Alonzo "Al" Roy Stover, 83, of Redfield, SD, passed away on Friday, August 30, 2024, at Community Memorial Hospital Avera in Redfield.

   Visitation will be from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 6, at Hyke Funeral Home in Redfield. 

   Al's funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 7, at the Redfield Methodist Church in Redfield with Pastor Melissa Rowenhorst officiating.  Inurnment, with military honors, will follow at the Ashton Cemetery in Ashton, SD.  Lunch and fellowship will follow in the church hall. 

   Hyke Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements (www.hykefuneralhome.com).

   Al was born in Aberdeen, SD on February 28, 1941, to Roy and Carolyn (Beardemphl) Stover.  He grew up on a ranch in Leola, SD, where he rode a horse to school.  They then moved to Ashton where he attended school through his sophomore year.  When Ashton School closed, he then attended Northwestern High School in Northville, SD, where he met the love of his life, Connie Peterson.  He participated in football, basketball, baseball, and choir. 

   After high school, he attended SDSU and NSU before joining the National Guard.  He was full-time Guards for 28 years.  His time in the Guards took him all over the nation – Alaska, Oklahoma, Colorado, Minnesota, and South Dakota, where he shared his knowledge and trained new recruits and officers.  He obtained the rank of Captain.

   In December of 1961, he and Connie were married.  Lonni joined them in 1964 and Lana in 1966.  Al also worked various jobs including working with his father at Stover Livestock, owning Al Stover Trucking, car salesman, Monzel Distributing, Porter Signs, Peterson Grain, and owner of the Northville Sports Spot Bar and Grill. 

    Al had many accomplishments.  As a high schooler, he earned his Eagle Scout rank.  He was also a local, state, and national leader in the Jaycee’s.  He obtained his Senatorship as a lifelong member of the SD Jaycee’s. 

   In his pastime he enjoyed buying and selling cattle, golfing, coffee with his buddies at Appel Oil, watching the Twins & Kansas Jayhawk Basketball, old westerns, and most importantly his grandkids.  Some of his highlights were splurge spending such as a “Smokey and the Bandit” Trans-AM, conversion vans for family vacations, and an orange Firebird for Con.  He rarely missed any of his grandchildren’s sporting events and would brag them up to any and all who would listen.  Win or lose, in his eyes, they were always the BEST!

   In his later years, Parkinson’s took over his body, but he remained strong and positive. He loved to reminisce about the old days right up to the end.

   Al lived a great life and definitely got the most out of it!!!  He is loved and will be greatly missed by all that knew him. 

   He is preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Carolyn Stover and in-laws Hubert and Bonnie Peterson; and brother-in-law and sister-in-law Ken and Linda Peterson.  He is survived by his wife, Connie of Redfield; son Lonni (Brenda) Stover of Redfield; daughter Lana (Brian) Holland of Webster, SD; grandchildren – Haley (Tyson) Zemlicka of Watertown, SD; Kyle (Macy) Stover of Redfield; Chandler (Kalli) Holland of Sioux Falls, SD; and Braden Holland of Brookings, SD; great-grandchildren Layla, Lettie, and Luxton Zemlicka; brother-in-law Kim Peterson of Northville, and many nieces and nephews.