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Don "Donnie" Curtis, age 61, died at the Dougherty Hospice Home, Sioux Falls, on September 22, 2024, after a nine month, courageous battle of metastatic prostate cancer.  Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at the Sherman Center (on DWU Campus) with burial at the Niles Rocky Ridge Cemetery, rural Wessington Springs, SD. Visitation will be from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM Monday, September 30, 2024 at the Sherman Center with a prayer service beginning at 7:30 PM. Arrangements are under the direction of the Will Funeral Chapel.

Donald Dean was born on November 28, 1962, in Sioux Falls, SD, to Miles and Ardis (Joy) Curtis. He attended Sioux Falls Lincoln High School, where he was part of the drumline and ran cross country and track for the great Coach Greeno. He played Legion Post Baseball, often coached by his Dad. He graduated in 1981. He attended Dakota State College, Madison, SD.

He met Valerie Niles through her cousin who was a college friend. The couple was united in marriage at Storla Lutheran Church, Storla, on September 8, 1984. The couple lived in Sioux Falls where Don worked for Dakota King franchises. The couple later moved to Yankton, SD, where their children were born: Culynn Dean and Tyann Elizabeth. He worked at Save-U-More and the Chesterman Co. and was a regular at Fox Run Golf Course for men's league. Don was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Yankton, where he was involved with the Via de Cristo community and was a confirmation mentor.

The family moved to Mitchell, SD, in December 2000; where Don worked as the meat market manager at WalMart. In 2007, Don attended the Worldwide College of Auctioneering and he and Valerie founded Curtis Auctioneering, which became a staple weekend event from April to October every year. He also worked for The Curbing Edge and Mitchell Livestock. In October 2019, Don and Valerie purchased Charlie's Shoe Repair, preserving a Mitchell Main Street legacy and extending a customer service tradition. Don attended Fusion Church.

Everyone knew him as the colonel, the cobbler, and the cowboy, or a combination of all three. Don enjoyed a good golf game, camping, and playing cards. He loved hunting for pheasant and deer with his brother, nephews, and friends in Hand County. He was a die hard Indiana Hoosiers Basketball fan and loved Cubs baseball, or any baseball really. He made many trips to visit Culynn and Meg and their kids in Minnesota. He enjoyed keeping up with and traveling to rodeos with Tyann and Clay. He was the best Ompa and very proud of Oliver and Margo. Donnie was quick to make friends and was known for his strong, enveloping hugs. He always had a ready one-liner and enjoyed a garage beer.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Valerie of 40 years; children: Culynn and Meg Curtis, Tyann and Clay Guardipee; grandchildren: Oliver and Margo; a sister, Carol Hurley, Bellevue, NE; two brothers, James (Peggy) Curtis, Watertown, SD and Michael Curtis, Sioux Falls, SD; mother-in-law, Phyllis Niles; in-laws, two sisters- in-law, Roberta (Bob) Bruns, Plankinton, SD and Peggy (Larry) Hoffman, Plankinton, SD; a brother-in-law, Vernon (Mary) Niles, Plankinton, SD; nieces, nephews, and countless dear friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, father-in-law, Robert Niles; brother-in-law, Larry Hurley; great niece, Harper Waklee.