Evelyn Kelley

BELLE FOURCHE — Evelyn Shirley Kelley, 89 of Belle Fourche, formerly of Spearfish and Huron died Saturday, October 24, 2020 at the Belle Estate in Belle Fourche after a long, courageous struggle with dementia. Evelyn boldly maintained her sweet, cheerful, charitable disposition.

Arrangements are with Leverington Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche. A private burial will take place at the Riverside Memorial Cemetery in Aberdeen, next to her husband.

Evelyn S. Kelley, daughter of Melvin and Minnie (Gunderson) Larson, was born on March 14, 1931 on the family farm 3 miles east of Warner, SD in Gem Township. Her grandfather homesteaded the farm, via a patent from President Grover Cleveland in 1887. She learned her love of the Lord and her work ethic from farm work. Evelyn helped in providing for 3 younger siblings after her father died when she was 7 years old. Her work enabled her 4 older siblings and Mother to run the farm. She moved to Aberdeen to attend Central High School and graduated in 1949. She attended college at Wartburg, Iowa, and returned to Aberdeen to work in bookkeeping for Northwestern Public Service. She wed Wayne Russell Kelley in Aberdeen on June 20, 1954 and they moved to Minneapolis, MN.

She worked as a bookkeeper, putting Wayne through dental school. They returned to South Dakota and established their family in Huron in 1957. She assisted with operating the dental practice.

Evelyn was a member of the St. Paul’s and Mount Calvary Lutheran Churches. She served congregations as president of the altar guild, in other capacities, and the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. Evelyn actively supported General Federation of Women’s Club – Fortnightly Chapter, Huron; advocating for women’s and children’s issues. Her interests included: quilting, sewing, cross-stitching, bridge, traveling, cooking, gardening, sharing her work ethic, and spending time with her family.

She is survived by 3 children, John (Kate) Kelley of Spearfish, Mary Jo Harju of Pingree Grove, IL, and Susan (Tom) Fritz of Omaha; 10 grandchildren, Robert (Erika) Kelley, Megan (Mike) Zilberstein, Andrew (Michelle) Kelley, Russell (Lindsey) Harju, Kelley (Tyler) Bryan, Alanna (Nick) Porter, Tyler (Jordan) Harju, Rachel Harju, Elizabeth (Martin) Mitsch, and Sarah Fritz; 5 great-granddaughters, 7 great-grandsons, two sisters: Hollis Mundhenke, and Mytris Clark, two sisters-in-law: Doris Larson and Ginger Campos, and 29 nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years; her son-in-law; her parents; brothers Udell, Wayne, Kenneth, Milton; 4 brothers-in-law, and her sister Carol (Larson) Dunker; 3 sisters-in-law; parents-in-law; and a niece.

Memorials may be sent to the preschool of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church (Huron) and the Alzheimer’s Association.

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