Mass of Christian Burial for Marge Mertz, 79, of Mobridge will be at 10 AM, Thursday, May 28, 2026, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Mobridge. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will be at 6 PM Wednesday with a prayer service at 7 PM at the church. Marge passed away Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the Mobridge Regional Hospital.

Marge was born on April 25, 1947, the 7th child of 11, on the farm near Java to the late Ladislaus and Elizabeth (Kosters) Raba. After graduating from Java High School in 1965, she attended Northern State College and received a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education.

She married Don Mertz on June 7, 1969, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Selby. Their reunion has been blessed for 56 years.

Marge was employed at the First National Bank in Mobridge for 7 years after which she took a position with the State of South Dakota, Department of Labor and Regulation in Mobridge as an Unemployment Clerk and later became the Manager of the Department. She retired from this position in 2012 after working for 35 years.

Marge’s love for music had her playing the organ/piano for church services starting in the 8th grade at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Selby. After her marriage she moved to Mobridge and started playing for services in 1981 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Mobridge. She continued over the years and became the music director for the church in 1998. Because of problems with cancer, she retired from the position in October of 2020 but was still playing for funerals and weddings. Her greatest love was spending time with family and friends. She also loved music (playing the piano, organ, accordion, and guitar), playing tennis, embroidery, crossword puzzles, playing cards, and spending time with her children and grandchildren. In 2023 she again began planning all music for the weekend Masses and playing again for the choir at the 10:00 AM Mass, and for weddings and funerals at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Mobridge.

She is survived by and will be sadly be missed by her husband Don, one son Scott (Melanie) Mertz of Mobridge, two daughters, Denise (Jesse) Foster of Pierre and Kristi (Jess) Kraft of Mobridge; and five grand-children Abigail Elizabeth Foster (Alex Hegg), Braedon Mark Foster and Amelia Kaye Foster; and River Joseph Kraft and Emerie Rose Kraft. Survived by her siblings; Donald (Linda) Raba, Jeanette (Bernie) Neal, Theresa (Pat) Russell, Rose (Jerry) Mittleider, Tony (Barb) Raba, Greg Raba, Susanne (Max) Smylie. Also survived by her sister-in-laws; Ilene Raba, Jane Mertz, Lynn Mertz and Mary Mertz.

She was preceded in death by her parents Ladis and Elizabeth Raba, two sisters; Geraldine Raba and Marilyn Bohlander,one brother Marvin Raba, one neice Sandra Bohlander. Three sister-in-laws Eleanor Gab, Ellina Barth and Ella Schneider; Seven brother-in-laws Walter Barth, Johnny Gab, Roland Mertz, Quintine Mertz, Allen Mertz, Vernard Schneider and Edward Bohlander.

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