Dennis Brandon

Dennis Brandon, age 71, of Gayville, South Dakota, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, December 31, 2019, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM on Saturday, January 4, 2020, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Yankton, South Dakota with Reverend Jeff Otterman officiating.  Burial will take place in the Gayville Cemetery at a later date.  Visitation is from 5:00 to 8:00 PM on Friday, January 3, 2020, at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with a prayer service at 7:00 PM. Pallbearers are Christopher Heier, Steve Nowak, Tyler Nowak, Wayne Hajek, Travis Dangel, and Randy Brandon. Dennis Brandon was born November 17, 1948, in Yankton, South Dakota to Irving and Antona (Erickson) Brandon. He grew up in Mission Hill, South Dakota and graduated from Gayville High School in 1967.  He spent his early years working at the gravel pit with his dad. He married Barbara Hames from Crofton, Nebraska on July 17, 1971, and spent 48 years together. He worked as a maintenance man for Morgan Manufacturing, then TCI, worked in construction and then finally at Alumax in Yankton.  Dennis worked at Alumax for over 20 years until his retirement. Dennis was a strong hardworking man, he could fix and build anything. He built things from the ground up and could tell you what was wrong with your car by a noise. Dennis loved to visit and could make anybody laugh, many appreciated his candidness. He had a softness that children adored. He enjoyed meeting his friends for coffee in the morning, driving his side by side, and site-seeing. Dennis and his wife enjoyed attending Saturday night services at Trinity Lutheran Church. He loved spending time with his family and grandchildren, making sure they were fed and loved. Dennis was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Yankton and former member of Gayville Lutheran Church in Gayville.  He served on the Gayville Town Board for many years as well as a volunteer firefighter. Survivors include his wife, Barbara Brandon of Gayville, South Dakota; two daughters: Angela Heier of Tyndall, South Dakota and Teresa (Steve) Nowak of Gayville; four grandchildren: Christopher Heier, Alexis Heier, Tyler Nowak and Emily Nowak; four great grandchildren: Vivien, Melanie, Aspyn and Brooklyn; four brothers and sisters: Neil (Donna) Brandon of Yankton; Marlys Novak of Brandon, South Dakota; Neoma (Philip) Dangel of Volin, South Dakota and Pearl (Larry) Blodgett of Yankton; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; five children: Mary, Jeffrey, Julie and two others in infancy; and three sisters: Beverly Binder, Gloria Brandon and Lorraine Zimmerman.