Dale R. Rovere, owner of Dale’s Tire & Retreading, died peacefully in his home in Rapid City, South Dakota, on Sept. 11 at age 72. He died surrounded by family after a two-year struggle with ALS. His family said he went by many nicknames–Rusty, Turbo and Harry the Speed Freak–and was known to always have a smile on his face, his obituary said. Those close to him remember him as a dad, husband, mentor and hero. 

Rovere was drafted in 1969 and served in the Vietnam War. He earned the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Bronze Star Medal and Army Commendation Medal. Prior to serving in the Army, “you could find Rusty turning wrenches at Eddie’s Chevrolet in Deadwood, South Dakota,” his obituary said. When he returned, Rovere studied at Black Hills State University and went back to work alongside his father at the same Dale’s Tire & Retreading shop in Deadwood. 

Rovere met his wife, Jane Gieszler, in 1972. They got married in Deadwood in 1974. The pair had a 47-year marriage and three children: Todd, Michael and Jennifer. In 1974, Dale’s Tire moved to Rapid City. Rovere worked alongside his late father– and eventually his two sons–at this location. Rovere helped grow the business for nearly 50 years until ALS limited his ability to work, according to his obituary. Today, the Dale’s Tire business has two locations in Rapid City and one in Deadwood. 

In his free time, Rovere could be found riding motorcycles and snowmobiles in the Black Hills and tuning Corvettes and Camaros. He was “never one to be disrespectful of the law, but out of pure joy for speed, there are rumors of Rusty’s not-so-legal drag racing, outrunning the police and maybe an exhibition driving ticket while in his 60s, all done with a smile on his face,” his obituary said. 

Brennan Pruss, general manager and CFO at Dale’s Tire & Retreading in Rapid City, South Dakota, said Rovere was “a great individual for the tire industry.”

“ He was a very loyal person to his customers, his employees and the manufacturers he sold tires for,” he said. “Those are the ways I will always remember Rusty.”

Read more about Rovere here.