Clyde Pietz, 80, of Mesa, Ariz.

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MESA, Ariz. — Clyde Pietz, 80, passed away Monday, April 19, 2021, due to complications from heart surgery at Banner Desert Hospital in Mesa, Arizona.


A prayer service will take place 5 p.m. today, at Isburg Funeral Chapel in Pierre with a visitation to follow until 7 p.m.


A funeral service will take place 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Lutheran Memorial Church in Pierre. Interment will follow at

Riverside Cemetery in Pierre. For those unable to attend the service, it can be viewed at www.isburgfuneralchapels.com at the top of Clyde’s obituary.


Clyde Samuel Pietz was born May 27, 1940, to Samuel and Matilda Pietz in Hosmer. He attended school in Hosmer, and School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City where he obtained his civil engineering degree in 1962. He also worked during college as part of the construction crew that built the Oahe Dam in Pierre.


After he obtained his bachelor’s degree, he enlisted in the United States Navy, Civil Engineer Corps and became an officer through Officers Candidate School. He then was stationed in Great Lakes, Ill., Grand Island, Neb., and ended his naval career as LTJG Clyde S. Pietz, CEC, USNR at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas.


Clyde married LaVaughn Roesch on December 28, 1963, in Hosmer, and they were blessed by two children Marcia and Michael. Clyde was employed for 35 years for the state of South Dakota Dept of Transportation where he began his engineering career in Redfield, then to Pierre, Huron, Aberdeen and back to Pierre as Director of Operations until his retirement in 1997. Clyde continued to enjoy traveling the South Dakota highways he helped construct along with travel adventures to the East Coast and Europe.


Clyde was active in many groups such as the Elks, Jaycees, SD Association of County Weed & Pest Boards, Marion Condo association and the American Legion. He was also licensed as a certified land surveyor for many years. After retirement, much time was spent maintaining Lavaughn’s family farm north of Roscoe. Clyde again used his organized engineering mind to manage all the supplies and equipment needed to control the weeds for CRP land.


Clyde was an avid fisherman and golfer. Sports were a big part of Clyde’s life as he played basketball and baseball throughout his high school and college days followed by amateur baseball after he was married. Many hours were then spent, and miles driven to first follow his son’s sporting events through high school and college and then the next generation of his grandchildren’s activities. Unfortunately, the Minnesota Vikings and Twins were his favorite teams.


Clyde and LaVaughn enjoyed winters in Sun Lakes, Ariz., for over 25 years with many special friends and family. You could often find Clyde and LaVaughn outside on their patio in SD or Arizona along Hole #7 playing gin rummy. Holidays in Arizona were special times for all which included some very competitive golf matches, whist card games, dominos and bean bags with family and friends. A day did not go by without him working on a sudoku puzzle or reading a good mystery novel.


Clyde is survived by his wife, LaVaughn Pietz of Ft Pierre; his brother, Milo Pietz of Minneapolis, Minn.; his daughter, Marcia (Jon) Zwanziger of Huron; his son, Michael of Pierre; and grandchildren, Aaron Zwanziger (girlfriend Alyssa Groeneveld) of Tempe, Ariz., Adam Zwanziger (fiancée Morgan Van Zee) of Harrisburg, Peyton Pietz (fiancée Levi Stoltenburg) of Brookings, and Parker Pietz of Brookings.


Paid Obituary