Marjorie Mae Wirt

Mrs. Marjorie Mae (Sisk) Wirt, age 95, Watertown, formerly of Garden City, the widow of Donald Wirt, died at her home in Watertown late Monday night, November 10, 2008.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 14, 2008 at 2PM in the Watertown Presbyterian Church at Watertown with the Reverend Richard Poppen officiating. Burial will be held at 1PM on Satruday, November 15, 2008 in the G.A.R. Cemetery at Miller, SD.  Marsha Bullis will be the pianist with congregational singing.

Visitation will be held on Thursday from 4-6PM at the Furness Funeral Home in Clark and 1 hour preceding services at the Church on Friday.

Marjorie Mae, beloved daughter of Harry and Anna (Swenson) Sisk, preferred helping her father and older brothers Roland and Albert with farm chores to assisting her mother and big sister Helene and little sister Virginia with housework. Always the tomboy-farm girl, 'Babe' relished teaching tricks to her pony Bill on their cross country trips to and from her rural school. Some of Bill's lessons included crawling between the strands of a barb wire fence as his mistress spread them to pursue another short-cut adventure, allowing Marjorie to mount from a running jump and ride off standing on his back. Marjorie attended high school in St. Lawrence and was confirmed and attended the St. Lawrence Community Church.

Eloping with Donald R. Wirt, the couple married in Huron on February 9, 1931 and began farming near Wessington. Daughter Donna (Murphy) joined them on August 4, 1932. The young couple, dislodged by relentless dustbowl winds and falling farm prices, like many depression era South Dakotans, was lured by grass-green rumors of good jobs 'out west.'

Hard rock gold mining in Mullan, Idaho, carpentry, wood mill work, cannery and even orchard work in Washington provided only temporary employment. Finally, Don's landing a construction job on the massive Grand Coulee Dam allowed the family to squirrel away a grubstake to re-establish a farm in 1940 on her native Dakota prairie.

For both Marjorie and Donald, that farm near Garden City was truly a labor of love as they raised corn and beans, all kinds of small grain, flax, and a family. Horses, beef and dairy cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, geese and even guinea fowl also found a home on that farm that specialized in 'everything'. Son Douglas joined the mix on January 25, 1952 and learned 10 years later that he lived on what his social studies book called a 'Midwestern General Farm.' The family was involved in the life of the Garden City Methodist Church. Donna married her college sweetheart, Sheldon Murphy, and began her own adventures in 1954.

Marjorie, always the hardworking mother and farm wife, specialized in everything too. Animal husbandry, midwifery, gardening, baking, cooking, jam making, canning and freezing, planting and harvesting, rounded out her resume. Pulling the well to repair the pump cylinder at the bottom of 185 foot casing, helping with homework or a 4-H project, or nursing a sick calf, were never too much to ask.

Looking forward to the freedom to travel and explore new horizons, Marjorie and Don retired from active farming the same year Doug graduated from high school, 1970. Doug married the love and light of his life, Nancy LaBay, September 5, 1971. Donald passed away in 1975.

Moving to Watertown in 1980 to be near Doug, Nancy and five grandchildren, a new chapter of life unfolded for Marjorie. Always the avid traveler, she discovered the Farmers Union Bus Trips. 'North and South, East and West' she crossed the continent. She visited Donna, Sheldon and Grandson Kevin, frequently as both mother and daughter expanded there repertoire of arts and craft skills, including quilt making and creating glass 'sun catchers.' Dancing three nights a week, Sons of Norway, First United Methodist Church and her family filled her time in Watertown.

As time passed, Marjorie's time came to be centered more and more on her family. Visits by relatives and friends brightened her days. She delighted to share a special batch of chocolate chip cookies with those she loved. She enjoyed the fellowship with the members of the Watertown Presbyterian Church, and gradually their pastor, Dick Poppen became hers, too.

Marjorie will be most missed by her daughter Donna Murphy of Bothell, WA, a son, Doug (Nancy) Wirt of Watertown, grandchildren, Kevin Murphy, Megan Dyce, Jolene Wirt, Ben Wirt, Julie Hanthorn, and Joann Wirt, and eight great-grandchildren, Brianna, Bryce, Sarina, Brooke, Cody, Ashley, Stone, and Landin and one-great-great grandchild, Jaadyn.  Her grandchildren will be the casketbearers.

Preceding her in death were her parents, husband and siblings, Roland, Albert, Helene, Virginia and Vivian and a son-in-law, Sheldon Murphy.