Lowell De Vries

Lowell De Vries, age 72 of Summerset, SD, formerly of Madison, passed away Tuesday, August 31, 2021 at Monument Health Hospital in Rapid City, SD.

A Funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM Wednesday, September 8, 2021 at First Reformed Church in Colton, SD with Rev. David Tims officiating.  Burial with Military Honors will follow at Franklin Cemetery, rural Chester, SD.

Visitation with the family present will take place on Tuesday, September 7 ^th from 5 – 7 PM at the Minnehaha Funeral Home in Colton, SD.

Lowell De Vries was born January 30, 1949 in Lennox, SD to Andrew and Marles (Knock) De Vries.  He was raised in Lennox and graduated from Lennox High School.  Lowell joined the United States Army and spent the next 35 years on active-duty or in the National Guard.  He spent much of his active-duty service at the OMS in Sioux Falls.  On March 30, 1970, he was united in marriage to Harriet Vink at the First Reformed Church in Colton.  After their marriage they lived south of Colton until 1977, when they moved to the Chester-Madison area.  To this union four children were born.

Lowell had a special talent and skill for mechanics.  He could diagnose, repair, or build just about anything.  After so many years as a mechanic he could simply listen to an engine and know what the problem was.  He had a special fondness for John Deere tractors.  Lowell collected and restored one of every model A John Deere produced between 1934 and 1952 and he had them all running perfectly.  His love for vintage equipment led him to becoming a big supporter of the Historic Prairie Village.  He served as their president for four years and was a board member for the South Dakota Plowing association.  He was a three-time State Plowing Champ and competed at Nationals at least once.

Lowell loved sports of every kind.  As a younger man Lowell played amateur baseball on a team in Lennox.  His kids fondly remember going along and watching their dad play ball.  He enjoyed hunting most of his life.  He would take advantage of deer season as well as pheasant and west river antelope hunts.  While living in Arizona he had the opportunity to hunt Elk as well.  He especially loved to go to his family’s sporting events.  His kids and grand kids knew, if at all possible, he’d be there to watch them.  In his latter years, Lowell took up golf and loved the game.

On February 10, 2018 Lowell married Mildred Miller.  The couple lived in Florence, AZ until moving to Summerset, SD in April of 2021.

Recently and unexpectedly, Lowell fell ill and was admitted to the hospital in Rapid City where he passed away on Tuesday, August 31 ^st at the age of 72.  He will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his wife, Mildred De Vries of Summerset; children, Deanna (Scott) Reiff, Wentworth; Jon (Susie) De Vries, Wentworth; David (Heather) De Vries, Brandon; Harold (Heather) De Vries, Madison; twelve grandchildren, seven great grandchildren; sister, Laurna (Rick) Gustafson, Colorado Springs, CO; brother, Larry (Sandy) De Vries, Lennox, SD; sister, Lorraine (Dan) Van Geest, Inwood, IA; sister-in-law, Shirley De Vries, Davis, SD; sister, Linda (Terry) Thompson, Holman, WI; sister, Lena (Tom) Sanderson, Rapid City, SD; sister, Lorretta (Ken) Lang, Maplewood, MN; brother, Lorin (Melonie) De Vries, Lennox, SD; and sister, Leota (Dave) Olsen, Fairview, SD; nieces, nephews and other extended family members.

Lowell was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Marles De Vries; first wife, Harriet De Vries; sister, LeAnn Tatro; brother, Leland De Vries.