Rodger Rueb

Funeral services for Rodger Rueb were held on November 17, 2023, at Goglin Funeral Home in Yankton, SD, with Lorney Van Gerpen officiating. Interment was in the Tyndall Cemetery with military honors. Goglin Funeral Home in Yankton, SD, was in charge of arrangements. Rodger Harven Rueb was born July 27, 1945 in Avon, SD to Harven and Florance (Radack) Rueb. He grew up on a farm near Tyndall, SD and attended school in Tyndall. He enlisted in the Navy in November of 1963 and was stationed in San Diego, CA, for his basic training. He was on board the USS Cimmaron for two years and three months and went through three tours in Vietnam. Before embarking on his tours of duties overseas, he married Carol Ann Hejna on December 26, 1963. They have four children: Teresa, Todd, Troy, and Terry.

Rodger had many talents and an unbeatable work ethic. In his younger years, he owned bakeries, making pastries, birthday and wedding cakes. He also enjoyed farming and spent many hours in the barn, milking cows with Carol, and the boys by his side.

After selling the farm, he and Carol moved to Tyndall to the house that his parents had lived their last years together in. He spent the next chapter of his life working in the agriculture business. He was one of the best chemical applicators around. He and Carol moved to Yankton, and he then found his final true passion of driving semi-truck and making friends with every other trucker on the road. He’d be up in the middle of the night to make sure he would be the first in line and spent numerous hours making sure his truck and trailer were always clean.

Rodger enjoyed playing the accordion and had formed his own polka band, Rodger and the Czechers. They played in area towns and looked forward to their annual trip to Carroll, IA. He also enjoyed riding motorcycles and some of his best memories were trips to Sturgis and riding with his sons.

Rodger Rueb, age 78, died Sunday, November 12, 2023 at his home in Yankton.

He is survived by his wife Carol, of Yankton, SD; his children and their spouses: Teresa (Mark) House of Eagen, MN, Todd (Lori) Rueb of Gayville, SD, Troy (Brenda) Rueb of Yankton, SD and Terry (Tina) Rueb of Mission Hill, SD; 12 grandchildren, Tyler (Keiko) Hlavac, Timothy House, Tanner (Heidi Lillie) House, Alicia Sorenson, Zachary (Megan Haas) Rueb, Marisa (Adam) Thompson, Megan (Tyler) VanHeerde, Jordan Hauger, Jarett Rueb, Trevor (Vanessa) Rueb, Tristin (Chris Ballis) Rueb, and Taylor (Jared Steeneck) Rueb; 13 great-grandchildren; sisters, Karon (Duane) Jonas of Freeman, SD, and Sheila (Andrew) Van Maanen of Parker, CO; sister-in-law, Joyce (Duane) Sedlacek of Johnstown, NE; brother-in-law, Jim Hejna of Yankton, SD; and sister-in-law, Judy Rueb of Tyndall, SD.

Rodger was preceded in death by his parents Harven and Florance Rueb; brothers Dennis, Don and Robert Rueb; sister Barbara Young and in-laws Joe and Albina Hejna.