DAVID KEITH BRIXEY was born on June 11, 1947 in Rapid City, SD to Norris and Hazel (Judy) Brixey. He grew up on the family farm near Prairie City and received his early education in rural schools, graduating from Hettinger High School in 1966. David received two years of automotive technician training in Springfield, SD and then attended Bartlesville Wesleyan College in Bartlesville, OK. While there, he met and married Nancy Neuenschwander on June 26, 1970. They worked at Wesleyan Indian Missions in Hot Springs, SD, before returning to Prairie City to open an automotive repair business in January on 1974. Dave's love of all things mechanical carried over into his after business hours, building demolition derby cars, first for himself, then with several of his nephews.

Dave served on the Board of Directors for Perkins County Rural Water, as Chairman of Prairie City Fire Department and as a Sunday school teacher, superintendent and board member at the Wesleyan Church in Prairie City.

Dave was diagnosed with cancer in mid April of 2005. He met the disease "head on and stared it in the face". When it became apparent that "it" would win, he conceded the loss of his body, but not his spirit and soul. David Brixey passed from this life on August 9, 2005 at the West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger, ND.


He is survived by his wife, Nancy, of Prairie City; two daughters, Dena, of Hettinger, ND and Denise, of Prairie City; his parents, Norris and Hazel Brixey, of Prairie City; one sister, Marilyn and husband Dave Dulitz, of Webster, SD; two brothers, Stanley and wife Mary, of Prairie City and Tim and wife Debbie, of Webster, SD and his walking buddy, Phoebe.