David Eugene Kuecker

David Eugene Kuecker was born on December 18, 1936, to his precious father Edwin (Dadan) and dear mother Lillian (Ericson) Kuecker, at Peabody Hospital in Webster, SD. He was raised on the family farm where his deep connection to the land began.

He came home to the family farm where he resided for most of his life, never far from the land he loved. He was baptized and confirmed at the Webster United Methodist Church and was a lifelong member.

David's early years were marked by his love for farming the land and his strong work ethic. Despite not liking school, he attended Morton District 112 Country School from first through eighth grade. He would seize any opportunity to escape through the basement window. He attended Webster High School and finished his sophomore year. As his junior year began, he decided the farm was calling his name. At the age of 17 and with the support of his father, David purchased his first cows and embarked on a journey that would define his life. While he was working towards creating a successful farming operation, he suddenly lost his father and set out to honor his father's legacy by prioritizing his family. During this time, he became beloved Uncle David and spent countless hours with his nieces and nephews. 

It was perfect timing in 1969 when he attracted the attention of the love of his life, Debra Sonstebo, who instantly fell in love with his beautiful blue eyes and his treasured baby blue and navy 1969 Toronado. After dating for less than four months, he popped the question and they tied the knot on August 22, 1970, in Wallace, SD. This past Friday would have been 53 years and 7 months of marriage. Together, they faced life's triumphs and tribulations with unwavering love and devotion. 

The joys of his life were his family! With the loss of their first son Tracy in 1971, they were then blessed with a beautiful baby girl in 1972, Stephanie. Christopher arrived in 1973, passing away at only ten weeks. With faith in God, they added equally perfect girls Jennifer, in 1975, Elizabeth (Betsy) in 1978, Heather in 1981, and the icing on the cake, Bradley in 1983. 

God certainly knew what He was doing when he joined their happy hearts with a shared dislike for onions and a mutual love for sports! David was a devoted fan of the Bearcats, never missing a game for decades. Given that Deb was a Webster graduate, it was only natural for them to become loyal fans together. Traveling far and wide in all kinds of weather, they followed the Bearcats along with their five kids in tow. Attending State Basketball Tournaments was a must and Betsy especially loved having her birthday parties at the Howard Johnson between games. 

Over the years, they made it a point to attend all extracurricular activities for their children, from basketball games and cheerleading to singing, band performances, school plays, football and baseball games, talent contests, and church programs. During Steph's basketball career, he only missed one game due to a grain bin fire. One of his top Bearcat memories was watching Brad play in the State Football Championship game, which they won, and he loved every minute of it!

Growing up, he had fond memories of spending time at Pickerel Lake with his Mom, Dadan and his siblings playing horseshoes and listening to the Yankees on the radio. He recreated that for his own family at Blue Dog Lake; it was one of the places where he could slow down and relax with weekend breakfasts on the deck. 

Anyone who knew David knew that his love of farming ran a close second to his love for family, as they were the reason he did it all. When he began with dairy cows, it was on a small scale. He'd lug milk cans across the yard to the separator in the farmhouse basement until he expanded the operation. He designed and built the milking parlor with his own hands, doing the block work and pouring the concrete himself. He later added the double herringbone milk stanchions, automated milking machines, and a bulk tank. One of his proudest expansions to the dairy operation was the purchase of the 3,000-gallon big bulk tank from future governor Dick Kneip, who mentioned to David his intentions to throw his hat in the ring for governor before it was public knowledge. He never missed a milking for eleven years and if you ever shook his hand you could instantly tell he was a milker. 

In 1955, his brother Paul joined him and together they became the Kuecker Brothers partnership. As the farm grew, they were able to hire help for the milking schedule, fieldwork, and daily chores. The grain elevator was constructed in 1982 and with the help of Fred Jens, they wired the whole system from top to bottom. The elevator was his home away from home and he took pride in his seed and fertilizer business. He enjoyed coffee time at the office with the hired men over the years, as well as anyone else who popped in for a cup or ten to shoot the bull! If he wasn't in the office, you could find him at Pereboom's or the Wheel Inn. He and Paul worked alongside each other until 2005 when Paul retired. 

It brought him immense joy to farm with Brad and they became Kuecker Kountry Farms. He passed along his knowledge of the business to Brad and was excited to know that his grandsons will be the fifth generation to farm this land. David loved his farm and had a great passion for working. He often expressed, "Work is FUN!" He never did get around to retiring. 

David's passion for farming extended beyond his own endeavors; he was actively involved in various community organizations, including the National Guards, Morton Township Supervisor, Farmers Union, and the United Methodist Church council. He was a staunch advocate for God, Country, and the American Farmer, embodying the values of hard work, integrity, and service.

He and Deb loved to travel with the kids, taking long road trips across the country to visit family or going to Minneapolis to take in a Twins or Vikings game or two. The two of them enjoyed trips to Florida for Twins Spring Training, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in Hawaii, and went on multiple cruises together. In the later years, they packed on the miles to see grandkids and spent time making memories that are cherished by the next generation. Despite his memory failing, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with the entire family gathered under one roof at Table Rock Lake, a memory that will never fade. 

In 2022, they traveled to Kansas to celebrate their first great-grandson's birthday. Upon returning home, his health declined, and he entered Bethesda Nursing Home in Webster where he resided until his death. He often kept the staff on their toes and made them laugh, even though he was always planning to go home and get back to work. He kept his smile and humor to the end. We like to think that when we hear the thunder roll, it's him rattling his coffee cup in heaven looking for a refill. He truly was quite a guy Dave! 

I tried to honor you and want everyone to know what a wonderful loving husband, dad, grandpa, and great-grandpa you were and will be missed by so many. Love, Deb (affectionately known as "The Warden")

David will be forever loved and greatly missed by his wife Deb, children Stephanie and Mike Butler (Olathe, KS) and their family: Chelsea Crawford (Jesse), Michaela (Anuj), and David Butler; Jenny and Wade Falk (Stockholm, SD) and their family: Whitney (Alex), Andrew, Mallory, and Noah Falk; Betsy and Aaron Andersen (Sioux Falls, SD) and their children Bianca and Logan Andersen; Heather and Nick Hartley (Edmond, OK) and their dog, Dakota; Brad and Samantha Kuecker (Webster, SD) and their sons Rhett, Audie and Casen Kuecker; great-grandsons Oliver and Julian Crawford; sister Betty (Jim) Glosimodt, brother Roger (Carol) Kuecker; sisters-in-law Evy Kuecker, Shirley Kuecker and Arleen Hopf; brother-in-law John Sonstebo; 29 nieces and nephews and their families. Awaiting him in heaven are his parents, Edwin and Lillian Kuecker; sons Tracy and Christopher; father- and mother-in-law Peder and Rose Sonstebo; brothers Edwin, Jr., Chuck, John, and Paul; sister and brother-in-law Mary Ann and Alvin Olson; sisters-in-law Molly and Mary; nephew Michael Kuecker and niece Kathy Cranston.