Larry V. Jurgens

Larry Vincent Jurgens, 76, of Aberdeen, South Dakota, passed away on March 9, 2026, at Avera St. Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen.

Born on October 10, 1949, in Milbank, South Dakota, to Vincent and Mildred (Vail) Jurgens, Larry grew up in Milbank and graduated from Milbank High School in 1967. He attended South Dakota State University before moving to Aberdeen, where he worked at Campbell’s Town & Country Lumber and met the love of his life, Kaye Foley. They married on October 22, 1977, and built their life together in Aberdeen, later welcoming two children, Jessica and Chad.

Larry worked for De Smet Farm Mutual and Dakota Claims before starting his own business in 2002. He also served as a volunteer firefighter with the Aberdeen Rural Fire Department for nearly 15 years. In 2010, he and Kaye became snowbirds, spending winters at their home in Arizona, where they formed deep friendships that felt like family. Kaye passed away in April 2022.

A selfless man with a sharp wit and wonderful sense of humor, Larry was incredibly artistic and passionate about woodworking, creating many beautiful pieces for those he loved, including an intricately detailed wooden soccer ball for his grandson that became his final masterpiece. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, and tinkering with cars and Willys Jeeps. Above all, his greatest joy was time spent with Kaye, his children, grandchildren, and beloved dogs. To his family, he was the one they could always count on to figure things out and be there.

He is survived by his children, Jessica (Chase) Schmitt of Denver, Colorado, and Chad (Jennifer) Jurgens of Aberdeen; grandchildren Ariana, Avery, and Anders Schmitt, and Mason and Morgan Jurgens; his sister Judy Jurgens; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Vincent and Mildred Jurgens, and his wife, Kaye Jurgens.