Aidan William Hespe

Aidan William Hespe passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, February 16, 2025, at the young age of 16. Funeral services will be held Friday February 21, 2025, at the Winner High School Armory. Burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services. A private family service will be held Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 7:00PM at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Winner, SD. Visitation will be held one hour prior. Following the burial a luncheon will be provided at St. Mary's Hall.
Aidan was born on October 21, 2008, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to Tammy Frank and Richard "Ricky" Hespe. He was their only son, their entire world, and brought so much joy to their lives. His kind-hearted, fun-loving, silly personality was evident from a young age. He was raised in Winner, SD, where he attended school and began his young journey. Growing up, Tammy and Ricky followed Aidan to many activities such as baseball, Cub Scouts, flag football, choir, plays, band, Reading Olympics and archery. Through these activities he discovered his skills and built many sustained friendships.
Aidan was gifted in many ways. He was bright, creative, and a talented writer. In elementary school he was selected to present essays for class assignments and won a few writing contests. He was a talented trumpet player in band, having received awards, and enjoyed concert performances, contests and pep band. Aidan discovered his passion for acting in the 5th grade where he won a Golden Ticket to the Junior Performing Arts Camp in the Black Hills for his outstanding debut performance. He was a talented actor having several main roles in one-act plays, entertaining his audience and making people laugh. He even signed up for open cast calls as an extra in the upcoming Adam Sandler movie Happy Gilmore 2. He enjoyed playing basketball with his friends at the auditorium and just signed up to play club baseball.
The love and bond Aidan had with his mom was unmatched. She was his biggest supporter as he was hers. Aidan would write his mom special notes, send funny texts, and pull silly tricks to brighten her day. He loved his mom dearly and always made time for her, whether going places together or just talking about their day. They went on short trips, enjoyed outdoor activities, and loved to have fun. Never did they end a phone call or part ways without saying "I love you", and every interaction was met with a big hug.
Aidan and his dad enjoyed attending his Uncle Kelly's stock car races along with Uncle Galen. They would spend time at the shop working on the race cars, along with "Matilda", Aidan's prized 1994 Dodge Stealth that he loved to cruise around in with his friends. Ricky guided Aidan in building four pinewood derby cars for Cub Scouts, where he twice won 1st place, and 2nd place.
Aidan and his Grandma Kathy took many trips together creating irreplaceable memories. He especially loved to go to Texas to see his cousins, Alexis, Akeisha, Marcus and Simon, and Lucia and Xavier in Kansas. He also had a special bond with his Grandma Dianna and was very sad when she passed away. They spent time goofing around, playing games together, and taking selfies with SnapChat filters. Aidan loved to hang out with his cousins, Kayden and Slade, spending every summer together. They had fun swimming, driving around, working at the drive-in with Dusty or having frequent sleepovers at Tori and Miles's house. Aidan also enjoyed visiting his cousins Chloe and Zeke in Spearfish, where they would play games and tube down Spearfish Creek.
Aidan worked summers at the McDonald's concession stand and the Winner Drive-In Theatre. He had recently begun a job at Frontier Motors helping in the shop, where he got to spend time with his best friend Keegan.
When Aidan was little, he looked forward stayovers with Ryan and Clay Sell, and their parents, "BFF" Jill and Tom, where he got to stay up late playing video games and eating Oreo pop tarts. He also enjoyed his after-school time with his Aunt Mona and their daily trips to Dairy Queen for their "sweet treat".
At a young age, Aidan loved getting new gadgets to master such as switchblade trainers and various Rubik's cubes, and would then make TikTok videos showcasing his skills. He liked to try new things such as making balloon animals, completing science experiments, and even sold art, rocks from "Grandma" Vicky's, and lemonade on the street with his cousins. Aidan liked to play online video games and befriended fellow players from such places as Seattle, China and Sweden, with whom he maintained friendships for several years. Aidan also loved to play with his pet cat, Nada Dog.
Aidan was known for his kindness, humility, humor and brilliance. Making people laugh with his quick wit, impersonations, goofiness, and hilarious facial expressions was his specialty. He had many friends, too numerous to mention, and enjoyed cruising around or just hanging out, and was known to some as "Bestie Hespe". His friends say he was a kind soul, loyal, and always there for you. He would light up a room and could make people smile no matter how they were feeling. Aidan's talents, antics, kind nature, and big heart are what made him so special, and he will be remembered for his genuine, unique qualities. He was humble, thoughtful, and unaware of how wonderful and beloved he truly was. Aidan has left an unimaginable void in our hearts and will be forever missed beyond measure.
Aidan is survived by his loving parents, Tammy Frank and Ricky Hespe of Winner, SD; Grandpa Neil Frank Jr. of Winner, SD; Grandma Kathy Hespe of Winner, SD; Great-Grandma Donna Duffy of Winner, SD; Great Grandpa Richard (Dick) Hespe of Bonham, TX; Aunts Serena Ager (Stan Lee) of Spearfish, SD; Lindsey Frank of Box Elder, SD and Trisha Hespe of Granbury, TX; Uncles Raymond Hespe of Rapid City, SD; Ryan (Megan) Hespe of Smithville, MO; Dusty McKenzie of Winner, SD; and cousins Chloe, Ezekiel, Kayden, Slade, Sebastian, Alexis, Marcus, Simon, Akeisha, Lucia and Xavier, along with several other family members.
Aidan was preceded in death by his Grandma Dianna Frank; Grandpa Jeff Hespe, Great Grandpa William "Bill" Duffy; Great Grandma Connie Hespe; Great Grandparents Raymond and Rhoda Abbey, and Neil, Sr. and Eleanor Frank, along with several great Aunts and Uncles.