Dwayne Allen Rollag, formerly of Brookings, South Dakota, died peacefully March 11, 2023, at the age of 92, in Surprise, Arizona, under the loving care of family and hospice.
He was born June 18, 1930, in Steen, Minnesota, to Orville and Rose Rollag. He was the oldest of their seven children. At age 6, he moved with his family to Rock Rapids, Iowa, where he graduated from high school in 1948.
Dwayne always loved music, so it was fitting that he began to pursue a music degree at the University of South Dakota. Just shy of completing that degree, he served in the army during the Korean War and was medically discharged. He then had the opportunity to work over a summer as a surveyor, and he discovered his passion for engineering. Thereafter, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at the University of Minnesota in 1959.
He worked for three years as a professional engineer before attending South Dakota State University (SDSU) to complete his master’s degree in 1966. He finished his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering at Purdue University in 1975 and became a professor at SDSU. He thoroughly enjoyed teaching and mentoring students and said that they kept him young at heart. In 1979 he became the SDSU department head of civil and environmental engineering and served in that role until his retirement in 1999. Dwayne specialized in water treatment and management and was active and recognized locally, regionally and nationally on many water and wastewater related issues.
Dwayne married Helen Lu Haggard of Luverne, Minnesota, on September 1, 1956. The two spent most of their years living in Brookings, South Dakota, where they raised their three girls, Susan, Mary and Lisa, before retiring to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and wintering in Goodyear, Arizona.
Dwayne enjoyed spending time with friends, golfing, running, playing the trumpet in the municipal band, serving in the Rotary Club, strumming on his guitars, listening to choirs, and attending country or rock concerts. His favorite thing to do, though, was to spend time with his family, which involved many sporting events, movies with popcorn, dining at favorite restaurants, walking the dogs, and enjoying lots of cats. Dwayne loved his children and grandchildren and was especially fond of celebrating their events and accomplishments. He was a self-proclaimed stubborn Norwegian Lutheran and was an active, devoted member of First Lutheran Church, Brookings, South Dakota. Dwayne was a loyal husband, father, sibling, friend, community member and SDSU Jackrabbit fan. He had a humble, generous heart, and he maintained a strong faith and positive, uplifting spirit throughout his life.
He will be greatly missed by his loving wife of 66 years, Helen Rollag; three daughters, Susan (Joe) Bowar of Goodyear, Arizona, Mary Liggons of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Lisa (Dan) Ostlie of Fargo, North Dakota; grandchildren Keesha and Theron Liggons, Lauren, Ben and Sarah Ostlie; and great-grandchild Brielle Davis; siblings Sharon Snuttjer of Clive, Iowa, and Rhea Jean (John) McBride of St. Paul, Minnesota; sister-in-law Winifred Haggard of DeSmet, South Dakota; and many nieces, nephews and extended family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Orville and Rose Rollag; siblings and their spouses, Donavan (Catherine) Rollag, Doris (Diedrik) Nelson, Darlene (Gene) VandeKop, and David Rollag; his mother-in-law, Jessie Haggard; brothers-in-law Jerome Snuttjer and Dale (Sonia) Haggard; and great-grandson Kyrie Davis.
A celebration of life service will be planned for the summer of 2023. Burial of cremains will be at the Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne, Minnesota. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to the Dwayne and Helen Rollag Scholarship Endowment in CE at SDSU by mail in memory of Dwayne Rollag to SDSU Foundation, Lohr Building, 815 Medary Avenue, Brookings, SD 57006 or online at
https://givenow.sdstatefoundation.org/campaigns/24272/donations/new?a=4…
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