Arthur Henry DeKnikker, 79, Faith, died on Friday, March 28, 2014, at Hettinger West River Health Services.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 1, 2014, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at Kinkade Funeral Chapel.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00am on Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at Faith Community Legion Hall with Pastor Harold Delbridge officiating. Burial will follow at Bear Butte Cemetery in Sturgis.

Art was born September 7, 1934 at Pringle, SD the 5th of 11 children born to Adrian and Dorothy (Durston) DeKnikker. His father immigrated to the US from Holland in the early 1900's.

At age 13, after completing 8th grade, Art was urged, as his older brothers had been, to set out on his own to seek work from someone who would provide room and board as it was getting more difficult to provide for the growing family. Art jumped in the back of a family friend's truck box and landed in the Philip area. Soon thereafter, his parents packed up the younger siblings and moved to Florida. Art worked on ranches around both the Philip and Faith areas. When the opportunity arose, he took work on a fencing crew, building fences along the state highways. He later took a full time position with the State of SD doing highway maintenance and driving snowplow for the next 43 years.

Art married his love and perfect companion, Cleo Collins, on June 7, 1955. Four children were born to them: Susan Arlene in 1956, Stuart Arthur in 1957, Debora Lynn in 1960 and Danny Lee in 1962. Art and Cleo spent nearly sixty years sharing their love for the outdoors, fishing, hunting, gardening, working together on projects and raising family. Art loved to help with ranch work and also mechanic on vehicles. Probably most notable was his passion for fishing and the big, beautiful garden he raised every year. There was not a weed to be found and each plant was treated with tender loving care. He had great luck raising things like peach and cherry trees and asparagus that would challenge the greenest of thumbs.

Art had a natural thirst for knowledge and academics from a young age. As a 5th grader, he won his way to the State Spelling Bee. Having been unable to attend high school, he often sat down with the kids' textbooks that they brought home from school and would read an entire textbook in a night. To the point, they joke, that they had a hard time pulling it away long enough to do their homework. Art was awarded a GED the same year as his oldest daughter graduated from high school in 1974.

A few trademarks that many people associate with Art is Velvet tobacco and the "roll your own" cigarettes he smoked for many years, the silver dollar belt buckle Cleo gave him as a wedding gift that he wore every day, and his appreciation for Chevy pickups and an ice cold Old Milwaukee.

Art will be remembered as a kind, gentle man who never had a bad word to say. He lived a life full of contentment. He worked hard his entire life and appreciated everything he had. He loved his life, his family and friends more than words can describe, and the beauty of God's creations.

Art dealt with diabetes & Parkinson's disease for many years, but he never complained. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer 2 months ago, which ultimately took him from this life.

Grateful for each day with him and keeping his memory close are his loving and devoted wife of 58 years and 9 months, Cleo, his daughters, Susan (Jess) Carmichael and Debora Wicks; son, Danny (Sharon) DeKnikker; daughter-in-law, Barbara DeKnikker; brothers, Ed (Lillian), Albert (Marie), and Lester (Cheryl) DeKnikker; sisters, Bonnie Wilson and Esther DeKnikker; brothers-in-law, James (Linda) and Robert (Jennie) Collins; grandchildren, Carrie, Colette, Kyle, Kelly Chaundra, Josh, Kendra, Rollie, Jackie, Randie, Lorrie, Lacey, Lee, Annie, Rick, Rodney, Vickie and Royce; 30 great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

Preceding Art in death were his parents, Adrian and Dorothy DeKnikker; Cleo's parents, Leo and Irna Collins; son, Stuart DeKnikker; son-in-law, Tom Wicks; brothers, Gene, Jim and Guy DeKnikker; and sisters, Josephine Cooley and Caroline Hughes.

A memorial has been established.