The Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial was built to honor all firefighters that have died in the line of duty. The Memorial is engraved with the names of all Firefighters who have died in the Line of Duty protecting the people and property of South Dakota. An annual memorial service is held every fall (late September/early October), most generally the weekend prior to the start of National Fire Prevention Week. Please see our event calendar on the home page for details.
If you would like to make a donation to the South Dakota Fallen Firefighter Memorial Fund, please contact the SDFA Treasurer at sec@sdfirefighters.org
All Funds Donated to the Memorial Fund are used specifically for the ongoing upkeep, maintenance, engraving and future expansion of the Memorial.
South Dakota Firefighters Who Have Made the Supreme Sacrifice
| Name | Agency | Last Call |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Babue | Rapid City Fire Department | 06/19/1924 |
| Jim Thompson | Rapid City Fire Department | 04/19/1929 |
| Ervin Voegele | Civilian Conservation Corp. | 07/12/1939 |
| Alex Kiesz | Bowdle Volunteer Fire Department | 12/09/1941 |
| William Earl Burd | Martin Volunteer Fire Department | 09/25/1949 |
| Ellsworth Gussler | Miller Volunteer Fire Department | 08/25/1957 |
| Seigfried Hoogestraat | Miller Volunteer Fire Department | 08/25/1957 |
| Merle Juhl | Miller Volunteer Fire Department | 09/06/1957 |
| Lyle Haigh | Miller Volunteer Fire Department | 09/12/1957 |
| Ernest Watson | McIntosh Volunteer Fire Department | 08/24/1959 |
| Tom C. Masters | Sioux Falls Fire Department | 03/29/1960 |
| Oscar Pearson | Brandon Volunteer Fire Department | 12/15/1964 |
| John J. Korpi | Lead Fire Department | 06/12/1966 |
| Charles E. Larson | Sioux Falls Fire Department | 07/29/1967 |
| Leonard Evans | Rapid City Fire Department | 12/18/1968 |
| Elmer Pontius | Deadwood Volunteer Fire Department | 07/01/1969 |
| Robert Stephens | Rapid City Fire Department | 07/01/1970 |
| George Carter | Rapid City Fire Department | 06/09/1972 |
| George Sumners | Rapid City Fire Department | 06/09/1972 |
| Henry Tank | Rapid City Fire Department | 06/09/1972 |
| William H. Walker | State Fire Marshal | 06/15/1972 |
| Donald Marso | Pierre Volunteer Fire Department | 08/12/1978 |
| Marvin Willey | Rapid City Fire Department | 12/19/1980 |
| Richard McDonald | Rapid City Fire Department | 03/10/1988 |
| Wayne Schlosser | Timber Lake Volunteer Fire Department | 04/06/1988 |
| Curtis Dean Mikkelsen | Hurley Volunteer Fire Department | 01/12/1991 |
| Robert Buhler | Delmont Volunteer Fire Department | 03/16/2000 |
| Dave Martin | Opal Volunteer Fire Department | 08/06/2002 |
| Roger McMillin | Martin Volunteer Fire Department | 09/10/2002 |
| Nathan Hamro | Renner Volunteer Fire Department | 07/11/2003 |
| Donald E. DeVries | Belvidere Volunteer Fire Department | 07/17/2005 |
| Jerald “Jerry” Martinez | US Forest Service | 07/18/2005 |
| Thomas “Emmett” Kuehl | Elkton Volunteer Fire Department |
04/08/2006 |
| Leon James Lehmen | Cleghorn Canyon Volunteer Fire Department |
12/26/1981 |
| Trampus Haskvitz | Hot Springs - SD Wildland Fire | 08/11/2011 |
| William Waldner | Sunset Hutterite Colony | 09/15/2011 |
| Jacob Waldner | Sunset Hutterite Colony | 09/15/2011 |
| Lt. Col. Paul Mikeal | North Carolina ANG | 07/01/2012 |
| Major Joseph McCormick | North Carolina ANG | 07/01/2012 |
| Major Ryan David | North Carolina ANG | 07/01/2012 |
| SMSgt Robert Cannon | North Carolina ANG | 07/01/2012 |
| Dale Englund | Stockholm Volunteer Fire Department | 03/05/1979 |
| Steven D. Ackerman | Valley Springs Volunteer Fire Department | 04/12/2015 |
| David J. Ruhl | Black Hills National Forest | 07/31/2015 |
| Donald “Donny” Manger | Presho Volunteer Fire Department |
10/14/2017 |
| Paul “David” Fischer | Sturgis Volunteer Fire Department | 09/07/2018 |
| Dwain Hudson | Argyle Volunteer Fire Department | 04/17/2019 |
| Archie Murphy | Civilian Conservation Corp. | 08/08/1936 |
| Fred Fedeler | Chester Volunteer Fire Department | 04/22/2023 |
| Joshua J. Kogel | Cavour Volunteer Fire Department | 09/04/2023 |
The memorial is located on the State Capitol grounds near Capitol Lake, sharing the same area as the Law Enforcement and EMS Memorials.
500 E Capitol Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501