankton, South Dakota.  

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 AM on Monday, November 20, 2023, at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Yankton, South Dakota, with Reverend Thi Pham officiating.  Burial will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Yankton.  Visitation is from 3:00 to 5:00 PM on Sunday, November 19, 2023, at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton, South Dakota, with a vigil service and rosary at 5:00 PM.

Pallbearers will be Dale’s grandsons: Adam Iversen, Aaron Iversen, Eric Iversen, Ryley Radack, Zachary Smisek, Gavin Smisek, Alex Smisek, William Radke, Samuel Radke, Maxwell Radke, and Dayton Svacina.

Dale Svacina was born July 11, 1940, in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, to Reynold and Florence (Herricks) Svacina.  He grew up on a dairy farm near Rice Lake and graduated from Rice Lake High School in 1958.  He then began working in the fiberglass industry for a boat company in Wisconsin.  He moved to Crofton, Nebraska in 1965 and in 1967 bought Starr Fiberglass in Aten, Nebraska.  He continued to work as a fiberglass manufacturer for over 40 years. He married Darlene Wuebben on December 29, 1968 in Fordyce, Nebraska.  In 1976, Dale and Darlene moved their family to an acreage north of Yankton known to many as Poverty Valley where he was able to begin farming.  They later moved to Lesterville, South Dakota in 1991 where Dale was able to expand his farm.

Dale loved working with his hands.  He enjoyed farming, being outside, and taking on new challenges.  He had an incredibly strong work ethic that he passed on to each of his children. His work and creativity allowed him to be part of projects such as restoring a corvette, building dune buggies, constructing fish tanks for the fish hatchery, and building a “round” house that his family lived in.  He enjoyed traveling and family vacations.  Dale loved the Green Bay Packers but most of all he loved his family.

Survivors include his wife, Darlene Svacina of Lesterville, South Dakota; seven children: Debra Iversen of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Diane Svacina of Redfield, South Dakota; Dawn (Dave) Radack of Robins, Iowa; Denise (Pete) Smisek of Otsego, Minnesota; Danielle (Mike) Radke of Huron, South Dakota; Doug Svacina of Minnetonka, Minnesota; and Darin (Bethany) Svacina of Lesterville; 17 grandchildren: Adam, Aaron, Eric and Abigail Iversen; Ryley and Lindsay Radack; Zachary, Gavin, Alex, and Lauren Smisek; William, Katelyn, Samuel, and Maxwell Radke; and Dayton, Brynlee and Irelynn Svacina; and two brothers: Don (Jan) Svacina of Rice Lake, Wisconsin and David (Darlene) Svacina of Wausau, Wisconsin.

He was preceded in death by his parents; infant son, Joseph and brother, Leigh.