RICHARD WILLIAM “RICH” LANGENFELD

Richard William “Rich” Langenfeld, age 59, of Britton, SD, passed away following a short battle with cancer on May 9, 2022.

A celebration of life will be held this summer, and interment will be a private ceremony at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Watertown, SD.

Rich was born on November 5, 1962 to Gerald W. and Sandra K. (Ward) Langenfeld in Chamberlain, South Dakota. He grew up in Watertown and spent most of his adult life in Britton.

As a boy, Rich won a contest advertised in the Watertown Public Opinion newspaper to pursue a correspondence art course by drawing “Tippy” the Turtle. While Rich did not end up taking the course, his early creative skills had been discovered! Rich was a skilled, self-taught artist who would later in life work at various design studios, including Stein Signs in Watertown and Service Signs in Aberdeen.

Rich had many creative talents – most notably as a musician. He played both the guitar and tuba as a boy. The guitar became his passion! His skills developed so quickly that he surpassed the guitar lessons available to him locally. Therefore, his talent was refined through hours and hours of dedicated practice. As anyone who has heard Rich play can attest, his music was shaped by emotion and intuition. His siblings’ favorite song, which Rich played for 50 years, was “House of the Rising Sun.”

Rich was a career musician. He played - and sang - in several bands, including Rocky River, Wild Card, and Deuce. He had a recording studio in his home and collected guitars, amassing 23 in his collection. He taught guitar lessons for many years and would allow his students to pick out one of his guitars to play during the lesson. He was also known to jam with nearly anyone who was interested and asked.

He led a very full life, touring with the bands, and had a great passion for motorcycles – Harleys, of course. He rode them with pride, attending the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally multiple times.

Rich is survived by his longtime partner and the love of his life, Donna Schott of Britton, SD; his mother, Mary Langenfeld of Boise, ID; his siblings David (Jennifer) Langenfeld of Cascade, ID, Debbie (Dave) Langenfeld Hoops of Huron, SD and Amy Zimerman of Seattle, WA; his in-laws Bonnie (Ray Durband) Bitz of Aberdeen, SD, Dan (Lana) Schott of Britton, SD and Bill Schott of Westport, SD; eight nieces and nephews; and his very smart, but naughty, English Cocker Spaniel, Morgan. He was preceded in death by his father and birth mother as well as Donna’s parents, George and Dorothy Schott.

In lieu of flowers, memorials would be preferred.

Condolences may be directed to the family in care of Donna Schott – PO Box 565 – Britton, SD 57430.

An online guestbook and obituary are available at www.pricefuneralchapel.