Rodney Hansen

Rodney “Rod” Russell Hansen, a longtime Wilmot resident, adventurer, and all-around good guy, passed away unexpectedly on September 3, 2026, at his home on Big Stone Lake following a sudden cardiac event. He was 69 years old.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at the Wilmot Community Center in Wilmot, SD. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Wilmot Community Center and will continue one hour prior to the service on Wednesday. Pastor Kay Reeb will officiate, and burial will be at the Wilmot Cemetery. Guests are encouraged to dress casually and comfortably, as Rod would have wanted everyone to simply come as they are. 

Rodney “Rod” Russell Hansen was born on March 8, 1957, in Milbank, SD, to Russell and Arlene (Thielmann) Hansen. He grew up on the family farm north of Wilmot and graduated from Wilmot High School in 1975.

Rod was a man of many talents, interests, and adventures. Over the years, he worked as a beekeeper for JZ. He did construction work and was a long-haul truck driver. He attended the Divers Institute of Technology in Seattle, WA, where he became certified in commercial diving and underwater welding. He spent more than 20 years welding at Angus Palm in Watertown, SD. He also operated a tree service, graded township roads, raised cattle, and built a house.

There was very little Rod couldn’t figure out. He was a great mechanic, a natural problem solver, and, perhaps most importantly, a good listener.

His adventurous spirit took him around the world. His travels included horseback riding through the forests of Germany, scuba diving in Mexico, and climbing the Great Wall of China with his bride-to-be. In 2019, he married Jia Hui Dong of Guangzhou City, China, and settled into domestic life.

Rod loved living at the lake. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, riding his Harley-Davidson, and simply being at home on Big Stone Lake. He was kind to his mother, appreciated his friends, was devoted to his wife, and was nothing short of a legend to his family.

Rod is survived by his wife, Jia Hui of Wilmot, SD; his sisters: Carolyn Hansen of Watertown, SD; and Judy Kozol of Colorado Springs, CO; nieces and nephew: Hannah (Jesse) Stenson of Lidgerwood, ND; Gerald (Kim) Swayze of Wilmot, SD; and Emily (Tyler) Hennagir of Wilmot, SD; and his father-in-law and mother-in-law: Huai Sen Dong and Xiaoli Wu of China.

He was preceded in death by his parents: Russell and Arlene Hansen; and beloved brother, Harlan Hansen.