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Donald F. Manger "Big Don," 81, of Kennebec, South Dakota, passed unexpectedly on December 14, 2022, at Sanford Medical Center in Chamberlain, surrounded by his family.

Don was born June 26, 1941, to Fred and Gladys Manger in Presho, SD.  Don graduated from Kennebec High School in 1959.

Don was joined in marriage with Sony D. Marlow on August 5, 1959, and they were married for 63 years.  Together they built a life in Kennebec with their four children:  Kathy, Donny, Bill, and Steve.

Big Don, since he was young, was always the type of person who wanted to give back to his community.  The first way that he showed this was by joining the U.S. Army National Guard in 1959 and served with the 200 ^th Engineer Company until 1967.

Big Don was hired as the Chief of Police/City Maintenance Engineer for the Town of Kennebec in June of 1975, where he served until he was elected Lyman County Sheriff in 1998.  During his time with the city, every resident in town knew if they had any issues whatsoever, they called 9-2282 and he would be there.

Big Don also was an active member of the Kennebec Volunteer Fire Department commencing in 1966 and became the Chief in 1988.  He held the Chief position until he told the guys that he was getting too old to go to fires in 2019.  Even though he "retired" from the fire department, you could find him at the fire hall every time there was an emergency or event, checking in on the fellas to see if he could help.  Don had so much love for the department and community and spread that on to his firemen.

Big Don also served with the Lyman County Ambulance Service for 25 years and was one of the first guys out the door.  He carried his radio religiously because he never wanted to miss a call for help.

In 1999, when Big Don began as Sheriff, he served the county with the same style of law enforcement that he had done for years.  He was a true Western-style Sheriff.  He cared for each and every person within the county.  He was the cop that was always there, no matter your emergency.  While serving as Sheriff, Big Don also became friends with several of the Sheriffs across the state of South Dakota.

When he made the decision to retire as Sheriff in 2010 and finished his last term, he did not stop there.  He continued to come into the Sheriff's Office every day, leaving his own coffee cup there for a refill.  He loved visiting with all the officers that passed through the doors to hear their stories, as well as sharing his.  He was a true mentor to old and new guys starting their career and was loved dearly by that community.

Don received many awards over the years including the Town & Country Outstanding Citizen 1985; the Henry "Vic" Steffen Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution to Emergency Medical Services in South Dakota in October 1988; the Jefferson Award in 1989 after he responded to an accident scene involving his son Bill and two friends, and maintained his professionalism throughout the incident; and the Dr. Robert Hayes Memorial Award for Outstanding Rural Health Care Provider in 1993, among others.

A 30-year member of the Johnson-Peterson Post 179 of the U.S. American Legion, Big Don was truly honored to participate in the Legion Honor Guard when available.

Don loved to watch Steve mowing and baling, and he often supervised from his pickup, making sure they were doing it right.  He was an amazing asset on the farm, helping keep the horses' hay stocked and looking after the livestock when he was asked.

Don enjoyed watching football and basketball practices for his children and grandchildren, attending all the games he could.  When live-streaming became available and they couldn't attend in person, he and Sony never missed a game.  Don always did his best to keep Sony from yelling too loudly at the refs, even from the comfort of home.

Don loved tinkering around in his new shop, restoring his beloved 1957 Chevy pickup.

Don was also an avid outdoorsman.  He enjoyed hunting and fishing with his kids and grandkids.  His love for the outdoors led him to become a Hunt Safe Instructor, teaching Lyman County's youth to safely handle firearms so they could also enjoy the outdoors.

Big Don handed down his love for his community and helping those in need.  This is shown through his children, as they have all dedicated their lives to helping others and have found careers in public safety and the court settings.  This sure made him proud!!

Don was predeceased by his parents, Fred and Gladys Manger; son, Donny Manger; daughter-in-law, Sheila Manger.

Don is survived by his wife, Sony; daughter, Kathy Reumann, Rock Island, IL; sons, Bill (Bonita) Manger, Vermillion, SD; Steve (Jessica) Manger, Kennebec, SD; sister, Betty Ness, Rapid City, SD; nine grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

******************PLEASE NOTE THE DATE OF SERVICES*****************

Funeral services will commence at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 28, 202 2 , at the Kennebec Elementary Gymnasium, with burial in the Kennebec Cemetery.  Visitation will be held Tuesday, December 27 at 5 p.m., with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service, at the Kennebec Elementary Gymnasium in Kennebec, SD.