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Submitted: 9/18/23 • Approved: 9/19/23 • Last Updated: 9/22/23 • R275411-G275410-S3
Section 20
Tony George Spader
March 6, 1968 - January 8, 2021
Anthony George Spader "Tony", age 52, father of Maasa, AJ, Catherine, Rebekah and Teresa Spader, died Friday, January 8, 2021 after battling bipolar disorder. Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 AM on Friday, January 15, 2021 at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Sioux Falls, SD. Family present visitation will be held on Thursday, January 14, 2021 at George Boom Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory in Sioux Falls, SD from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM with a Liturgical Wake service to be held at 7:00 PM. Masks are encouraged and social distancing will be practiced.
Tony was born on March 6, 1968 to Duane and Elaine (Reisch) Spader in Brookings, SD. After college he spent several years as a youth minister in Watertown, SD. Tony married Stephanie Peters on January 3, 1998 in Sioux Falls, SD. He then started with Spader RV where he spent the next 21 years helping families fall in love with camping and the great outdoors. He had a huge impact on many lives during his time with Spader RV - employees and customers alike. In 2017 he started with Spader Companies where he used his RV management experience and consulted with companies throughout the country to better their businesses.
Tony fiercely loved his family and friends. He always thought of others over himself and went out of his way to make others smile. He lived his life with passion, giving his all to whatever the task ahead was. He was the spearhead of Rebekah’s Legacy Foundation after his daughter, Rebekah, passed away four years ago.
Tony absolutely loved the great outdoors and his passion for hunting and fishing has been handed down to his children and many other friends. He always offered to take others with him who were interested in learning about either sport.
He battled depression for several years and was recently diagnosed with bipolar this past year. He fought so hard, wanting desperately to beat it and live a full life again. His children and family want everyone to know that his diagnosis didn’t define him and that he didn’t make this tragic decision because he wanted to leave any of them or hurt anyone. The disease got the best of him and we pray that you love your family and hold them a little closer in light of this tragedy.
In gratitude for having shared in his life are his former spouse, Stephanie, his children, Maasa, AJ, Catherine, Rebekah (deceased) and Teresa; his parents, Duane and Elaine; his siblings, John (Carol) Spader, Patty Spader-Edwards (Wil), David (Heather) Spader, Brian (Kelli) Spader, Mark Spader, and Ann Spader; his nieces and nephews, Micah and Macy Spader, Josi and Jhaimann Huntington, Briggs and Nash Spader and a multitude of aunts and uncles.
In lieu of flowers, please send a memorial donation to Rebekah’s Legacy Foundation, PO Box 85023, Sioux Falls, SD 57118.
Contributed on 9/18/23 by 9katz
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Record #: 275411