Mavis Valberg

Mavis Valberg, age 92, of Watertown, SD, formerly of Bradley, SD, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Sunday, September 5, 2021.

Visitation will be Thursday, September 9, 2021, from noon until 1:30 at the Furness Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will follow at 1:30. Casket bearers will be her grandsons. Honorary bearers will include her granddaughters, great grandchildren and her friends from her square dance, bowling, and senior citizens groups. Burial will take place at Prairie Hill Cemetery, rural Bradley, SD.

Mavis Elaine Fryett was born on October 22, 1928, to Vera (Edwards) and Robert Harry Fryett in Bradley, SD. She was baptized in the Bradley Baptist Church and grew up on the family farm. She completed all 12 grades of school in Bradley graduating with the Class of 1947. She attended Watertown Beauty Academy for 1 year and owned a beauty shop in Bradley.

Mavis married Darwin Hartman on April 10, 1948 in Clark, SD and had her 5 children; Shari, Darrell, Larry (deceased 6/27/1987), Cliff, and Jan. They lived just a few miles away from where she grew up and was a dedicated farm wife. Darwin died on August 7, 1967 due to a farm accident. After 24 years on the farm, Mavis moved to Watertown.

Mavis later married Hubert Elwin Valberg on September 28, 1974 in Watertown and welcomed his two children into her life; Rick and Roxie. They were married for almost 47 years and enjoyed bowling, dances, square dancing and senior activities.  Mavis even bowled a 300 on the WII game console at 85 years old.

Mavis was a hard-working woman not only as a farm wife and a beautician but was also a dedicated waitress and an employee of 81 Liquor Store for almost thirty years. She was also a caregiver for her parents and loved spending time with her kids, grandkids, and friends. In her free time, she enjoyed sewing, making numerous quilts for her family, researching family ancestry and spending many hours making photo/history scrapbooks for family members yearly.

She belonged to the Bradley Baptist Church, Bradley Cemetery Association, Lily Hoedowners Square-dance Club, Promenaders Square-dance Club, Round Dance Group, American Legion Auxiliary, Tommy's and Plateau Bowling Leagues, and Senior Citizens of Watertown.

Mavis was preceded in death by her parents, Vera and Robert Harry Fryett; husband, Darwin Hartman; son, Larry Hartman; grandson, Lance Mohr, great granddaughter, Isla Hartman; and sisters, Venita "Nita" (Robert Pete) Diede, Lucille "Joy" (Harold) Mathison, Alta (Floyd)Rick, and Frances "Fran" (Richard) Claussen.

She is survived by her husband Hubert Valberg, children Shari Hartman of Silver Spring, MD, Darrell (Debbie) Hartman of Redfield, Cliff (Dawn Kendrick) Hartman of Bradley, Jan (Steve) Solum, Rick (Lori) Valberg and Roxie (Tim) McElhany all of Watertown; twenty-one grandchildren; forty-one great grandchildren with another due in November; one great-great grandchild; and one brother, Lester Fryett.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the Prairie Hill Cemetery Association, the Watertown Senior Citizens or Prairie Lakes Hospice.

Funeral services are with Furness Funeral Home of Clark, SD, where there is an online registry.