RAPID CITY LeRoy Red Deneke, 94, of Rapid City, formerly of Huron, passed away peacefully at home with family on September 14, 2025.
LeRoy was born January 25, 1931, in Lane, on the family farm to George and Annie Deneke.
He enlisted in the Navy in 1952 and served aboard the USS St. Paul in the Korean War. After the Navy, he met and married the love of his life, Lila Couch, in Huron. From that union, they had 3 sons. The marriage lasted 65 years until Lilas passing in December 2022.
LeRoy worked 32 years at Armour and Co. in Huron. During that time, he, along with his wife, owned and operated the Rainbow Ballroom in Lane from 1963-1974. Many top rock and roll bands from the Midwest played at the dance hall including Conway Twitty, Spider and the Crabs and Teen King and the Princess. In 2015, the Rainbow Ballroom was inducted into the South Dakota Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. After retiring from Armour he had his own tree cutting and lawn care business. He was also a fishing guide later in life on Lake Oahe.
LeRoy was a South Dakota amateur baseball player in the mid 50s and 60s and great one at that. Big Red as they called him stood 64 and weighed 280 lbs. in his prime! The left-handed pitcher dominated on the mound. He was a member of the 1956 & 1958 Huron Stalhls Flyers state champions, 1960 Huron Indians state champs and runner-up teams in 1961 and 1966. He loved to talk about the time he pitched a 3-1 victory with Stahls amateur team over the Huron Elks semi-pro team. For his efforts on the diamond, he was inducted into the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991. LeRoy taught his 3 sons how to play the game of baseball and he watched hundreds of his boys and grandchildrens ball games throughout his life.
He also loved to hunt, fish and play any type of card game. Fishing became his passion as his second home was at West Whitlock Resort at Lake Oahe for a 28-year stretch. LeRoy and Lila also wintered in Mesa, Ariz., for more than 20 years, making many new friends, something that was very easy for the pair.
LeRoy was preceded in death by his wife: Lila; father: George; mother: Annie; brothers: Walter, Edward, Otto and Earl. He is survived by his sons: Daryl (Bobi), Tom (Robin) and Mike. His grandchildren: Ericka (Josh), Allyx (Brecken), Adam (Julie), Kirsty, Lexy Jo and Hunter. His great grandchildren: Jamison, Lila, Layla, Collins, Everleigh and Courtland.
Memorial service will be held at Kirk Funeral Home in Rapid City on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 2 p.m. Burial will take place at Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, on Monday, Sept. 22, at 9:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to South Dakota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in care of President Dan Sabers 1400 Mitchell Blvd Mitchell, SD 57301.
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