Gale E. Van Sickel "Jack" was born at Bixby, SD, on October 13, 1926, to Sadie (Joslin) and Roy Albert Van Sickel. Jack was the sixth child born to Sadie and Roy and there were Loyd, Aliyice, Roy Jr., twin sons, Kenneth , Calvin, Jack, twin girls, Arlene, and Darlene, who were adopted when Jack was 4 years old, by their Aunt in MN, Jack's mother Sadie died in childbirth when Jack was 4 years old and his Father, Roy, kept the family together until grown and all left the nest.
He grew up in the Opal, SD, area and graduated from Faith High School in 1945.
Jack was drafted into the Army with one of the largest drafts in Meade County in 1945 and served 18 months in the European Theater being discharged in 1946. On January 17, 1948, he married Norma Jean Palmer in Rapid City, SD. To this union 5 children were born. The first 10 years he worked in and around Faith, SD, area and then moving to Lead, SD, where he worked 6 years in the Homestake Gold Mine. He served in the National Guard's 147th Artillery Division in Deadwood, SD, and the 109th Battalion of Sturgis, after moving to Sturgis, SD. He owned and operated several gas stations and later worked at the Sturgis Hospital the Veterans Hospital at Fort Meade, SD, as an Aide and later transferred to Building Management, where he worked until health reasons forced him to retire. Later he and his wife, Jean traveled for several years back and forth until deciding to reside in Apache Junction, AZ. in 1989, later moving to Cottonwood, AZ, and he organized the Veterans VA Van where he volunteered driving the van to and from the hospitals for the Veterans in AZ.
He is a past member of the Elks Club, Moose Club the American Cancer Society, and is a lifetime member of the Sturgis VFW Club, American Legion Post 25 of Arizona and a member of the First United Methodist Church of Sturgis and Arizona also. Jack later became a member of the South Sturgis Church of Christ.
Gale Edward "Jack" Van Sickel, 93, of Sturgis died September 15, 2020, at Aspen Grove Assisted Living in Sturgis.
Jack is survived by his children, Galen Van Sickel, Aletha (Paul) Adcock, Hermosa, SD, Velta (Rich) Grosch, and Jerald "Jerry" Van Sickel, Sturgis, SD; 8 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Rose Marie (Pickles) Van Sickel, Darlene Keffeler; and several nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by wife, Norma Jean Van Sickel; his parents, his brothers and sisters, and a son, Terry Ray Van Sickel.
Jack is remembered as he liked to argue and was from the old school and a man of many words.
Private family graveside services will be at Black Hills National Cemetery with military honors.

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