Roger Tigert

Roger S. Tigert, age 86, of Vermillion SD, died on October 13, 2023, at the Sanford Care Center in Vermillion, SD. 

Roger was born on March 15, 1937, in Clay County, SD.  He attended a rural elementary school and graduated from Meckling High School in 1955. He spent time during his high school and college years living with his aunt and uncle, Ruth and Fritz Moritz, helping on their farm.  He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from the University of South Dakota in 1959.  He taught high school math and science classes in Menno, SD, where he met Patricia Barlund, and then taught in Armour, SD. Roger and Pat were married on June 1, 1961, in Wilmot, SD.

After teaching high school in Red Lodge, MT, he earned a Master’s Degree in Administration from Montana State University in 1964. He attended the University of South Dakota as a National Science Foundation Grant recipient and then served as a school superintendent in Oldham, SD, Judith Gap, MT, Winnett, MT, Hays, MT, Joplin, MT, and Wakonda, SD.

Prior to retiring from education, Roger and his family started the Tigert Art Gallery in Vermillion. Roger loved hunting, fishing, camping, and spending time with his family and grandchildren. He shared his love of hunting in the mountains with his two sons and friends by traveling to Colorado to go elk hunting together each year for many years. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church.

Roger is survived by his wife, Pat of Vermillion, their three children, Teresa (Larry) Janssen of Crofton, NE, Robert Tigert of Vermillion, Phillip (Jennifer) Tigert of Douglas, WY, sister Sharon Shuff of Rapid City, SD, and sister-in-law Sandy (Cornelius) Smit of Slayton, SD. He is also survived by ten grandchildren, Amanda (Janssen) McColgan, Tim Tigert, Tayler (Tigert) Walker, AJ Janssen, Tessa (Tigert) Pyle, Sam Tigert, Sydney Tigert, Tyler Janssen, Trevor Tigert, and Travis Tigert; four great-grandchildren, Brayden Walker, Blakely Walker, James Tigert and Everleigh Janssen, as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Frances Austin and Wayne Shuff, aunt and uncle Ruth and Fritz Moritz, aunt and uncle Verna and Otto Jensen, cousin Doug Moritz, brother-in-law Dick Anderson, sister-in-law Bev Palmer and her husband Richard, as well as several aunts, uncles and cousins.