Mass of Christian Burial for Barry Bender, 65, of Spearfish, will be held at 10:00 AM (CST), Monday, January 6, 2025, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Mobridge. Burial will be at the Greenwood Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. A visitation will begin at 3:00 PM (CST) Sunday, January 5, 2025, followed by a prayer service at 5:00 PM (CST) at the Church. Barry passed away, Sunday, December 29, 2024, at Monument Health in Spearfish. Funeral services will be livestreamed on the Kesling Funeral Home Facebook page.

Dr. Barry Donell Bender passed away on Sunday, December 29, 2024 at the Spearfish hospital. Barry was born on July 31, 1959 to Marlyn and Clarice (Lawrence) Bender. He attended school in Mobridge and graduated in 1977. Furthering his career, he graduated medical school at the
University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, in 1988. He completed his 4 year Emergency Medicine residency program in Oklahoma City, OK. Barry worked in several locations including Tucson, AZ, Estes Park, CO, Steamboat Springs, CO, Oklahoma City, OK, Rapid City, SD, and Hot Springs, SD. Barry always lit up a room with his personality, making patients feel comfortable. Barry was very brilliant and many friends and relatives could count on his professional medical care. He received numerous awards and recognition for being an excellent provider.

When not working in the emergency room, you could find Barry working as the Arena Doctor at the Black Hills Roundup in Belle Fourche and the Days of '76 in Deadwood. He rarely missed attending the NFR, where he loved to gather with longtime friends and family and always making new friends. He also enjoyed watching the rodeo action, with his favorite being "The Daddy of 'Em All, Cheyenne Frontier Days".

Barry loved, revered, and shadowed his dad. When not working the emergency room or rodeos, you could always find Barry working on the family ranch, calving, branding, haying, fencing, etc. He simply loved and enjoyed the ranch life.

Barry's hospitality was gracious, and he opened his home to all, making lifelong friends who loved and respected him. Barry lived an old cowboy lifestyle, having a bunkhouse he offered to those in need. His home was filled with music, singing, laughter, and story telling. And those of you that have ever heard Barry sing, he sounds just like Johnny Cash, his favorite country artist. Gatherings were often common at Barry's house, including weddings and various other festivities where you could always find yourself dancing, celebrating, and a hootin' n' a hollerin'.

Barry is survived by his Mother, his two children, Bridger and Brooke, his 7 siblings Boyce (Karin), Doyle, Le'Ann, Dana (Miah), Shayne (Jody), Bryan (Karlys), and Muffa (Casey) Keller, numerous nieces and nephews. His aunts, Janet Keckler, Almeda Lawrence, and Faye Kraft, He was preceded in death by his Dad, Marlyn Bender, Grandparents Robert and Delphine Lawrence and Jacob and Minnie Bender, and aunts, uncles, relatives and nephew, Tyler.