Michael Charles “Mike” Alberts, age 79, of Sturgis, South Dakota, passed away suddenly on November 23, 2025, at Monument Health in Rapid City. Mike was born on July 29, 1946, at St. Joseph Hospital in Deadwood, SD, to Charles and Beverly (Mayer) Alberts. He grew up in Pueblo, CO, and Sturgis, SD, but spent most summers with his grandparents, Dan and Jean (Clark) Mayer, in Lead, SD. After graduating from Sturgis High School in 1964, where he was a champion debater, Mike attended some college before marrying Bonnie Abel. They were married for over 14 years and had one daughter, Stephanie. Mike met Francie Ruebel, and they married in July of 1983, sharing their two daughters, Stephanie Alberts and Yvette Ruebel.
When he was young, Mike’s job experiences included Dick’s Standard full-service gas station on Junction, where he was known for pumping gas and checking oil enthusiastically and washing windows so vigorously that the car shook; making ambulance runs and working funerals for the F.O. Jolley Funeral Home; and working in the meat department of Wayne Baker’s Sooper Dooper grocery store. At age 20, working under Ken Marshall, Mike started his over 40 years of service at the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in Sturgis. Through the divestiture, as Northwestern Bell became US West, then Qwest, and finally Century Link, Mike worked throughout the Black Hills where he climbing poles installing telephones, shooting trouble, and working with the construction crew through all our South Dakota seasons and temperatures. He also served as a union steward for Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7505 and was a member of Telephone Pioneers of America. As a “young phone guy,” Mike worked endless hours and days in the aftermath of the devastating 1972 flood in the Black Hills; in 1997, as an “old phone guy,” he worked on an experienced crew in Grand Forks, ND, to help them recover from the Red River flood. In “retirement,” Mike worked at Rockingtree Floral & Garden Center, taking very good care of all the trees from spring through fall, and making sure that flower arrangements and wreaths always reached the correct recipient in town or the right grave at the National Cemetery.
From the time he was a child, Mike loved all cars and motorcycles!! He could recognize the year and make of almost any pre-1970 vehicle. But he saw the future of cars shown in his mid-1960s Car & Driver magazines, and after 1970 he was disgusted that the new cars all looked alike! He sustained his love of ‘56 & ‘57 Chevys, tinkered on his vehicles, and rode his motorcycles every month of the year that he could. Favorite rebuilds were “Old Blue,” the 1946 Chevy pickup, and the 1963 Triumph Bonneville motorcycle that won an award at the annual “Counts of the Cobblestone” show at the Civic Center in Rapid City. Mike loved driving anything! And he collected many, many scale models of all his favorite models of cars, trucks, motorcycles, and airplanes.
Mike was a good friend to many, always there when needed with advice and support for folks of all ages on a wide variety of topics. Whether it was the guys hanging out at Dave’s Auto Repair, the pit crew for friends’ stock cars at Black Hills Speedway, or the car club he started with friends in Sturgis, he was always willing to help somebody turn a wrench, scrounge a part, or overhaul something (even if there were a few parts leftover). Mike loved his cats, and at the time of his death, he had six who were claimed as “family.” This count does not include the many neighborhood kitties that stopped daily for his snacks and to vie for his attention. The deer and the birds will miss his treats, also.
The last six years of Mike’s life were plagued with dementia, which took away his quick wit and snappy retorts. That ability was missed by many of us – friend and casual acquaintance – but we did occasionally still get the twinkle in his eye, the smart-aleck remark, or the quintessential Mike chuckle.
Mike is survived by his wife Francie of Sturgis; daughters Stephanie of Lakewood, CO, and Yvette (Patric) of Windsor, CO; grandsons Thomas Rikli of Windsor, CO, and Bryton Douglas of Texas; as well as Bonnie Alberts of Sturgis. Mike’s sisters, Cherie McKee (Bill) and Melissa Two Crow, both of Sturgis, will miss him, as will his nephews and nieces (Jason, Bobby, Mandy, Katy, and Danny), plus three grand-dogs and four grand-cats. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Charles “Chuck” Alberts and Beverly Alberts.
Memorials may be made to the benefit Sturgis Animal Shelter EITHER by donating to the Shelter’s veterinary care account at Northern Hills Vet Clinic in Sturgis (Call 605-347-3606, or mail / drop in at 713 Anna St, Sturgis, SD 57785) OR the Shelter always need all kinds of pet food and supplies. The Shelter’s address is 1140 Otter Rd, Sturgis, SD 57785, so you can send / drop off items from their Amazon Wish List from this link: http://bit.ly/49A7ZhM.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 2 from 4 to 7 p.m. and Wednesday, December 3 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm at Kinkade Funeral Chapel.
Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, December 3rd at 1:30 p.m. at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis.
Condolences may be sent to the family at PO Box 412, Sturgis, SD 57785 or via www.kinkadefunerals.com
