RAPID CITY- Darell "Pete" G. Eich passed away September 17, 2019, at the age of 90.

He was born January 4, 1929 in Canova, SD and grew up on the farm in neighboring Epiphany.  He served in the U.S. Army from 1951 thru 1953 during the Korean War.  In June of 1954, he married Shirley Schmitt, and they happily shared over 65 years of marriage.

Pete left farming and the construction business in 1960 and moved his family to Rapid City.  He embarked on a career as a mechanic and welder.  He was branch manager of Ditch Witch of SD for 16 years before retiring in 1994.

In his retirement years, he loved time with his grandchildren, woodworking, gardening, collecting and restoring toy tractors, and he always had a love for the outdoors and of course baseball.  Some may still be enjoying the drink holders he made for the Post 22 stadium!  His roots were as a farmer, and that was always close at heart.

Pete was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers.  He is survived by his wife Shirley, son Dale(Katrina) Eich of Snellville, GA;  three grandchildren, Adam(Mary) Eich of Hoschton, GA, Trevor(Jessica) Eich of Nashville, TN, and Jourdan Eich of Macon, GA; three great-grandchildren, Addison, Owen and Avery Eich; sister Merleen Duxbury of Howard, SD; and brother Glenn(Peggy) Eich of  Sioux Falls, SD, and numerous sisters in laws, nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, September 22, 2019, with Wake service at 6 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Church.  Christian Funeral Mass will be offered at 11 a.m. on Monday, September 23, 2019 at the church with a luncheon to follow.

Interment will be at 2:30 p.m. at the Black Hills National Cemetery with military honors rendered by the VFW Post 1273 and the South Dakota Army National Guard.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be given to the Frank & Nettie Schmitt Endowed Scholarship, Mount Marty College, 1105 W. 8 ^th St., Yankton, SD 57078 or The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 4550 Montgomery Ave., Ste. 1100N, Bethesda, MD 20814.