Share Your Captain 11 Memories

A prayer-service for Dave Dedrick will be held Tuesday night in Sioux Falls. The funeral will take place on Wednesday morning. Since his passing, thousands of fans are sharing their favorite memories of Captain 11 online.

As a South Dakota kid, I too grew-up idolizing this "larger-than-life" figure known as Captain 11 and was then lucky enough to work with him before retirement. He was a mentor, an occasional golf partner, and would later become a friend.

Dave Dedrick was a friend to everyone, even those he never met. A quick visit to the Dave Dedrick memorial page at KELOLAND.com gives you a good idea of what he meant to many of us.

"May you always find your favorite colored jewel," Carol said.

"RIP Dave Dedrick, you were our hero," Char said.
 
"Captain 11 was my trusted baby-sitter. I knew exactly where my two daughters would be after school and I never had to worry about what they were watching. Too bad they're more like him today," Helen said in a confession of sorts.

Scroll down leave a comment on the Captain's Memorial Page at KELOLAND.com. 

"Captain you taught me to keep striving for the stars," Matt said.  

"Captain 11-Superman had nothing over you.  You were simply the best," Jason said.

We also have some classic clips from the past, including the Captain's tearful farwell to his fans.

"If I were to leave a legacy, it would be that on some future day each of you may sit down with a child and say, 'Once upon a time there was a man.  Thank you all.  My cup runneth over,'" Dave said. 

Dave loved his career, his family and his fans, not to mention his home, a place he would simply call KELOLAND.