Daniel J. Hepner

Daniel John Hepner, age 69, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, passed away on Sunday, June 21, 2026, while spending time at the lake surrounded by his wife, sons, and grandchildren. 

His Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, June 25, 2026 at George Boom Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory, Sioux Falls, SD with interment to follow at Hills of Rest Cemetery in Sioux Falls, SD. Daniel's family will be present to greet friends for visitation from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, also at the funeral home. 

Dan was born on April 27, 1957, in Chicago, Illinois, to Theodore and Agnes Hepner. The oldest of five children, he spent his childhood in both California and South Dakota. He had wonderful memories, made with his sisters and brother. He graduated from Lincoln High School in Sioux Falls before attending South Dakota State University, where he pursued his passions by majoring in art and minoring in history.

It was at SDSU that Dan met the love of his life, Carrie. Their first date was a duck hunt, where Carrie out-shot Dan and brought home the only duck of the day. They were married on June 14, 1980, and spent the next 46 years building a home and family together in Sioux Falls.

Together they raised two sons, Lucas and Vincent, in Sioux Falls. Dan filled their lives with hunting, fishing, sports, art, music, and curiosity. He had a gift for finding obscure historical stories and fascinating facts, happily sharing them with anyone who would listen. Whether driving his sons to baseball practices and tournaments or discussing sports and history around the dinner table, he was a steady and devoted father.

Dan was a lifelong fan of the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears, always keeping a close ear on the Cubs and wishing the Bears could get it together. Music was a constant companion throughout his life, and few artists occupied his playlists more than The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and The BoDeans. He enjoyed going to concerts with Carrie and their friends.

Professionally, Dan worked as an art and design supervisor at Raven Industries for more than 30 years. His artistic talents reached far beyond South Dakota, including hand-painting balloons featured in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It was one of many ways his creativity found its way into the lives of others.

Art was also at the heart of who he was. Dan possessed a rich internal world and was often deep in thought, imagining stories and fables that found their way into his artwork. He continually explored new techniques while becoming especially known for his lithographs and ink drawings. Countless hours were spent in his home studio refining his craft. His artwork is currently featured at Eastbank Art Gallery & Studio in Sioux Falls.

Outside of his artistic pursuits, Dan loved the outdoors. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and found great satisfaction in training dogs, especially his beloved golden retriever, Loki. Family and friends knew him as a calm, easygoing presence with a quick wit and a playful sense of humor. He was often seen with a colorful Hawaiian shirts and whatever hat suited the day.

Perhaps no role brought Dan more joy than being "Pa" to his grandsons. He cherished every opportunity to spend time with Miles, August, and Hart, watching them grow and creating memories together.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife of 46 years, Carrie Hepner of Sioux Falls; his son Lucas (Liz) Hepner of Sioux Falls and grandson Miles Hepner; his son Vincent (Sarah) Hepner of Chicago, Illinois, and grandsons August and Hart Hepner; his mother, Agnes Meyer of Sioux Falls; and his sisters, Lisa (Stan) Lynn of Sioux Falls, Nancy DeWald of Texas, and Sue Thies of Colorado.

Dan was preceded in death by his father, Theodore Hepner; his brother, Steve Hepner; his uncle, Lou; his brother-in-law, Paul DeWald; and his father and mother in-law, Melvin and Judy Langten.

Dan will be remembered for his creativity, curiosity, humor, easygoing spirit, and devotion to his family.

In one of his final conversations, while enjoying the weekend at the lake with his family, Dan told his sister Lisa that this was all he ever needed—to watch his family having fun and simply be together.