Gene G. Abdallah, 83

Former public servant Gene Abdallah, 83, of Sioux Falls, died Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019, at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls. Mass of Christian Burial was held Monday, Nov. 11, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sioux Falls.

In lieu of flowers, a law enforcement scholarship fund has been established in Gene’s name. Donations should be made payable to: SD Law Enforcement Charities, 101 S. Main, Ste. 100, Sioux Falls, SD 57104. Please include a reference to “Gene Abdallah Scholarship” in the check memo.

Gene Abdallah dedicated nearly his entire adult life to serving the public. For nearly 50 years, he served in multiple branches of government and nearly all branches of law enforcement, from federal to state to the local level. He began his law enforcement career with the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Department in 1960, working his way to the rank of Chief Deputy Sheriff in 1963. He served in that role until 1968, when he ran for Sheriff of Minnehaha County, losing the closest Sheriff’s election in Minnehaha County history to Barney Boos.

From 1969 to 1982 he worked for SoDak Distributors in Sioux Falls. In March 1982, he returned to law enforcement when he accepted the appointment by President Ronald Reagan to serve as South Dakota’s 17th U.S. Marshal. He was reappointed by President Reagan in 1986 and again by President George H.W. Bush in 1990. Abdallah retired from the position in 1994.

Following his retirement from the U.S. Marshal’s Service, he was appointed in 1995 by Governor William Janklow to serve as the Superintendent of the South Dakota Highway Patrol, a role he had through 2000. Almost immediately upon his retirement from the S.D. Highway Patrol, he was elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives by the citizens of District 10, which is comprised of southeastern Minnehaha and northern Lincoln counties. Abdallah was elected to the State Senate in 2002, and re-elected in 2004, 2006 and 2008. Because of term limits, he left the Senate in 2010 and was again elected to the House of Representatives.

He is survived by his wife Judy; sons, Greg, Spearfish, Don (Jill), Ft. Gibson, Okla., and Scott and Patti, Sioux Falls; five grandchildren, Brooke (husband, Brenton Springer) Abdallah, Sydney Abdallah, Collin (Elyse) Abdallah, and John and Grace Abdallah; and two great-grandchildren, Kaden and Connor Springer. 

For online condolences, visit millerfh.com.