Rodger Harven Rueb

Rodger Rueb, age 78, died Sunday, November 12, 2023 at his home in Yankton.

Visitation will be held 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday, November 16 at Goglin Funeral Home in Yankton. His funeral will begin at 10:30 a.m. Friday, November 17 at the funeral home, with Lorney Van Gerpen officiating. Interment, with military honors, will follow at the Tyndall Cemetery.

Rodger Harven Rueb was born July 27, 1945 in Avon, SD to Harven and Florance (Radack) Rueb.  He grew up on a farm near Tyndall, SD and attended school in Tyndall. He enlisted in the Navy in November of 1963 and was stationed in San Diego for his basic training. He was on board the USS Cimmaron for 2 years and 3 months and went through 3 tours of Vietnam. Before embarking on his tours of duties overseas, he married Carol Ann Hejna on December 26, 1963. They have 4 children, Teresa, Todd, Troy, and Terry.

Rodger had many talents and an unbeatable work ethic. In his younger years he owned numerous bakeries, making many pastries and memorable birthday and wedding cakes. His perfectionism made his work stand out above others. He also enjoyed farming and spent many hours in the barn, milking the cows with Carol and the boys by his side.

After selling the farm, he and Carol moved to Tyndall to the house that his parents had lived their last years together in. He spent the next chapter in his life working in the agriculture business, being one of the best chemical applicators around. He and Carol moved to Yankton, and he then found his final true passion of driving semi-truck and making friends with every other trucker on the road. He’d be up in the middle of the night to make sure he would be the first in line and spent numerous hours making sure his truck and trailer were always clean.

Rodger loved playing the accordion and had formed his own polka band, Rodger and the Czechers. They loved to play in area towns and looked forward to their annual trip to Carroll, IA. He also loved riding motorcycle and some of his best memories were trips to Sturgis and riding with his sons.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Carol of Yankton; his children and their spouses, Teresa (Mark) House of Eagen, MN, Todd (Lori) Rueb of Gayville, SD, Troy (Brenda) Rueb of Yankton, SD and Terry (Tina) Rueb of Mission Hill, SD; 12 grandchildren, Tyler (Keiko) Hlavac, Timothy House, Tanner (Heidi Lillie) House, Alicia Sorenson, Zachary (Megan Haas) Rueb, Marisa (Adam) Thompson, Megan (Tyler) VanHeerde, Jordan Hauger, Jarett Rueb, Trevor (Vanessa) Rueb, Tristin (Chris Ballis) Rueb, and Taylor (Jared Steeneck) Rueb; 13 great-grandchildren, Thomas Hlavac, Matthew House, Keddy and Kora Thompson, Reid Stephens, Tate and Jada VanHeerde, Owen and Carter Rueb, Liam and Charlie Rose Ballis, Paisley Rueb and Everlee Curtis.  He is also survived by his sisters, Karon (Duane) Jonas of Freeman, SD, and Sheila (Andrew) Van Maanen of Parker, CO; sister-in-law, Joyce (Duane) Sedlacek of Johnstown, NE; brother-in-law, Jim Hejna of Yankton, SD and sister-in-law, Judy Rueb of Tyndall, SD.

Rodger was preceded in death by his parents, Harven and Florance Rueb; brothers, Dennis, Don and Robert Rueb; sister, Barbara Young and in-laws, Joe and Albina Hejna.