Final Salute

Dale LeRoy Rogers, 93, passed away on February 20th, 2025, under the dedicated care of the Royal C. Johnson Veterans’ Memorial Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD, surrounded by family and a hospice team with pristine honor to veterans. He was also greatly cared for by an amazing staff at Peaceful Pines in Madison and the St. Croix Hospice team.

Dale was born on May 19th, 1931, in a rare blizzard storm on his family farm in Potter County, Southeast of Gettysburg, SD to Arthur (A.L.) and Lillian Rogers. He attended early grade school in Gettysburg and then continued his 3rd through 8th grade years in various Elida township school houses. Dale received his high school diploma at Gettysburg high in 1949.

In 1951, Dale joined the United States Navy and later became a Seabee. He spent the next 4 years in the Great Lakes, California, Philippines, Korea, and Japan during the Korean War building bases, airfields, roads and bridges. He was a proud Veteran to have served his country and loved to share stories about this time.

On June 2nd, 1956, Dale was united in marriage to the love of his life, Phyllis (Comeau) Rogers. Their marriage was a true commitment to the vows of each other. He was prideful in taking exceptional care of his wife for 68 loving years.

Dale and Phyllis moved to Lemmon, SD in 1959 with their two children, Brad and Lori. It was here that he would spend the next 30 years working and eventually retiring as the President of First National Bank while Phyllis worked for the State of South Dakota as a caseworker. While in Lemmon, they enjoyed spending time at their cabin on Shadehill Lake with friends and family. In 1996 they relocated to Harrisburg, SD to be close to their children and grandchildren. It was there that they spent the majority of their retired life involved in the Harrisburg United Methodist Church choir, attending family activities, and spending winter months in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas with their many great friends, dancing, entertaining, and close involvement with the church and choir.

Their faith was always important to them and this would show through the endless involvement in their church homes throughout the years.

Dale’s life was filled with laughter, fishing, dancing, and flying his airplanes. He had a strong passion for music; singing in choirs for over 70 years, fixing anything he possibly could, and fishing at any available moment.

Even if the fish weren’t biting he would often say it wasn’t about the quantity time but rather the quality time spent with his three grandchildren, family, and friends.

He also loved any chance he could get to take his beautiful bride dancing to big band music. She would tell him what to wear and he would follow suit with no complaints and coordinating outfits of course. He also enjoyed happy hours with friends, playing cards, heading south in the winters and flying home to spend the holidays with family. He eventually got to share his many life stories with his great grandchildren who knew him as their loving “Papa.” Dale’s love for the Lord and others with selfless generosity and an abundance of shared knowledge will be greatly missed.

Dale is survived by his daughter, Lori (Harvey) Teunissen of Sioux Falls, SD; Grandchildren, Dusty (Cindy) Ballenger, Brandon (Alison) Rogers, and Deidra (Chris) Ritter; Great Grandchildren; Bayley, Blake, and Bristol Ballenger, Braxtin, Tobin, and Jasmin Rogers, Aaliyah, Mya, Cade, and Dreamer Ritter; Nieces and Nephews, Debbie Glanzer, Scott Comeau, Corey Comeau, Brent Comeau, and Adrianne Harjes; as well as many other friends and family.

Dale is preceded in death by his wife Phyllis, his parents Arthur and Lillian; his only beloved son, Brad; his brother and sister-in-law, Leon (Delphine) Rogers, and his sister Bonnie Comeau.

A Celebration of Life will be held 10:30 AM, Tuesday, February 25, 2024, at Heritage Funeral Home, Sioux Falls, with a luncheon to follow.  Burial will take place, with military honors, at the South Dakota State Veteran’s Cemetery.