Onida: Daniel Lee Pops Mitchell, 55, of Onida passed away into his family's heavenly arms Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, at Avera St. Luke's Hospital in Aberdeen.
Funeral service will be 2 p.m. Saturday, March 2, 2013, at St. Liborius Catholic Church, Polo, with Father Chester Murtha officiating. Burial will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Polo. Visitation with family present will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 1, 2013, at Reck Funeral Home in Miller.
Dan was born Nov. 8, 1957, to James and Warda (Kay) Mitchell in Miller. He attended grade school in Miller and high school in Polo. After high school, he attended a welding program through Huron Technical School and he also attended Northern State University.
As a young boy, he loved to swim and ride his bicycle. He played baseball and was a good short-stop who always had a good hustle! He loved all sports, especially basketball and football. He loved playing and watching both of these sports and he was an avid Green Bay Packers fan. He loved reading and anything to do with history. He especially loved small fast convertibles of which he had many!
Dan worked at the family business, the Miller Tire Shop, and then spent 16 years working for OK Tire in Aberdeen. His years of experience and knowledge of tires gave Dan the reputation of being one of the best and fastest tire men around. He was presently employed at Lamb Motors in Onida and loved working there.
Dan is survived by his son, Alex of Aberdeen; his ex-wife, Debbie Mitchell (who he married in 1978); father, James Ortmeier of Polo; brothers: Mike Mitchell of Rapid City; Jeff (Patti) Mitchell of Aberdeen; Doc Mitchell of Sioux Falls; Christopher Mitchell of Kansas City, Kan.; and Jim Ortmeier of Polo; sisters: Cathleen (Curtis) Walker of Aberdeen and Betty Jean Mitchell of Sioux Falls; many nieces and nephews; great-nieces and great-nephews and a special great-niece, Lauren Kay Mitchell, who was born on Dan's birthday, which was also the day his cancer was diagnosed.
Preceding Dan in death were his parents: Jim Mitchell and Warda Kay Mitchell Ortmeier; maternal and paternal grandparents; and brother, Jimmy.
Dan will always be remembered as a man who would give you the shirt off of his back and always had a smile on his face. He loved life. Rest easy, Dan!
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to the Dan Mitchell Fund, c/o BankWest, PO Box 225, Onida, SD 57564.
Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Dan's arrangements.
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