Dana Lyle Peep, 81, Spearfish, died Sunday, October 3, 2010 at the Sturgis Regional Health Care Center.

Memorial services will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday, October 7, 2010 at the Mt. View Baptist Church in Spearfish.

A memorial has been established to the Hospice of the Northern Hills.

Dana was born March 9, 1929 at Aberdeen , SD, to Charles "Lynn" and Florence E. (Hughey) Peep. He grew up on the family farm near Gettysburg. He enrolled in college at Ames, IA before enlisting in the Air Force.

Dana married Nita LaNelle Batey at San Angelo, TX, on December 22, 1952.

Dana was a jet pilot over Korea. Following his honorable discharge he returned to the farm for a short time. The family moved to Chadron, NE where Dana managed the municipal airport. The family also owned and operated Peep Aerial Spraying. Dana also found time to graduate from Chadron State College. He taught high school English at Oelrichs, SD. The family moved to Alexandria, SD where Dana taught English for one year. They moved to Pierre in 1966 and Dana worked for the Department of Social Services until 1971. They moved to Spearfish and Dana accepted a position with the federal government in Kansas City. As soon as Nita finished her degree she joined him in Kansas City. In 1978 they returned to South Dakota and settled into their home in Boulder Canyon. Dana worked for the State of South Dakota as an investigator for unemployment insurance until retiring in 1992.

He spent his retirement with the grandkids, camping, hiking, fishing and boating. Dana and Nita enjoyed the snowbird life and travelling. Dana liked flea markets and collecting old knives. Dana was a member of the Elks, American Legion, VFW and the Sturgis United Methodist Church. He attended the Methodist Church in Spearfish.

In recent years the couple moved to Spearfish in order to be closer to family.

Survivors include his wife, LaNell Peep of Spearfish; sons, Stephen (Nancy) Peep of Spearfish and Clif (Laurie) Mason of Bellevue, NE; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Albert and Charles.