Caroline Block

Caroline Block, age 64, Watertown, died on Wednesday, April 2, 2014 at her home in Watertown. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 8, 2014 from 5-7PM at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Watertown with a Liturgical Wake Service beginning at 6:30 PM. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at 10:30AM in the Immaculate Conception Church at Watertown with The Reverend Paul Rutten celebrating. The casketbearers will be Aleks, Shelby and Jonathon Kerkvliet, Kelly Shea, Lonnie Block and Brandon Nelson. Music will be provided by the Immaculate Conception Funeral Choir with Danielle Holmquist-Holiday as organist. Burial will follow in the St. Mary's Cemetery at Watertown. She was born Caroline Block at Enemy Swim Lake near Webster on July 16, 1949, the daughter of Aleks and Barbara (Dargatz) Block. She attended St. Otto's School at Webster through the eighth grade and then Webster Public High School graduating in 1967. She moved to Watertown and attended the Watertown School of Business. While in school she worked at F & M Bank in Watertown. She married Gary Kerkvliet on November 22, 1969 at Webster. The couple were the parents of 7 children. They lived in Minneapolis area for several years where she worked for Sears and also did day-care and upholstery work. They later moved back to South Dakota to a farm near Castlewood. The couple later divorced. Caroline was united in marriage to Darryl Stowell for a few years. Caroline continued a college education at Mount Marty at Watertown and graduated with the Class of 1995. She specialized in marketing. She was employed at various places in Watertown among them being Karl's and currently was employed at the GSI Thrift Store. She also operated her own alteration business for a period of time. Some of the things she enjoyed were sewing, crocheting, playing board games, and cards. She also enjoyed her job and the company of her co-workers. Caroline loved spending time with her family camping and attending sporting events of her grandchildren especially, but second to none were the sleep-overs with her grandchildren, she absolutely loved that time together with them! She was a member of the Immaculate Conception Parish and served as a Eucharistic minister for the hospital. Preceding her in death were her parents, a son, Jeremy and siblings, Norbert, Nicholas, Ralph and Clara Block. Grateful for having shared in her life are her children, Steven (Nickie) Kerkvliet of Castlewood, Sharleen Kerkvliet of Yankton, Kevin (Sandy) Kerkvliet, Nicolle (Vince) Zubke, Mark (Melody Hansen) Kerkvliet and Kimberly (Lance) Diedrich all of Watertown, 12 grandchildren, Aleks (Maria), Stephanie, Shelby, Garret, Brandon (Kristina), Jonathon, Isabella, Bailey, Carter, Jayce, Lyric and Maverick and 2 great-grandchildren, Abraham and Ashton. She also leaves siblings, Floyd Block of Stillwater, MN, Andy (Joanne) Block of Webster, Maxine (Charles) Kickhafer of Maple Plaine, MN, Arnie (Diane) Block of Commerce City, CO, Joyce (Ross) Stevenson of Maple Grove, MN and Nancy (Gary) Klungseth of Aberdeen. She also leaves a sister-in-law, Virginia Block of Fargo, ND. The Furness Funeral Home of Clark is serving the family where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com