Ken Simet

Ken Simet, age 87, of Madison, died on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at the Madison Regional Health System.

Memorial service will be 2 PM on Monday, December 13th at Rustand-Weiland Funeral Chapel with visitation one hour prior to the service. Online guestbook is at www.rustandweilandfuneral.com. The service will be livestreamed on the funeral chapel Facebook page.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Madison Hospice, 323 SW 10th St., Madison, SD 57042.

Kenneth Louis Simet was born May 19, 1934, in Omaha, NE to Frank & Alma (Christensen) Simet. He started working for the Corps of Engineers in 1952 at the boatyard in Omaha. He transferred to Pierre, SD, when the Oahe Dam went into operation in 1962 as an electrician trainee. He retired in 1990 as the power plant superintendent. While living in Pierre, Ken also served as a volunteer firefighter.

He married Joyce Kilmer in 1953 and raised three boys, Mark, Steve & Kirk. In 1985, it was a special year for Ken. Not only did he marry Connie Johnson, but her two daughters, Cathy & Becky, became a part of his life.

Ken will be remembered as “Mr. Wonderful” because of his ability to fix anything, collector of tools (especially tape measures), a connoisseur of box wines, fisherman, feeding the squirrels, birds or any animal that came around, also known as the “Night Ninja” (derived from the cartoon PJ Masks) because he wore blue shirts.

He is survived by his wife, Connie of Madison; three sons, Mark (Sue) Simet of Sioux Falls, Steve (Linda) Simet of Virginia Beach, VA and Kirk (Lori) Simet of Brookings; two daughters, Cathy (Chris) Moore of Madison and Becky (Clay) Collins of Pflugerville, TX; 11 grandchildren & 19 great-grandchildren.

Preceding him in death were his parents; one brother, Frank, Jr.; two sisters, Fran Hansen & Evelyn “Tootie” Stoops.