Grace Halverson, 88, of De Smet

Posted

DE SMET — Grace Halverson, 88, passed away Friday, November 23, 2018, at the Good Samaritan Center in DeSmet.
A funeral service is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, November 27,  at the De Smet Community Church with Pastor Jim Millman officiating. Burial will follow in
the LeSueur Cemetery at Bancroft. Visitation hours will be 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, at Osthus Funeral Home in De Smet.
Grace was born October 2, 1930, to Paul and Gertrude (Chamberlain) Cunningham in Pipestone, Minn. She was the youngest of six children. She attended rural school and graduated from Pipestone High School in 1949. She was active in 4-H showing cattle and sheep. She showed in several states including Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. She often recalled fond memories of showing at the Minnesota State Fair, the St. Paul Junior Livestock Show, and Ak-Sar-Ben. She graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1955 with a Bachelor of Science Degree. While at the university, she was a member of the Beta Clovia Sorority which at the time was a sorority exclusively for former 4-H members.
She helped on the family farm and worked in Springfield, Minn., after graduating from college. She met Darrell Halverson at a Young Men and Women’s (YMW) function in Madison, S.D. They were united in marriage October 26, 1957, in Pipestone, Minn. She and Darrell farmed near Bancroft until his death in 1996. Grace was very active on the farm tending cattle, gardening, managing the books and whatever else needed to be done. She taught her daughters many life skills including cooking, baking bread, sewing, horseback riding and nursing baby calves back to health. She was an avid supporter of their 4-H and FFA projects and was a Kingsbury County 4-H leader. She worked at McCain Foods in Clark from 1987 to 2002, when she retired at the age of 70. She moved to De Smet in 2002.
Grace thoroughly enjoyed her retirement years in De Smet. She was an active member of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church. She loved community events and school concerts, 4-H Achievement Days and visiting people. She attended many of her class reunions and even went to her 65th class reunion in Pipestone, Minn. in 2014.
She is survived by her children, Joyce Halverson, and Carol (Kenneth) Olsen both of Huron, and Julie Montagne of Elk Point; nine grandchildren, Elisabeth Olsen, and Hannah Olsen both of Sioux Falls, Rachel (Travis) Halsey, and John Olsen both of Huron, Justin Montagne of Yankton, Joanna Olsen of Sioux Falls, Michael Olsen of Huron, Alexa Montagne of Miami, Okla., and Matthias Olsen of Huron; one great- granddaughter, Lydia Halsey of Huron; two sisters-in-law, Norma Rabenberg of Brookings, and Marsine Cunningham of Litchfield, Minn.; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two brothers, Lawrence Cunningham, and Charles Cunningham; and three sisters, Jean Hamm, Lois Houg, and Doris Daum.
Visit www.osthusfuneral.com
Paid Obituary