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Submitted: 8/19/22 • Approved: 8/22/22 • Last Updated: 8/25/22 • R274552-G274552-S3
Ethan Thad McMahon
April 7, 1992 – December 2, 2016
Ethan Thad McMahon, age 24, of Sioux Falls, passed away as the result of a construction accident on Friday December 2, 2016.
Ethan was born in Yankton, SD on April 7, 1992. He was the oldest son of John J. McMahon Jr. and Nancy (Dormanen) McMahon; brother to John F. and Kendall McMahon; grandson to Bill and Nora Bailey and John and Lavina McMahon; and nephew to Thomas McMahon, Burt Dormanen, and Melissa (Jeff) Thompson; as well the godson of Tom and Kathy Quinn. He had countless other cousins, relatives, and friends. Ethan also leaves behind a fiancé', Ashley Pesicka; and two sons, Bentley and Hayden. All are better for having shared his life and anyone who knew him, absolutely adored and respected him.
Ethan was kind, sensitive, compassionate, genuine, and selfless. He was both a defender and a hopeless romantic. He was talented and he strived to make people laugh. Ethan loved being a big brother, not just to John and Kendall, but to all those who looked up to him, and there were many. More than anything, Ethan loved his family and loved being a father.
Ethan grew up in Sioux Falls, SD attending Eugene Field Elementary School, Whittier Middle School, and graduated from Washington High School in 2010. From a very young age Ethan always had a gift and a passion for music. From elementary school on, Ethan actively participated in music programs and theatre. He was so proud to be a member of Washington Show Choir and Concert Choir, where he made some of his most enduring friendships. Senior year, Ethan played the Major General in Pirates of Penzance, where he evolved his character more and more with each performance. Just as in life, he always had the crowd laughing. Ethan continued to write music, sing, and dance into adulthood and no one ever tired of hearing him play.
Following high school, Ethan attended South Dakota State University for one year before deciding to enlist in the Marine Corp. Ethan served for four years, from May 2011 to May 2015 stationed at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina. During that time, Ethan was deployed with his unit to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, and also served in Japan and the Philippines. He was a proud Marine Veteran and patriot, and he spoke of his Marine brothers often, those with whom he served personally, and those he met along the way.
In Sioux Falls, Ethan worked for Hultgren Construction. He loved the Hultgren team and loved working together with his brother, John, who had joined Hultgren just recently. Ethan loved the guys, work and the challenges that came with the construction business, learning all he could along the way. He was proud of his contributions to the PAve project and enjoyed joining PAve as a bouncer on weekends. Ethan always aspired to resume his college endeavors with dreams of becoming an architectural and mechanical engineer.
Until we meet again, we all love you and miss you dearly. Til Valhalla! and Sempre Fi!
The family will greet friends from 5:00-7:00 pm Thursday, December 8, 2016, at Miller Funeral Home, 507 S. Main Avenue in downtown Sioux Falls. Funeral service will be 2:00 pm Friday at Zion Lutheran Church, 1400 S. Duluth Ave. Burial will be at Hills of Rest Cemetery at a later date.
Contributed on 8/19/22 by 9kat
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Record #: 274552