RAPID CITY - After a very short battle with cancer, David Charles Becht, 76, passed on to a peaceful, pain free place on April 7, 2010, with his wife and children by his side. David Charles Becht was born May 17, 1933, in Bradley, South Dakota. David was the third child out of seven born to Florence and Charles Becht. David graduated from St. Martin's Academy in Sturgis, in 1952. He attended one year at SDSU in Brookings, S.D., in a pharmaceutical degree. He then worked in Fremont, Neb., at the ammunition plant, where he met and married Rita Katherine Jindra. David and Rita were married Nov. 10, 1954, in David City, Neb. He joined the U.S. Army in 1954, spending a short term in France. David received an honorable discharge in 1956. David then attended Dunwoody Technical Institute in Minneapolis, where he received his refrigeration degree. After moving to Rapid City in 1959, David worked at Larkin and Jones appliance store for 23 years. After retirement, David and Rita bought the Longhorn Motel in Rapid City, which they owned and operated for nine years. David was a member of the Cathedral Parish, president of the alumni at St. Martin's Academy, past president of Council 1489 of the Cathedral Parish, past faithful navigator of 1075 4th Degree Knights of Columbus, past president of the school board at (Perpetual Help School) St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School, and past president of the morning optimist club. David and Rita were married 54 years and to that union 10 children were born: Katherine Hadd, Deb Hagen, Michael (Sue) Becht, Rita (Doug) Kaufman, Nancy Northcutt and Linda Schoenfelder, all of Rapid City, and Barbara (Robert) Brown and Judy (Kevin) Froese, Colorado; 20 grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; six stepgreat-grandchildren; one brother, Roger (Jenne), Spearfish; and two sisters, Marilyn (Lee), Schoenrock, Minn., and Lois (Jerry), Harkennder, Tenn. David is preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Florence (Bestadeau) Becht; sisters, Mildred Becht (infant), and Elizabeth "Betty" Selenski; brother, Fr. James Becht; and sons, David Joseph and James Allen. Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., with a Christian wake service at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 11, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Monday, April 12, at the Cathedral, with the Rev. Michel Mulloy officiating. Burial, with military honors provided by Rushmore VFW Post 1273 and the South Dakota Army National Guard, will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help or Hospice of the Hills.