Rodney "Rod" John Ensz
Rodney “Rod” J. Ensz, age 77 of Sioux Falls, SD, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. His Funeral Service will be 10:00 AM Monday, November 10, 2025 at Zion Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls. Visitation will be from 1:00-3:00 PM Sunday, November 9, 2025, at George Boom Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory, Sioux Falls.
Rodney (Rod) John Ensz was born September 23, 1948, to George and Clara (Scheidt) at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.
Rod attended Mark Twain Elementary School, Patrick Henry Junior High School and graduated from Lincoln Senior High School. Rod was proud to let you know he was in the first graduating class of that new school, in 1966. If you saw a 1935 Plymouth Coupe cruising through the Barrel Drive-In, that was Rod. Many challenges were won at the local drag strip on I-229 between Minnesota Avenue and Western Avenue in that Hot Rod!
Rod was confirmed and was a lifelong member of Zion Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls. On April 15, 1967, Rod married his high school sweetheart, the love of his life, Diane. Together they are blessed with two daughters, Jolene and Julie.
Rod was a hard worker and always had a story or joke to share. He was a line worker at Greenlee Meats, a dock worker at American Freight, maintenance at Target and Civil Engineer Department at the Air National Guard, where he retired in 2012. Rod was known for the hot rods he built for himself and others. He enjoyed driving his 1932 Ford to the annual car gathering at Pete & Jakes in Peculiar, MO.
Rod was a loving husband of 58 years, proud father, grandfather and great grandfather and a friend who will be deeply missed.
Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Diane; daughter, Jolene Dyce and her husband Jeff; grandchildren, Ann Berkness (Matt), John Dyce (Isha); daughter, Julie Pederson and her husband, Grant; grandchildren, Joseph Sullivan (Megan), Colleen Sullivan, Sean Sullivan (Hannah); and great granddaughter, Lydia Mulvey, plus baby Sullivan on the way; nieces, nephew, and a host of other relatives and friends; his dog, Chester; and shop cat, Fender.
Rod was preceded in death by his parents; and older brother, Robert (Bob) Ensz; and sister-in-law, Linda Ensz.
The family would like to thank and acknowledge the wonderful, loving nurses of the Avera ICU. Their care of Rod and his family was God given.