Funeral Services for Alvin Heupel, 76, of Hettinger, ND will be Friday, December 20, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Hettinger. Rev. Richard Wyman and Rev. Paul Lindt will officiate and burial will follow at the Hettinger Cemetery. Visitations will be from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 19, at the Centennial Chapel of Evanson Jensen Funeral Homes in Hettinger and one hour prior to the service at the church Friday morning. A Gathering of Family and Friends will be Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. at the Centennial Chapel.

Alvin Robert Heupel was born May 28, 1937 in Bison, SD to Alfred and Nora (Rattei) Heupel. He was the oldest of 13 children and grew up on the farm southwest of Bison. Alvin spent a lot of his youth working with his father, where his love for horses started. They did everything by with horses; planting, haying and feeding with teams.

In his early 20's, Alvin moved to Bowman, ND where he worked for farmers and rancher, worked at the Sale Barn, the State Department and helped built Bowman Haley Dam. While living in the Bowman area, he met Geraldine Volk. They were married and to this union, six children were born, Rodney, Loretta, Roger, Ross, Russel and Redgi. They moved to a place four miles north of the Haynes Junction in September of 1972. Alvin and Geraldine's marriage ended in divorce.

On his 20 acre place, Alvin raised horses, cows and pigs. He worked for American Colloid, Hettinger Sale Barn, Gregorian Inc. and Lemmon Livestock for 30 years or more. For many years he was known as the man who had trained his horses to jump into and out of his pickup box. During these years he trained and broke horses for other people as well as his own.

Alvin met Arlis and she moved in with him in May of 1984. They were married on June 4, 1992. After all the children left, they worked together hauling bales and farrowing pigs. They were always busy along with their jobs.

Alvin loved to go to dances, rodeos, watch horse shows on TV and ride his horses to keep them in shape. Horses where a big part of his life and they always made him happy, whether riding or driving his cart for relaxation.

Alvin passed away at the Western Horizons Care Center in Hettinger on Saturday, December 14, 2013.

He is survived by his wife, Arlis, of Hettinger; his children, Rodney (Anna), Tacoma, WA, Lorretta (Doug) Pruener, Battle Creek, NE, Roger (Barb), Lemmon, SD, Ross Heupel, Dickinson, ND, Russel (Denise), Box Elder, SD and Redgi (Natalie), Dickinson, ND; two step children, Kirby Klein, Lemmon, SD and Kara (Shannon) Wiesinger, Lemmon, SD; nine grandchildren, Melissa, Casey, Delayna, Kayla, Eric, Cody, Bailey, Eve and Blaze; two step grandchildren, Melinda Klein and Brittney Wiesinger and three great-grandchildren. He is also survived by four brothers, Alfred (Judy) Heupel, Culbertson, MT, Leonard (Janice) Heupel, Hettinger, ND, Lester (Cleta) Heupel, Wichita Falls, TX and Ron Heupel, Sioux Falls, SD; five sisters, Alice (Delbert) Hurst, Minneola, KS, Linda Baesler, Grants, NM, Margie Kvanvig, Rapid City, SD, Diane (Terry) Brown, San Rafael, NM and Debra Heupel, San Antonio, TX; three brothers-in-law, Craig Perfett, Gillette, WY, Duane Perfett, Gladstone, ND and David Perfett, Deadwood, SD; three sisters-in-law, Barb (Dean) Schlangen, Cresco, IA, Cindy (Shawn) Silkman, Clark, SD and Becky (Bill) Holt, Ralph, SD.

Alvin was preceded in death by his parents, Alfred and Nora Heupel, an infant brother, brothers, Ray (Cordevee) Heupel and Norman Heupel, a sister, Lorraine Pace, his mother-in-law, Joyce Perfett, a step-son, Wade Klein and an infant grandson, Shane.