Thomas John Heibel

Thomas John Heibel, 85, of Leola, South Dakota, passed away peacefully, with his daughters at his side, at Avera McKenna Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2013.

A memorial service for Tom will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, December 7, 2013, at St. James Lutheran Church in Leola with Pastor Sara Sorensen officiating. Burial, with Military Rites, will follow at Green Mound Cemetery in Leola.

Schriver's Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements. Friends may sign his online guestbook at www.schriversmemorial.com.

Tom was born July 31, 1928, to Andrew J. and Elma (Knudson) Bentz in Mobridge, South Dakota. Tom spent his childhood years in Mound City, South Dakota. He moved to Leola in his teenage years with his mother and stepfather, Leo Heibel, and graduated from Leola High School.

He attended college for one year at the University of South Dakota, before serving in the United States Army, stationed in Japan. After his military service, he returned to USD to complete his degree in political science.

Tom married BettyLou Boyle on November 2, 1952, in Leola, where they made their home. He then began his long financial career with the Leola State Bank, where he became President. Tom was instrumental in selling the bank to CorTrust Bank (Hopkins Financial) in 1987.

He also served on the Board of Directors of Valley Telephone Cooperative in Herreid, South Dakota for 40 years. Tom was involved in bringing many advancements in the telecommunications industry to Valley Telephone.

Tom was a great father as well as an awesome grandfather. It would be hard to say which he enjoyed more, fishing for walleyes at the Missouri River or working with the guys on restoring old Jeeps. Travel was high on his list. BettyLou and he spent their winters in Hawaii and Arizona. He considered his trip to Alaska by himself at the young age of 78, one of his greatest adventures. So much so, the next summer he returned to Alaska with his son-in-law, Paul. Tom loved running the bank along with buying and selling stocks. He never missed his twice-a-day breaks to shake dice for coffee. Tom truly enjoyed all the friendships he made in his life both at home in Leola and his travels around the country.

Grateful to have shared his life are his two daughters, Tarrill (Paul) Abney of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Rhondi (Steve) West of Andover, Minnesota; two grandchildren, Teresa Marie Abney of Washington, D.C. and Dennis John Abney of Ames, Iowa; and a step-brother, Gary (Doris) Hepperle of Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Tom was preceded in death by his wife, BettyLou.