Bertha E Doeden

Bertha E. Doeden, age 95, Clark, the widow of Dietrich (Dick) Doeden, died in the Golden Living Center at Clark early Saturday morning, December 31, 2011 after a lengthy illness. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 11:30 AM in the United Methodist Church at Clark with The Reverend Dayne Zachrison officiating. Burial will follow in the Lorinda Cemetery at Henry. Casketbearers will be DuWayne, Gary & Gale Dekker and Terry LaBore. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 from 6-8PM at the Furness Funeral Home in Clark and after 10AM Wednesday at the Church. Bertha E. Schaaf was born on July 28, 1916 in Elrod Township, near Clark, SD, the daughter of Edward and Julia (McElroy) Schaaf, early pioneers of Elrod, being the first ones to homestead there. She attended school in the Elrod area. On June 3, 1931, she was united in marriage to Dietrich (Dick) Doeden at Redfield, SD. To this union, two children, Ramona and Beverly, were born. The couple lived at Redfield where she worked as a seamstress and marketer at the Redfield State Hospital. Dick died in 1963. Bertha continued living and working in Redfield until 1985, when she moved to the City View Apartments in Clark. Bertha became a resident of the Fay Wookey Memorial Assisted Living Center after it opened and has since May of 2005 been a resident of the Golden Living Center. She was a member of the United Methodist Church, the UMW and also enjoyed helping with the quilting group at the Church. While living in the apartment she enjoyed tending to her garden. Some of her other found moments were spent taking care of the grandchildren, square dancing in her younger years, having coffee with friends and enjoying a good game of cards. Grateful for having shared in her life are her daughters, Ramona "Boots" (Clifford) Dekker of Clark and Beverly LaBore of Sioux Falls, 7 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and 16 great-great grandchildren. She also leaves a sibling, Wilma Ulven of Watertown and a sister-in-law, Delane Schaaf of Sioux Falls. Preceding her in death were her parents, husband, siblings, Cecile, Lillian, Emma, Carrie, Eddie, Larry, Max and Dale, grandchildren, Ronnie Dekker and Cheryl Thoreson, great-grandsons, Grant & Christopher Yeaton and a son-in-law, Dennis LaBore. Funeral arrangements are with the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where there is an on-line guest registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com