Obituary of Daniel Wallbaum

Daniel “Dan” Wallbaum, age 79, of Yankton, SD passed away peacefully with his family by his side Friday, May 05, 2017 at the Avera Majestic Bluffs Hospice House, Yankton, SD.  Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be 2:00 PM, Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at St. Benedict Catholic Church, Yankton, SD with Rev. Ken Luft officiating.  Burial will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Yankton, SD.  Visitations will begin at 5:00 PM, Tuesday, May 9, 2017 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Crematory, Yankton, SD with a rosary at 6:45 PM followed by a Scripture service at 7:00 PM.  Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church.  On-line condolences may be sent at: www.opsahl-kostelfuneralhome.com.

Dan was born on April 20, 1938 in Yankton, SD. He was the son of the late Larry and Florence Wallbaum. He married his high school sweetheart Judy Ann Olson on November 29, 1957 in Ames, IA and they lived happily for 59 years while raising four daughters; Julie, Lori, Carla, and Lisa. He attended Yankton schools, South Dakota School of Mines and graduated from Yankton College.  Dan's strong work ethic started at a young age when he worked for numerous companies throughout the Yankton community including Walt Nelson Delivery, Vogt Cleaners, Binder Brothers, and the Yankton Theater.  In 1962, Dan entered a partnership with Hegge Sales. He eventually became the sole owner and changed the name to Dan Wallbaum Distributing, Inc. One of his greatest successes came 22 years later, in 1984, when he was awarded the South Dakota Coors Distributorship. Dan had the beer distributorship for 36 years and was a member of the South Dakota Beer Wholesalers Association for 34 years in which he served as president. He also served on the board of the National Beer Wholesalers Association. 

Dan was an active member of the Yankton Community, which he loved more than anything. For 40+ years he served as an usher at the Sacred Heart and St. Benedict's Parishes. He was a strong supporter in promoting Riverboat Days in its early beginning and sponsored the auto show and triathlon. In 1989 he was chosen, along with Judy, to be the Captain and Belle of the Riverboat Days and Summer Arts Festival. He was a very proud of his role as a charter member of the Yankton Sertoma Club and spent many years publishing their monthly newsletter up until his illness. Dan was a strong supporter of Mount Marty athletics. He loved attending basketball games and served on various committees including the Lancer Club. He was a member of the Mount Marty Board of Trustees and was extremely honored in 2002 when he was inducted into the Mount Marty College Sports Hall of Fame. Dan served on the Avera Sacred Heart Board of Trustees for 8 years and was involved in establishing the EMT building in 1999 which previously served as his business location. He was also a member of the Elks, Moose Lodge, Knights of Columbus, and Yankton Chamber of Commerce.

Dan loved to be surrounded by his family and close friends and found joy in many things throughout his life. Many nights you could find him on the porch enjoying an ice cold beverage and reminiscing about the good ole days. He loved the Christmas holidays and always enjoyed making it an extra special time of year for his family and employees. He had a deep appreciation for antique, classic and hot rod cars. He traveled to car shows across the country including Iola every year with some of his good friends and was a charter member of the Antique Auto Association. He took pride in maintaining a pristine lawn. There was a strong chance that if the sun was shining he was outside on his John Deere mowing his yard. Dan also had a compassionate heart for animals, specifically Boston Terriers and always loved having his dog Hilary by his side.  

Those who will miss him dearly and cherish his memory are his wife Judy and his daughters, Julie (Bruce) Allen; Omaha, NE, Lori (Karl) Hoesing; Gillette, WY, Carla (Tom) Malik; Rapid City, SD, and Lisa (Troy) Brueckner, Omaha, NE; 8 grandchildren: Sarah (Jarrett) Mackey, Justin (Lakayla) Hoesing, Josh Hoesing, Cody and Cassie Malik, Paige and Jacob Allen, Gracie Brueckner; 5 great grandchildren: Alex, Mackenzie, and Sophia Mackey, Kaylee and Isacc Hoesing; his brother, Douglas Wallbaum. 

Dan was preceded in death by his parents and his grandparents; Robert & Elizabeth Yaggie, and Carl & Elsie Wallbaum. The family requests memorials be made to the Mount Marty Athletics, the Boys & Girls Club of Yankton, or the Hospice Homecare.