Virgil Alvin Brasel, Jr.

Virgil Alvin Brasel Jr., age 55, of Yankton, South Dakota, died Tuesday, October 9, 2018, at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton. Funeral services will be 2:00 PM on Saturday, October 13, 2018, at Calvary Baptist Church in Yankton with Reverend Rick Slattery officiating. Burial will be in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Yankton with military honors provided by the Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post No. 791. Visitation is from 5:00 to 8:00 PM on Friday, October 12, 2018, at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with a prayer service and time of sharing at 7:00 PM. Pallbearers are Steve Wuebben, Monty Rothenberger, Kyler Pekarek, Mark Payer, Dean Larson, and Roger Dather. Honorary pallbearers include the City of Yankton Dispatchers, City of Yankton Police Officers, Yankton County Sheriff's Deputies, Yankton County Jailers and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Virgil Alvin Brasel, Jr. was born September 27, 1963, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to Virgil Alvin Brasel, Sr. and Velda (Jurczewsky) Hochstein. His family moved to California during his infancy, and he spent his formative years there kicking ass and taking names. At the age of seven, he was diagnosed with a cancerous Wilms tumor and lost a kidney, but made a full recovery. After cheating death he kept his family on his toes with his ornery nature. His family returned to South Dakota in 1978 where he finished up his education graduating from Platte High School in 1981. While in high school he joined the National Guard and enlisted in the United States Army as a bridge engineer upon graduation. He fathered a son, Austin in 1983. While enlisted, he served in Germany for two years, and then transferred to Ft. Riley, Kansas. It was there on a Friday night at a small bar called the Star Lounge where a special lady caught Virgil’s eye. Thinking he was just a drunk GI, she gave herself the alias of Bernice and spent the night dancing with him thinking she’d never see him again. The next day he surprised her at the PX and told her he wanted to get to know her more, so she revealed her true identity. After three months of dating, they drove to Yankton, and he married Pamela Stacks on July 27, 1985, in his sister’s living room. They continued married life in Fort Riley where they welcomed daughter Meaghan in 1986. Shortly after that Virgil was transferred to Korea where he served for one year and then assigned to Fort Polk, Louisiana where daughter Brittany was born in 1989. Virgil’s final military assignment took his family to Germany in 1991, and was honorably discharged in 1992. After Virgil’s discharge, he moved his family to Crofton, Nebraska where he worked as a Jailer/Dispatcher for Cedar County Sheriff Department. In 1993, they moved to Yankton, South Dakota and Virgil worked as a jailer for a few years and then in 1998 became a Dispatcher for Yankton Police Department and later became a Tactical Dispatch and Taser Instructor. Virgil also served the Yankton community as an EMT and on the Search and Rescue Team. He cared deeply for his coworkers and enjoyed the work friendships that served as a bright spot during the stressful times on the job. He acted as the mother hen to all the officers on duty and genuinely cared for their safety while working as the calm voice on the other side of the radio. If you knew Virgil, you know he was one of a kind. He was one word, “Vabulous.” He had good taste in music and loved rocking out. He’d often speak in movie quotes, and he had an interesting sense of humor - sometimes you just didn’t know how to take him. He also enjoyed reading, golfing, paddle fishing, cooking, and watching sports - especially the Vikings, Dodgers, and NASCAR. Virgil loved his grandkids, and they were his whole life. Being a grandpa meant he could be a kid again - and he spent quality time with them watching COPS and teaching them the correct way to play video games. He’d also make sure to cover their eyes during any scary parts of a movie, and was always good for a hug or two. Survivors include his wife, Pam Brasel of Yankton; three children: Austin Brasel of Baltic, South Dakota; Meaghan (David) Crandall of Yankton; and Brittany (Brad Barta) Brasel of Yankton; seven grandchildren: Mia, Aaralyn, Oliver, Elijah, Lyanna, Isla, and Tavyn; mother and father, Velda and Leland Hochstein of Yankton; sister, Teresa Nielson of Yankton; brother, Tony (Lisa) Brasel of Yankton, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his birth father, his grandparents, father-in-law SFC Joseph Stacks, brother-in-law Jay Nielson, uncle Ron Thiess, cousin Robbie Shelton, and his favorite NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt. To send an online message to the family, please visit www.wintzrayfuneralhome.com.