Howard Knuppe

Howard Lesley Knuppe was born October 24, 1944, in Rapid City, South Dakota to William and Mathe (Kring) Knuppe. He grew up on a farm/ranch northeast of New Underwood, attended New Underwood School for 12 years, graduating in 1962. After graduation he attended South Dakota State University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science with an option in Production.

Howard was united in marriage to Delores Tisdale on August 29, 1965, prior to their junior year of college. Their daughter, Pamela, was born while they were at SDSU. Following college, Howard worked for South Dakota Extension Services as a County Agent for Haakon, Jackson, and Washabaugh counties from 1967-1973. Their son, Scott, was born while they lived in Philip. During this time, the family travelled to the ranch at New Underwood most weekends to help his parents with the ranching.

In 1973 Howard’s parents decided to move off the ranch, so Howard and Delores moved the family back to New Underwood. Their youngest daughter, Carmen, joined the family in 1976.

Howard farmed crops of wheat and oats, and raised hogs and registered Hereford cattle. A lot of family time was spent horseback, riding horses that were broke and trained by Howard. During the lean years, Howard cut costs by doing his own veterinarian work; performing C-Sections and sewing up prolapsed cows. He also gelded his own horses when needed. Howard, along with his dad and his brothers, spent many years helping each other out during harvest and working cattle together.

Throughout his life, Howard also measured grain bins for the ASCS, served on the Pennington County Crop Improvement Association, weighed cattle for production records, and taught Vocational Agriculture classes at New Underwood High School for a year. Howard was a member of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, R-Calf, the American Hereford Association and the American Quarter Horse Association. Over time, his ag operation changed to mainly raising Hereford/Black Angus cross cattle and putting up hay. He didn’t believe in retirement and continued to ranch until his move to the Good Samaritan Center in the fall of 2025.

Howard was on the West River Electric Board of Directors for 36 years, retiring in 2024. He was a member of the New Underwood Congregational Church, was a 4-H project leader and served on the New Underwood School Board. He received an FFA Honorary Chapter Farmer Award, a Soil and Moisture Conservation Achievement award from the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce in 1982, and an Outstanding Farmstead Beautification award from the Pennington County Conservation District in 2000.

Howard loved to joke around with and pick on the people he cared about. You didn’t want to be within an arm’s length of him when he asked, “Did I ever show you where the horse bit me?” He spent a lot of time in the bleachers cheering on his children and grandchildren (and the officials) at their sporting events. Howard showed cattle and hogs as a kid at the county fair and Western Junior Livestock Show and he enjoyed having most of his children and grandchildren show cattle there, too.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Delores; three children Pamela (Travis) DeJong of Philip, Scott (Triscell) Knuppe of New Underwood, and Carmen (John) Safstrom of Allen, TX; nine grandchildren: Patrick Knuppe, Chanel Sasse (Maxwell), Tawnie (Kane) Austin, Trey (Hannah) DeJong, Tate (Marlee) DeJong, Peyton DeJong, Trew (Rylie) DeJong, Boden Safstrom and Berkeley Safstrom; six and half-great-grandchildren: Juniper, Violet, Holland, Leopold, Judge and Wesley; two brothers: Ray (Shirley) Knuppe and Carl (Judy) Knuppe; brother in laws: Jack Tisdale, Fred (MaryLee) Tisdale, and James Tisdale; one sister in law: Shirley Tisdale; his good friend Jerry Hammerquist, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Howard was preceded in death by his parents; an infant brother, Dale; his sister, Elaine (Knuppe) Tisdale, and sister-in-law, Judith Tisdale.

A visitation will be held from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, November 6, 2026 at the Rush Funeral Chapel in Wall.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, 2026 with a visitation starting at 12:30 p.m. at the Wicksville Community Church.

Interment will follow at the New Underwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers memorial money will be donated to the Wicksville Community Church and New Underwood Fire Department.

Service Details

VISITATION
Friday, November 6, 2026 - 4-6 p.m.
Rush Funeral Chapel
Wall, South Dakota

FUNERAL SERVICE
Saturday, November 7, 2026 - 2:00 p.m.
Wicksville Community Church
Wicksville, South Dakota

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