Bennie "Ben" Otis Spring, 98, passed away peacefully at The Hospice House in Rapid City, SD, on July 2,2023. He was born at the family homestead in Custer County, SD, on December 28,1924, to Frank Spring and Beatha (Kost) Spring. He joined his sister, Carol and brother, Theodore "Ted" and several years later they were joined with a sister, Hazel. Their father passed away in 1937, leaving their mother, Beatha to care for and raise the family.

Bennie attended the one room school, Fairview, through the 8th grade which was located about a mile from their home. He enjoyed the outdoors and loved to go fishing, hunting, and the ranching life.

At a young age he and his brother, Theodore, would take off and go to their favorite fishing hole and on one occasion they were not alone as President Collidge was there fishing and the security told them that they would have to leave, but the president said they could fish with him.

He and his mother, Beatha, continued to work and care for the Spring Ranch till her death in 1987. His love for his Hereford cow/calf herd which he would show at the Custer County Fair at Hermosa and also when he would sell them at the auction. He loved the springtime as he fed and attended his cattle during calving and loved watching the young baby calves.

He loved hunting with a bow and/or a rifle and spent time with family, friends, and neighbor's deer and elk hunting and they have many fond memories to tell. He also was so very proud of his archery trophy deer he harvested and mounted.

He is survived by sister in law, Kathryn Spring of Union Center SD; nieces and nephews, Charles (Claireen) Spring of Union Center, SD, Shirley (Gary) Baker of Enning, SD, Glen Spring of Union Center, SD, Susan  (Norman) Delbridge of Faith, SD, Janice (Paul) Nelsen of Faribault, MN, Harry (Joan) Hoover of Sandy, UT, Ruth Cook of Charlotte, NC, Mary (Roger) Hendrick of Opp, AL, Rebecca (Stephen) Ashbridge of Blythewood, SC, Barbara Jensen of Nisland, SD, and Andrew Jensen of Vale, SD; special friends, Jodi and Richard Dusenbury of Hermosa, SD; cousins, and many great-nieces, and great-nephews and their families.

Preceded him in death were his parents, Frank and Beatha Spring, sister, Carol and brother-in-law, Don Hoover, brother, Theodore "Ted" Spring, sister, Hazel (Frank) Jensen, niece in law, Robbin Spring, nephew in law, David Cook.

Visitation will be 5-7 pm on Sunday, July 9, 2023, at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis, SD.

Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m. on Monday, July 10, 2023, at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Hermosa, SD. Interment will follow at the Highland Park Cemetery in Hermosa, SD.

A memorial has been established for the Foundation of the Blind, and the Highland Park Cemetery fund.

Service may be Livestreamed at www.kinkadefunerals.com and: www.facebook.com/OSLHermosa www.youtube.com/TheOSLHermosa

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