Terry Lee Fiedler

Terry Lee Fiedler, age 81, of Yankton, South Dakota, died Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at his home in Yankton.

A memorial service will be 11:00 AM, Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton, South Dakota with Reverend Darin Schmidt officiating. Entombment will be in the columbarium at the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Yankton, South Dakota with military honors provided by the Ellsworth Air Force Base Military Funeral Honors. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the memorial service on Tuesday at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton. Memorials may be made to the Heartland Humane Society or to a charity of your choice.

Terry Lee Fiedler was born August 6, 1944, in Yankton, South Dakota, to Merlin and Aileene (Sylliaasen) Fiedler. His dad was in the service so when Terry was very young his family moved to Wichita, Kansas for a time and then returned to the Yankton area. He graduated from the Augustana Academy in Canton, South Dakota in 1962. After high school, Terry joined the United States Air Force and served in the Air Force for 22 years. During this time, he served his country during the Vietnam War and was stationed in Thailand and Guam. After the war, Terry was stationed in Texas for a short time and then was transferred to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska, where he worked on the B-52 bombers. While in Omaha, Terry met Nicolene Teske and they were later married on June 2, 1984, in Omaha. Terry retired from the Air Force as a Senior Master Sergeant. They moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Terry worked for Rockwell Industries, which was later bought by Boeing. They later moved to Yankton, South Dakota and Terry worked for the phone company installing phone lines.

Terry was a military man through and through. He was very organized, structured and liked to have things done a certain way. He had a big heart and was very generous. He stayed active in retirement helping with the yardwork at Sacred Heart Monastery. He enjoyed cooking and baking pies and cherished his nieces and nephews. Above all, he was a devoted husband to his wife, Nicci.

Survivors include his sister, Erna Huitema of Gilbert, Arizona; sister-in-law, Kay Fiedler of Topeka, Kansas; nieces and nephews: Derek (Sabrina) Fiedler, Barry (Lauri) Huitema Jr., and Erica (Brian) Hartley; great nephews: Grant (Kennedy), Nathan, Hunter, Jackson, Ian, Thomas and Grace. Terry enjoyed many years of companionship with his beloved cat, Peanut.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Nicolene; brother, Rex Fiedler; and brother-in-law, Barry Huitema.