Walter Andrew Wiedmann was born on a farm a few miles from Akaska, South Dakota, on October 21, 1929. He was the last of 11 children blessed to Ludwig and Katherine Wiedmann. It took Ludwig a couple of days to get to town and register the birth; therefore, it was officially listed as October 23, 1929, a date Walter contested in his later years.

Walter attended country school in the same area, but due to the depression and the family's need for all hands working, he graduated 8 ^th grade, but went no further. The next few years he spent farming with his brothers and trucking gravel for the county and state highway departments.

In 1949 he met his love, Rosella Richards, and they were married on November 5, 1950. Walter entered the US Army in February 1953 and was honorably discharged at the end of 1955.

Following his service in the US Army, he moved his young family to Chicago, Illinois, where he worked nights for a trucking company and attended autobody repair school during the day. Although jobs were plentiful and pay was excellent in Chicago, the lure of fresh air and wide-open space brought him back to South Dakota in 1960, settling in Sturgis. Again, he tried his hand at trucking gravel, but found it wasn't as lucrative as it had been in 1949. In 1961 he secured employment at Matkin's Motors, the Ford garage in Sturgis, working his way to service manager. In 1964 he convinced the owner, Betty Matkins, to add a body shop to her newly constructed building. Again, switching hats, he ran the new body shop until ownership of the Ford Garage changed hands in 1969. Walter, then, ventured out on his own operating Walt's Body Shop in three different locations in Sturgis over the next 23 years.

Walt retired in 1991 spending his time fishing, enjoying his grandchildren, and fixing anything his family needed repaired. He was always there for us, and he will be missed.

Walter passed away, peacefully, on November 10, 2022, at the Fort Meade Veteran's Hospital.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Rosella; all his siblings; and his grandson, Andrew Reed.

Survivors include his children, Ron (Gloria) Wiedmann, Debra (Frank) Reed, Melissa (Bradley) Austin; his grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be Monday, November 21, 2022, 1:00 p.m., at Kinkade Funeral Chapel, Sturgis, SD. Funeral services, with military honors, will follow at 2:00 p.m. Graveside services will take place at Bear Butte Cemetery, Sturgis, SD, following the funeral.

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