Ramona Mae Kirkeby

Ramona "Mona" Mae Kirkeby, age 91, widow of Lee, died at her home near Vienna, on Thursday, April 23, 2020 of natural causes.

MEMORIAL SERVICES SATURDAY, June 19th, 2021 at 11am at the hangar home of Dean and Anna Kirkeby, across the road of the Clark Airport. Lunch follows. All are welcome.  The service will also be for Dean Bymers, Ramona's brother who died December 21, 2020.

Ramona Mae Bymers was born in Raymond, South Dakota, on November 4, 1928, to Pete and Gladys (Schultz) Bymers.  She attended rural elementary school through 8 th grade and graduated from Raymond High School in 1946.  In 1947, Ramona earned her teacher's certificate from Northern Normal in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and taught school until her marriage to Lee Kirkeby in 1950. Their son Dean was born in 1955, followed by daughters Margaret, born in 1957, and Jennifer in 1959.  In the 1960s, she returned to Northern State College to attend summer school courses where she attained her two-year teacher's degree.

From the time of her marriage until Lee died in 1997, Ramona was integral to their farming operation in Clark County, working the fields with Lee, raising their children and teaching in the Henry School District for several years in the 1970s.  Ramona was the first woman elected to the Clark County Commission in the 1970s, campaigning in her district on horseback to each constituent's residence. She was also an ambulance driver in Clark County for a period of time in the 1980s.

After Lee's death in 1997, Ramona continued actively farming with her son Dean until a stroke limited her ability to help with the lambing and run equipment.  Yet she maintained her life on the farm preparing meals for the men and serving coffee, cookies and cinnamon rolls to the many folks who knew her kitchen was a place of lively conversation, interesting stories and comfort.

Ramona was preceded in death by her parents, Pete and Gladys Bymers, her husband, Lee Kirkeby, her sister Valois Danekas, brothers-in-law, Bill Danekas, Rollie Fey and Laird Rasmussen.  She is survived by her son Dean (Anna) Kirkeby, daughters Margaret Kirkeby and Jennifer (Mike) Kadera; grandchildren Bret (Esther) Conant, Blake (Sara) Conant, Jay Kirkeby, Joseph Kirkeby, Mikal Kirkeby, Mikah Kadera and Clint Kadera; great grandchildren Leigh Marrol Conant and Lars Melby Conant; sisters Patricia Fey, Iris Rasmussen, Karen (Forrest) McCoy, brothers Dean Bymers, Duane (Avie) Bymers, Marvin Bymers, and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A family gathering to celebrate Ramona's memory will be held at a later date.

Arrangements are with the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com