Mildred Ann Adams passed away on April 28, 2021 at Dells Nursing and Rehab Center in Dell Rapids, SD.  Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church at Blunt, SD. Interment will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Blunt. For those unable to attend the funeral, it will be available for viewing at the top of this page.

Mildred Ann (Thornberry) Adams was born on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1934, the oldest of five children, to Dave and Ruby (Rogers) Thornberry of Madison County, Combs, Arkansas in the Ozarks. Mildred or “Ann”, as she was called by her parents and siblings, attended Greenwood grade school, and graduated from St. Paul High School at St. Paul, AR, in 1951.

In 1951 she met and married Neil (Buddy) Adams from South Dakota.  Neil was stationed at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, near Fort Smith, AR, during the Korean War.  After Neil served, returned from Korea, and was discharged, they came to Blunt, SD to make their home, first living on a farm three miles east of Blunt. They became the parents of five children: Janelle, Jeanita, Michael, Joni, and Gregory.  In 1967 they moved into town where Mildred proudly called home the rest of her life.

Mildred was employed by the State of South Dakota for 31 years.  She worked for the Driver License Issuance Division for nearly twenty-five years and retired from the Dept. of Social Services, having worked there more than six years for the Division of Medical Services.

Mildred attended the Blunt United Methodist Church, was a 60 plus year proud member of the Blunt American Legion Auxiliary, the Blunt Study Club, the Blunt Senior Center and Blunt PTO when her children were in school.  She was also a RSVP volunteer.  Mildred enjoyed reading, genealogy, word search books, going to coffee and lunch with her friends and neighbors, but most of all spending time with her beloved family.

Survivors are her children:  Janelle (Louis) Janish, Kimball, SD; Jeanita (Brad) McNulty, Blue Grass, IA; Michael (Elizabeth) Macclenny, FL; Joni (Don) Hahn, Gillette, WY; Greg, Sioux Falls, SD.  Seven grandchildren: Tami McManigal (Dan) Presho, SD; Vicky (Bob) Gleason, Summit, SD; Chad Adams, Macclenny, Cory Adams, Jacksonville, FL; Chris, Kayla (Tony) Becker, and Terah (Mike) Averett, Gillette, WY.  Seven great-grandchildren: Camron McManigal, Mitchell, SD, Isaac and Ginger McManigal, Presho, SD; Aspen Gleason, Summit, SD.  Danika, Davian and Kyson Becker, Gillette, WY.  A sister, Frances (Joe) Collins; Fayetteville, AR; and a brother, David (Glenda) Thornberry, Pocahontas, AR, many beloved nieces and nephews and special friend Winona Schultz.

Mildred was preceded in death by her parents; sister Janice and husband John Bunch; brother Douglas and wife Fern Thornberry; grandson Derek McManigal; and her faithful little dog, Molly.

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