Kim Hakl

Kim Wayne Joseph Hakl, born August 21, 1953, peacefully passed away at his home on February 21, 2025 in Tripp, South Dakota. Kim was a son to Richard and Delores Hakl of Lake Andes, SD. He attended Lake Andes public school K-12 and graduated with the Class of 1972. During his early years he became an avid reader, served as altar boy in the Catholic Church, was in Cub and Boy Scouts, entered in the local Fish Day parades, mentored four younger brothers and sisters, had a Sioux Falls Argus Leader newspaper route, attained senior life-saving skills at the swimming pool, fixed bicycles, collected comic books and challenged chess, cards and board games while learning to hunt and fish. During the later years, he participated in band, chorus, football, track and field teams, wrestling, picked up an interest in motorcycles, was infatuated with reading everything, music to master any drum set, pinball machine and foosball table, if he wasn’t lending a hand at the Hakl Trucking shop or grandparents’ farms.

After graduation, he chose the U.S. Army for his armed service draft, boot camped at Fort Leonard Wood Missouri, served abroad in South Korea and Germany, followed by stateside duty in New Jersey throughout the four years, all of which enriched his microwave knowledge and endless stories. He later reenlisted for 2 more years in the Army and served in Colorado Springs, CO where he got to experience a multiple launch systems exercise. 

Throughout his life he continued his education in Springfield, SD and earned an electrician’s degree in Canby Minnesota, was blessed with a daughter, Vanessa in 1979 and grandson, Cole in 2000 while working numerous jobs in numerous locations. They included Wyoming oil rig drilling, Arizona copy machine mechanics, the Kim Hakl Chimney Sweep business in Minnesota, employment with Boise Cascade paper mill in Minnesota, and one of Interstates Inc. employees filling electrician jobs nationwide. Alaska was missing from his resume but his nephew, Eric drove him through Canada to get there.

In 2012 Kim retired in a place with four seasons and moderate weather, Tripp, SD where he purchased a portable saw mill and took up milling wood along the Missouri River during the summer, burning some of it in the winter. He was entertained by the modern technologies of a cell phone and surfing the internet.

Kim is survived by his daughter, Vanessa Hakl; grandson, Cole Frahm; sister, Mary Beth Hakl; brother, Bob (Marilyn) Hakl; uncles, Gordon (Phyllis) Bouza and Larry (Arlene) Bouza; aunt, Sue Bouza; nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. 

Kim was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents, George and Tillie Hakl and Gordon and Anna Bouza; brother, Mark Hakl; sister, Judy Hakl; uncle, Duane Bouza; uncle and aunt, Ray and Mary Bouza; aunts, Connie Bouza and Jean Bouza and great-nephew, Ayden James Kniffen. 

A Celebration of Life and Veteran ceremony will be held for Kim on March 15, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. in the Tripp Fire Station Hall with a luncheon to follow. Inurnment will take place at a later date. Condolences may be sent to PO Box 726, Lake Andes, SD 57356.