Dwight Leonard Dexter, 74 years old, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, passed away quietly at his home with his wife, daughter, and son in law present.

Dwight was born on August 4, 1951, to Keith Leonard Dexter and Eleanor (Hope) Esry Dexter at the Fort Sam Houston, Brooks General Hospital in San Antonio, Texas.  He, along with his older brother Michael, made the Dexter Family.  Dwight's Father was discharged from the military when Dwight was 2 years of age, and the family moved back to the Missouri/Kansas area. The family were avid water skiers, musically inclined, and educationally motivated.  Dwight's love of books was instilled early in life as he and Michael attended University Classes, with his father "babysitting "while Dad finished his degree.

This passion of reading was ever present in his life until the end.  His interests were broad, but nonfiction on history, biographies, politics, economics, philosophy, and business were his draw.

Dwight was a man of many varied interests, and if he embraced a topic, it was researched and studied to the fullest. He was a true Patriot and extremely proud of his heritage.  He was a descendant of the Mayflower and the first Grist Mills; The Thomas Dexter and the Nye Mills are still present on Cape Cod today. Fourteen of his family members fought in the American Revolution, with many more defending this new nation in every conflict since.  Dwight's Genealogy Research was extensive, and he often assisted others with their research. Dwight was a member of the Dakota Society Son's of the American Revolution.

Dwight graduated from Floodwood High School in Floodwood, Minnesota.  His father was Principal/Superintendent at the time.  He entered the United States Navy Submarine Force and began Boot Camp at the Great Lakes Naval Base.  He was selected to be a member of the Blue Jackets Choir.  He attended Nuclear Propulsion Training at Mare Island, Treasure Island in California, and Sub School in New London, Connecticut.  He was assigned as a Machinist Mate MM2/SS in the engine room to the USS Tiru (SS416) where he honed his engineering skills, learned to work as a team, and developed a "Band of Brotherhood" that lasts until this day.

On July 10, 1971, Dwight married his senior in high school sweetheart, Donna Snyder, in Floodwood, Minnesota. Donna joined Dwight in Charleston, South Carolina, his base assignment at the time until Dwight's Honorable Discharge in June of 1973.  The couple returned to the Minneapolis Area, where Dwight attained his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Minnesota College of Forestry.

He would later earn a Master's Degree from Keller Graduate School of Management in Chicago, Illinois. Dwight was also a Certified Trainer from the TWI Institute.

Dwight excelled in the areas of Forest Products, Production Management, Sales and Marketing, Manufacturing, and leadership.  Dwight and Donna lived not only in Charleston and Minneapolis, but in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Wheaton, Illinois, Columbus, Ohio, and Sioux Falls. In all these cities, Dwight helped to grow production, sales, and profitability for the companies he was employed by.  At the end of his career, Dwight worked as a Management Consultant out of a company in Chicago.  He loved taking underachieving companies and turning them around to be profitable.

Dwight was a man of faith reading daily scripture.  He was a member of the York Lodge in Columbus, Ohio, and the El Riad Shrine in Sioux Falls.

Dwight loved his many accomplished friends, including those in his Pi Society that he helped to originate in Sioux Falls.  They not only would debate, create, instigate, and study, but they would also eat pie!

Dwight and Donna raised one daughter, the love of his life, born 5/6/78!  Elizabeth Terese Perian now lives in Leesburg, Virginia, with her husband Brian.

Dwight is preceded in death by his parents and brother.  He leaves Donna, Elizabeth, Brian, Aunt Janet, Uncle Dale, and Aunt Shirley, many nieces, and nephews as his legacy.

Visitation will begin at 5:00 pm, with a Masonic Service beginning at 6:00 pm, on Friday, June 26, 2026, at Miller Funeral Home Downtown Chapel, 507 South Main Avenue, in Sioux Falls, SD.