Funeral service for Kenneth Prorok moves locations as thousands expected to attend

Dominik Dausch and Prerana Sannappanavar, Sioux Falls Argus Leader
·2 min read
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Photo of Moody County Chief Deputy Sheriff Kenneth Prorok.
Photo of Moody County Chief Deputy Sheriff Kenneth Prorok.

Funeral details for Kenneth Prorok, the Moody County Chief Deputy Sheriff who died Friday while responding to a police chase, have changed.

According to Prorok's obituary page on Skroch Funeral Chapel's website, funeral services will now be held at Dakota State Fieldhouse in Madison, Thursday, Feb. 8.

The service will begin at 1 p.m., and attendees are asked to wear casual attire. Prorok will be buried in Prairie Queen Cemetery at Nunda following the ceremony.

Dakota Prairie Playhouse will host an online livestream of the service on YouTube.

Funeral service location details

  • WHERE: Dakota State Fieldhouse, 820 N Washington Ave., Madison, South Dakota. Overflow seating available at Dakota Prairie Playhouse, 1205 N Washington Ave.

  • WHEN: Time of fellowship starts 12 p.m.; funeral service starts 1 p.m.

Barry Hillestad with South Dakota Memorial Assistance Response Team told Argus Leader "up to a couple thousand people" are expected to attend Prorok's service, which prompted funeral coordinators to move the event from the Dakota Prairie Playhouse to the larger facility across the street.

"We're going to use the Fieldhouse as the main venue and the overflow areas are going to be the theater … so that gives me 2,000-plus seats," Hillestad said. "The anticipated number just gets bigger and bigger … [but] we want to try to make it so as many people can view it live rather than have to view it on a TV screen. The overflow areas are equipped so that they can livestream over to the overflow seating areas."

Hillestad said visitation is expected to be comparable to another widely-attended funeral held for Chad Mechels, a Turner County sheriff's deputy who was killed while making a well-being check near Marion on March 15, 2009.

Alongside his career in law enforcement, Prorok, a Dakota State University graduate, was also a coach for his alma mater's baseball, volleyball and softball teams for a number of years, according to the obituary page. He also coached football for ten years at Chester Area School.

Hillestad said he's anticipating a large turnout from the state's law enforcement community and former local athletes coached by Prorok.

Prorok, 51, was killed while responding to a police chase on Friday. He was allegedly struck while deploying a tire deflation spike to stop a vehicle being driven by Joseph Gene Hoek, 40, who fled from authorities during a traffic stop, court records show.

More: Sioux Falls man charged with murder in death of Moody County chief deputy sheriff

Hoek made his first court appearance Monday at the Moody County Courthouse in Flandreau, where he is being held without bond.

Memorial donations will be accepted, with the money preferably going to the Prorok family to assist with the college education of JD, Prorok's son. Donations should be made to the JD Prorok Trust at any branch of First Bank & Trust.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Funeral service for Kenneth Prorok moves locations