Mary Leone Hersrud

Mary Leone Hersrud, age 93, a native of Willmar, MN, and a longtime resident of Lemmon and Spearfish Canyon, SD, passed away peacefully in her sleep on August 10, 2009 at the Morningside Assisted Living Center in Albany, Georgia. Mary was the daughter of Agnes Murphy and Albert Lee Smith. Albert was a conductor for the Great Northern Railroad, and Agnes was one of three sisters who moved west to homestead the upper Great Plains. Mary was the younger sister of James Morton-Smith and the older sister to Lucille Smith Rief. Both siblings predeceased Mary. After spending her early years in Willmar, the Smiths moved to Aberdeen, SD, where Mary, along with her brother and sister, would graduate from Aberdeen High School. Later, she graduated from the University of South Dakota at Vermillion with a degree in Education. At Vermillion, Mary was a member of the Alpha Rho Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority, and she maintained these college friendships throughout her life. Upon graduation, Mary began teaching in 1937, and continued to teach until her husband, Judge Leslie R. Hersrud, began his legal practice in Lemmon, SD, following his distinguished service in the US Army in Europe during World War II. Mary retired from teaching, and devoted her time to homemaking and a number of civic associations in Lemmon and the Black Hills. A member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lemmon, Mrs. Hersrud is survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Graveside services will be held at 1 pm on Monday August 24, 2009, at the Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, SD, with Father Kerry Prendiville officiating. She will be reunited with Les, her devoted husband of 56 years, at the Black Hills National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary’s name to: Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation, 8740 Founders Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268-1300 or The Deadwood Public Library, 435 Williams Street, Deadwood SD 57732-1113.