Dennis John Ahrendt longtime resident of Humboldt, SD passed away on September 11, 2024 at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, SD, with his family by his side. He was 72.

Visitation with the family present to greet friends will be from 5:00 – 7:00 pm with a 7:00 pm Prayer Service on Monday, September 16 at Miller Funeral Home Hartford Chapel, 600 S. Western Ave., Hartford, SD.

Funeral Service will be 10:30 am Tuesday, September 17, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 209 W. 2nd Ave., Humboldt, SD with interment at the South Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Sioux Falls, SD.

Dennis was born November 4, 1951, in Sioux Falls, SD to Walter and Magdalen (Spielmann) Ahrendt. He received his early education at Ginsbach Country School and later graduated from West Central High School in 1969. Following high school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served in multiple locations during the Vietnam War. He was honorably discharged in 1973. He then attended South Dakota State University briefly before obtaining his Associates Degree from National College of Business in Sioux Falls, SD. He worked at Lakeside Dairy prior to beginning his longtime employment at John Morrell and Company in 1977. He was an exceptional mechanic and later became a forklift driver at John Morrell.

On May 10, 1975, he married the love of his life, Diane Munce, in Hartford, SD. The couple would later purchase a plot of land near Humboldt, SD where Dennis would transform an alfalfa field to his own canvas. He and Diane were very proud parents to their four children. Dennis retired after over 40 years at John Morrell in 2020. He would continue to be very active with his maintenance job of overseeing several strip malls in Sioux Falls.

Dennis was a longtime member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Humboldt, SD and was very active with the church board, even to the time of his death. Dennis was a person of principle and tried to do the right thing in everything. He was very steadfast in his faith.

Dennis loved staying busy and making people laugh. He would love to tell Ole and Lena jokes among numerous other jokes. Throughout his life he was an avid Minnesota Vikings fan. Dennis was happiest when he could brighten someone's day. His talents were endless, there wasn't anything that Dennis could not do with his hands and his mind. He had a lifelong passion of animals and it was evident with his array of animals at the acreage. He was very proud of his peacocks, red/yellow golden pheasants, quail, sheep and his horse Lucky. He is dearly missed by his longtime companion Blaze, a black lab. He loved spending time with his family and especially enjoyed the times he had with his grandkids.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Diane; daughter, Michelle Sheaffer (Matthew), Sioux Falls, SD; sons, Brooks Ahrendt, Wentworth, SD, Tyler Ahrendt (Min), Bellingham, WA, Dustin Ahrendt, Box Elder, SD; 6 grandchildren, Ian Sheaffer, Jaxon Sheaffer, Isaac Sheaffer, Carter Ahrendt, Payton Ahrendt, Isabelle Ahrendt; brothers, Wally Ahrendt(Brenda), Sioux Falls, SD, Tom Ahrendt (Patty), Hartford, SD, Jim Ahrendt (Claudia), Sioux Falls, SD, Dean Ahrendt (Therese), Hartford, SD.

He was preceded in death by his parents.