Evelyn L. Spencer 92 of Wessington Springs died Monday evening June 15, 2009 at the Weskota Manor/Avera Health. Her Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 AM Friday June 19, 2009 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church with Fr. Jim Friedrich officiating. Interment will be at the Immaculate Conception Cemetery rural Wessington Springs. Friends may call at the Basham Funeral Home Thursday from 1-8. A scripture service will be held at 7:00 PM Thursday at the funeral home.
Evelyn L. Spencer was born on Sept. 19, 1916 to Joseph and Mary (Zak) Dusek at their home in Crow Lake Township. She attended rural school Sefrna School for 8 years and graduated as the Salutatorian of her class from Wessington Springs High School. She attended Free Methodist College in Wessington Springs and received a teaching degree. Evelyn began teaching when she was 19 at the home Sefrna School. In her thirty-four year career she also taught at Pleasant, Schubert and Crow Lake Central and the consolidated school in Lane.
On May 29, 1940 she married John R. Spencer at Immaculate Conception Church at Crow Lake. They settled on a farm north of White Lake, later moving to another farm in that area. They moved back into Crow Lake Township on another farm in the mid 40’s. Evelyn enjoyed flowers, oil painting, needlework, gardening and raising turkeys. In 1979 they retired from farming and moved to the Warner Apartments in Wessington Springs. Her husband, John passed away in 1982.
Evelyn was a member of the Crow Lake Catholic church, and St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wessington Springs, the Cheery Little Chicks Extension club, the SDEA, and the Buttons and Bows and Country Cousins Square Dance Club.
Evelyn is survived by her 3 sons Lewis and his wife Jerlyn of Townsend, MT, Dennis and his wife Sandy of Rapid City, SD and Gary and his wife Verna of Fort Pierre, SD, 10 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren, 1 brother Lawrence Dusek of Wessington Springs and 1 sister Margaret Schmidt of Lane, and a host of friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, 1 daughter Sharon Jost, 1 granddaughter Deanna Jost, 2 sisters Josephine Schmidt and Helen Boesen and 1 brother Joseph Jr. and a brother-in-law Wilfred Schmidt.
on Jun 17th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
I have many fond memories of Mrs. Spencer during her years a our teacher at Schubert. My prayers are with her family, friends and former students.