Ricky Lenger

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Obituary

Ricky Lenger, 61, of Mitchell, SD, passed away Tuesday, December 23, 2025, at his home in rural Mitchell. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Friday, January 9, 2026, at Bittner Funeral Chapel. Burial will be at Rock Creek Cemetery in rural Mitchell. Visitation will be Thursday from 5-7:00 PM at Bittner Funeral Chapel.

Ricky “Rick” Lee Lenger was born on February 2, 1964, to Edward and Beatrice (Hoch) Lenger in Knoxville, Iowa.

Rick grew up in Bussey, Iowa, and attended Twin Cedars school. He graduated in 1982.

Rick was all about machinery from the age of two, and he was harvesting crops, using the combine, when he was eight. He played football during his junior and senior years of high school.

Rick married Pam in 1984, and together they had three children, Meagan, Michael, and Matthew. He later remarried to Linda in 1994, and they had two children together, Ryan and Dalton.

He worked various jobs, including Randals in Iowa, and then he moved to South Dakota, where he started working at the Randals in Mitchell (known now as Coborns). Rick worked at Randals for many years before buying the Blue Bird Locker in 2008 and renaming it Mitchell Locker. He operated the business for over 12 years, building many relationships with customers and friends. Rick sold the locker in 2020 and retired.

Rick could operate any kind of equipment, and he was also good at fixing them. He enjoyed working outside in his yard, cutting wood, gardening, and playing in the dirt with many types of machinery like scrapers, payloaders, skid loaders, and dump trucks. He really lived out his childhood dreams of playing with bigger toys as an adult.

Rick is survived by his children, Meagan of Des Moines, IA; Michael (Lindsey) of Bussey, IA; Matthew of Ottumwa, IA; Ryan (Cassi) of Fulton, SD; and Dalton; five grandchildren, Peyton, Lijah & Letty, Blair & Bennett; siblings, Carl (Judy) Lenger of Knoxville, IA; Kathy Blommers of Des Moines, Karen (Dennis) DeVries of Reasnor, IA, Carol (Mike) Schrader of Melcher-Dallas, IA; Jack (Karen) Lenger of Knoxville, IA, Jill (Mark) Sager of Pleasantville, IA, Jewel (Sean) O’Rear of Masonville, IA and Randy (Johanna) Lenger of Chariton, IA.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Beatrice and Edward.

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