Graveside Service will be held on Sunday, August 11, 2024 at 2:00 P.M.at Bethel One Road Cemetery, Sisseton SD with Rev. Joshua Knudsen officiating. Urn Bearers will be Taylor, Ava, Ethan, Elijah and Ruby. There will be Military Rites by Otto-Quande-Renville American Legion Post #50 and Fort Sisseton VFW Post #3342.

Dennis Clinton Svalstad, 76, Rapid City, SD, passed away on November 20, 2023. He was born November 28, 1946 in Webster, SD to Joseph and Helen (Lohre) Svalstad. Dennis graduated from isseton High School in 1964. He studied pre-engineering at Northern State University and attended the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology where he obtained his MS degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1970 and subsequently completed his coursework for his PHD. Following graduation, Dennis married Twyla (Wright) Svalstad on May 28, 1970, and was blessed with three daughters Kimberly (Kim), Nancy, and Rebecca (Becky). Following graduation, Dennis attended the Engineer Officer's Basic Course at Ft. Belvoir, VA, and completed his service as a Captain in the Corps of Engineers Army Reserves. In 1971, Dennis started an engineering career at Point Magu Naval Station in California and subsequently at Horton Industries in Britton, SD. After 1981, he spent the majority of his career in energy resource management, serving 26 years in a cross-functional role as the Chief of Systems Engineering – Energy & Utility Manager at Ellsworth AFB. This was complemented with energy resource management assignments at Langley AFB, Tyndall AFB, as well as the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Industrial Affairs and Installation, Pentagon. His many accomplishments resulted in numerous awards for efficient energy resource management and significant cost savings for the Department of Defense.

Dennis had an ever expanding love for hobbies. Perhaps his first love was for collecting toy tractors, and miniature cars, & trucks. Usually he would have 2 of each item he collected. One to keep in the box & one to enjoy. It was always such a pleasure to see his smile while rolling his newest tractor across the table. As an adult, that love of cars and trucks continued to the two wheeled variety. One of his favorite pastimes was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle through the Black Hills and taking his daughters to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally to wander together for the day.

He loved to refer to himself as a closet guitar player and did his best to instill a love of music & dancing in our family. From taking violin lessons right alongside his girls, to family dancing lessons, to years of attending every concert at the fair together, family was very important to Dennis and was always a huge part of his life.

Grateful for having shared in his life are his daughters, Kimberly (Travis) Downing, Nancy (Jason) Pfeiffer, and Rebecca (Drew) Beaton; grandchildren, Taylor, Ava, Ethan, Elijah, and Ruby; sister, Marjorie Krueger; brothers, Duane (Judy) Svalstad, and Darrell (Juliet) Svalstad and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends . Dennis was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Joyce Gebhardt and Verna Heimlich; and aunt, Sophie Lohre.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Dennis' name to the American Cancer Society.