Dean O. Mehlhaff

Dean O. Mehlhaff, 88, passed away Wednesday, April 27, 2016, in Aberdeen following a brief illness.

Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, May 2, 2016, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 409 2nd Avenue NE, Aberdeen, with Father Michael Griffin officiating assisted by Dean's son, Deacon Pete Mehlhaff, along with con-celebrating priests and deacons of the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls.

Burial, with military rites being conducted by the Fred Weller American Legion Post No. 186 of Eureka, will follow at 3:30 p.m. at the Eureka City Cemetery in Eureka, SD. Refreshments and a time of fellowship will follow the burial at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Eureka.

Schriver's Memorial Mortuary & Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation will be 4-5 p.m., Sunday, at the church with a liturgical wake service being held at 5:00 p.m. Visitation continues one hour prior to Mass at church on Monday. No visitation will be held at the mortuary.

Dean was born June 28, 1927 in Eureka, SD to Lillian (Gerdes) and Fred K. Mehlhaff. He graduated from Eureka High School in 1945 and entered the US Army in 1946. Following his honorable discharge, he attended Northern State University.

He married Donna F. Gerhardt at Clark, SD in 1948. Together they had eleven children. Following her death on December 25, 2000; he married Donna L. Hatzenbeller-Grote in Aberdeen, SD in 2002.

Dean enjoyed watching and participating in athletics. He played first base for the SD State Champion Eureka Cardinals baseball team and achieved the highest batting average in the state during the Championship season. Dean was a world traveler, award winning flower gardener, avid hunter and fisherman. He enjoyed an energetic lifestyle throughout his nearly 89 years. Dean was an accomplished motorcyclist having completed annual motorcycle rides to the Black Hills, a motorcycle tour of the Bavarian Alps and at the age of 83; a 6,000 mile trek along Route 66 on his Honda Goldwing.

Dean worked at Great Plains Bank in Eureka. He retired as President in 1990 and as Chairman of the Board in 2012. He was elected to the South Dakota State Legislature in 1966 where he served as Chairman of the House Commerce Committee. He retired from the Legislature in 1976. Dean was State President of the South Dakota Bankers Association and served as Vice Chairman of the South Dakota Banking Commission. He served on many additional boards and commissions including serving with Donna L. Mehlhaff as a Director of the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota. He was a proud member and past Commander of the American Legion Fred Weller Post 186.

Dean leaves behind his wife, Donna L. (Hatzenbeller-Grote) Mehlhaff; his children: Fredrick, Michael, Bryan (Patsy), Patrick (Debra), Mary (Ron) Schwab, Peter (Paddy), Paul, Margaret Artz, Dean F., James (Annie), and Jennifer (Phil) Winkelmann; 30 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; his brother, Willis; and sisters, Shirley Croonquist and Margaret Lemmon.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Donna F.; his brother, Bruce; sister, Lillian June; and great-grandson, Bennett.

Dean was a faithful man who attended Mass daily and lived his life preparing for eternal life. Blessed be his memory.

The family prefers memorials to St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Eureka, SD or to the Eureka Community Hospital.