Daniel Fagerland

Rapid City, S.D.

Daniel Dean Fagerland (1952-2025) passed away peacefully at his home in Rapid City, SD on December 8th, 2025.

Dan was born on December 14, 1952 to Warren and Loretta (Meyer) Fagerland in Crosby, ND. He was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in Noonan, ND. The family moved to Minot for modern amenities such as indoor plumbing(!) and then eventually relocated to Bottineau. Dan graduated from Bottineau High School and attended the University of North Dakota, where he majored in Business Management. He then went to work for his father at Mon-Dak Stihl which relocated to Rapid City, SD in 1973.

Dan was known for his calm demeanor and quiet sense of humor. He was always kind, patient, and giving. He married the love of his life, Kathy (Opitz) Johnson in Kauai, Hawaii on September 5th, 1986. They absolutely enjoyed every minute of their lives together traveling, riding motorcycles, boating, hunting, fishing, and spending time with friends and family.

Tragically, their lives changed drastically on June 26, 2004, when a deer jumped in front of Dan’s motorcycle on the highway, causing him a Traumatic Brain Injury that left him paralyzed and with the inability to speak. The next few years were a blur of hospitals and rehab centers in CO, NV, and AZ before returning home to the Black Hills.

Sadly, tragedy struck again when his beloved Kathy was diagnosed with cancer in 2007 and passed away on August 3rd, 2009.Their daughter, Jessie, her husband Jason, and son Wyatt moved in with Dan to continue his care and keep each other company through the remainder of his days.

Dan could communicate with his various gestures, fist bumps, and expressions. He enjoyed his TV programs, playing cards, going on outings, and socializing. He loved his family beyond measure and the house remained full of love, gratitude, patience, and perseverance.

Grateful for having shared his life are; his daughter, Jessica Fenner; son-in-law, Jason Fenner; grandson, Wyatt Fenner; siblings, Steve and Vonnie Fagerland of Rapid City, and Coleen and Jerry Woodward of Prescott, AZ; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by; mother, Loretta Fagerland; father, Warren Fagerland; brother, Nolan Shefstad; and grandson, Jacob Fenner-Wagner.

A memorial service celebrating Dan’s life will be held at 11am on Saturday, December 20th at South Canyon Lutheran Church in Rapid City, SD. In Dan’s memory, perform an act of kindness in his memory, plant a tree, or consider a donation to Craighospital.org.

Published by The Minot Daily News, December 15, 2025.