Helen C. Sperle

Helen C. Sperle age 95 of Bison, died Wednesday August 12, 2009, surrounded by her 3 daughters, at the Sturgis Senior Care Center in Sturgis. The funeral will be held 2 PM Monday August 17th, 2009 at the Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bison with Rev. Lloyd Lemke officiating. Visitation will be held 3 to 6 pm Sunday at Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche, and one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be held in the Bison Cemetery. Helen Caroline Kolb was born July 27, 1914 in Medina, North Dakota. She was the daughter of Katherine (Oberlander) and Gottlieb Kolb. She was the 5th of 13 children born, and accompanied into this world with her twin brother, Lee. At a young age, Helen moved with her family to their Perkins County homestead near Bison where she grew up with her siblings. She attended grade school at the Reder, Highland, and Daviston schools. As a young lady she was a nanny to the William Watson family, caring for their two children, Joy and Bill. While working for them, Helen survived a cyclone which damaged the home. Helen’s eighth grade certificate was lost in the storm as well. In July of 1935 Helen was married to Emanuel Sperle in Bixby SD. To this union three daughters were born, Ruth, Leona, and Lorraine. Following their marriage, Helen and Emanuel moved to rural Bison in the early 1940’s and later in 1948 they moved into Bison where they lived for many years. Emanuel died in December of 1972. In 1982, Helen married Edwin Sperle. Following their marriage they lived in Bison until 1989, when they moved to Sturgis. Edwin died in 1990 and following his death Helen continued to live in Sturgis. In June of 2008 she moved to the Garden Hills Assisted Living Center in Spearfish. For many years, Helen was a childcare provider for many families in Bison. She served as a housekeeper for the Bison Hotel until it burned in 1969. She also worked in the kitchen of the City Café, was housekeeper at the Bison Country Inn, custodian for the Bison Dacatoh Bank, Dr. Deitrick’s office and home, and Susie Parson’s Abstract Office and home. In her younger years she was in demand as a home painter and wallpaper hanger. Helen enjoyed being around people. She especially enjoyed her church, her family and friends, crocheting, sewing, crafts, the Lutheran Ladies Aide, and being a member of the Senior Citizens Center of Sturgis. She will be especially remembered for her kind and winning smile, her German cooking, and her delicious homemade bread, pies, and cakes. She will be missed by her family, friends, and all who knew her. Helen is survived by her 3 daughters, Ruth (Ronald) Jones of Dowling, Michigan, Leona (Jerry) Knutson of Seaford, Virginia, and Lorraine (Donald) Brackett of Virginia Beach, Virginia; 5 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; 1 sister, Edna Martin of Spearfish; 3 brothers, Albert (Berniece) Kolb of Spokane WA, Herbert (Jessie) Kolb of Bison, Walter (Jeannette) Kolb of Spearfish; numerous nieces and nephews; 3 step-sons, Neil Sperle of Rapid City, “Ronnie” Sperle of Sturgis, Keith (Frankie) Sperle of Cheyenne WY; 2 step-daughters, Marjorie (Roger) Childer of Algona Iowa, Hope Dowling of Rapid City and numerous step-grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands; 5 brothers, Reinhold, Theodore, Leopold “Lee”, Arthur, and Alvin; 3 sisters, Martha Sperle, Alma Keil, and Emma Lutz; 1 step-son, Robert Sperle; and 2 step-grandchildren. DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH July 27, 1914 Medina, North Dakota DATE AND PLACE OF DEATH August 12, 2009 Sturgis, South Dakota FUNERAL SERVICE 2:00 P.M. – Monday – August 17th, 2009 Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church Bison, South Dakota OFFICIANT Rev. Lloyd Lemke MUSIC CW 256-How Great Thou Art CW 211-I Know of a Sleep in Jesus' Name CW 382-My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less CW 551-For All the Saints Mrs. Sarah Juergens, organist CASKETBEARERS Lowell Haggart                                                                Alan Kolb Mark Kari                                                    Corby Martin Ervin Keil                                                     Lynn Martin INTERMENT Bison Cemetery Bison, South Dakota