Richard Donald Gerstner, age 89, of Custer, SD, passed away May 5, 2015, at the VA Medical Center in Hot Springs, SD.

Richard was born May 5, 1926, in Rochester, NY, to Edward and Mildred (White) Gerstner. He proudly served in the US Navy from 1943 until his honorable discharge in 1946. Richard worked most of his life as an auto body repairman. However, he and his wife spent fifteen years running a dairy farm in Washington state and they also went to Alaska on a fishing boat to gill-net for salmon.

Richard was an animal lover and enjoyed his Belgian horses. He especially liked to give visitors rides in a cart pulled by one of his horses. He also loved his dogs, especially Sammy. Richard enjoyed visits with his family and friends and was looking forward to a visit from his niece, Joanne Mancuso and her husband, Sam, of Dunkirk, NY.

Survivors include his wife Karen, son David (Judith) Gerstner, daughter Mary Anne and family, stepdaughter Susan (Richard) Saunders, three grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

He was preceded in death by his parents as well as his sister and brother-in-law Glennis & Joseph Woleslagle.

Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m., Friday, May 8, 2015, at Chamberlain-McColley's Funeral Home in Custer with VA Chaplin Gary Goodlin officiating. Interment will be 2:00 p.m., Friday, May 8, 2015, at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, SD.

A memorial in Richard's name has been established to benefit the Custer Humane Society.