Leslie Heidelberger, age 83, of Chester, SD, passed away on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 at the Dell Rapids Nursing & Rehab Center.

Memorial service will be at 11 AM on Wednesday, July 1st at Our Savior Lutheran Church with Pastor Josh Mork officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Inurnment will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery.

Leslie Armin Heidelberger was born January 21, 1943 in Britton, SD, the son of Milton & Thelma (Crippen) Heidelberger. He graduated from Madison High School in 1961 and attended General Beadle College. The Vietnam war was going and so Leslie decided to enlist instead of waiting for the draft, so on October 26, 1962 he entered in the US Army. Leslie served for 3 years and was honorably discharged on October 12, 1965 as an SP5 (E-5).

Leslie returned back to the area and that is when he met Virginia Raethz and they went on to be married on June 10, 1967 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Madison. They made their home in the Colton area and Leslie worked at the local farmer’s grain elevator for many years. They eventually moved to a farm outside of Chester and Leslie worked at Arctic Cat for 15 years. He worked various other jobs until he retired.

He is survived by his wife, Virginia; son, Leslie (Alli King) Heidelberger III; daughter, Gina (Glenn) DeGroot and son, Tye Heidelberger; 14 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren; 3 brothers, Dale (Mary) Heidelberger, Jim (Ruth) Heidelberger and Howard (Beverly) Heidelberger; sister, Rosemary Duncan.

Leslie was preceded in death by his parents; 2 grandsons, Jackson & Samuel; 2 brothers, Gary & Walt Heidelberger and sister-in-law, Charlotte Heidelberger.

The Rustand Weiland Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements