PIPESTONE, Minn. — David “Dave” Matthew Lammers died peacefully May 26, 2023, at the Good Samaritan Communities, Pipestone, at the age of 79.

Dave was born March 23, 1944, to Louis Henry and Ida Anne (Sorensen) Lammers in Yankton, S.D. Throughout his childhood, Dave grew up in Hartington, enjoying the outdoors and sports, especially football, basketball and track. Dave graduated from Cedar Catholic High School, Hartington, in 1962. After graduation he attended college at Creighton University, Omaha. Between his junior and senior year of college, he backpacked through Europe for a summer, graduating in 1966 with his bachelor’s degree. He then pursued his master’s degree in speech-language pathology at the University of Nebraska- Omaha. While in graduate school he belonged to the National Teachers Corp and spent one year teaching on the Omaha Indian Reservation, Macy, where he met the love of his life, Sherie May Tippetts, who was also teaching at the reservation. The young couple married in Las Vegas, Nevada,, in 1967. Dave finished his master’s program in 1968, before moving to Pipestone, Minn., where he had been offered a position with the South West/West Central Service Cooperative as a speech-language pathologist. Dave continued working for SW/WC for the next 42 years, eventually becoming Director of Special Education. He truly enjoyed helping children and families during his long employment finally retiring in 2010.

Dave’s true pride and joy was his family. He and Sherie raised 11 children on their acreage just outside of Pipestone. They did much of the remodeling, landscaping and additions to the house themselves with the generous help of their children.

Dave loved animals and enjoyed having a variety of pets living at their home, especially his beloved English Springer Spaniel, Molly Jo.

Dave was a member of St. Leo Catholic Church, Pipestone, where he served for a number of years on the parish council. He was an involved community member and passionate about education, serving as the chairman of the community group that helped bring a new Middle/High school to Pipestone. He also was a member of the Pipestone Ambulance Association and started the Hiawatha Manor in Pipestone which serves adults with special needs.

Dave enjoyed woodworking, fishing with the grandkids, pheasant hunting, visiting with family and cheering on the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Minnesota Vikings, and following the Pipestone Arrows sports teams.

Dave is survived by his loving wife, Sherie; children, David (Essie) Lammers, Aynor, S.C.; Kris (Tom) Ploeger, Pipestone, Minn.; Mindy (Rob) Butman, Denver, Colo.; Amy (Mike) Dendy, Sallisaw, Okla.; Ana (Jason) Mitchell, Cedar Hills, Utah; Mari (Mike) Joyce, St. Petersburg, Fla.; Kami (Dave) Peterson, Nampa, Idaho; Kari (Rob) Clark, Round Rock, Texas; Jon (Hannah) Lammers, Somerset, Wis.; Lindsey (JJ) Melton, St. George, Utah; and Jamison Lammers, Denver, Colo.; grandchildren, Matthew (Amanda), Hillary (Justin), Mary Hannah (Isaiah), Avery (Nikki), Coby (Ashlyn), Garrett, Luke, Austin (Katie), McKindra (Taylor), Meg, Ellie, Grant, Michael (Karen), Alta, Ace, Afton, Adlee, Lexi (Nick), Abby (Brody), Briggs, Stratton, Stella, Dodge, Gavin, Noah, Autumn, Maylee, Theo, Hayden, Ana, Sheyly, Sophie, Dax, Teegan, Kyson, Bentley, Trey, Roe and Duke; great-grandchildren, Jayce, Eden, Piper, Luke, Caleb, Benjamin, Brooks, Paislee, Beckham, Kaya, Crew, Jaime, Alex, Ema and Azariah; and one sister, Mary (Pat) Rowan, Lincoln.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Charlene (Joe) Kohoutek; brother, John Lammers; grandson, Daschel Joyce; and greatgrandson, Sawyer Costin.