MILLER, SD – Carolyn Beranek, 93, of Miller, passed away Thursday, December 26, 2024, at the Good Samaritan Society in Miller.

Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, January 3, 2025, at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, Miller, with Monsignor Charles Mangan, celebrant. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at St. Ann’s Cemetery, Miller.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to Hands of Hope.

Born February 18, 1931, in Faulkton, SD to Ernest and Mildred (Shoemaker) Palon. Her family moved to Highmore, and then during World War II, the family moved to Minneapolis for a few years before returning to Highmore, where she went to school and graduated in 1949.

She met her future husband, Marvin, while in high school at one of the many dances she liked to go to. They were married on October 15, 1951. While Marv was in the military they lived in Bayonne, NJ, Baytown, TX, and Sasebo, Japan. After his discharge from the Army, they lived for a short time on the farm South of Ree Heights, before moving to Highmore. In 1959 they moved to Miller, where Carolyn was a stay at home mom until her youngest started school and then she went to work at Cal Fay Fashions. She eventually went to work as a teller at First National Bank of Miller, where she stayed through the various ownerships and name changes First Bank Miller, First State Bank Miller, and Quoin Financial Bank. She continued to work well into her retirement years as she loved to talk to and be around people. After she retired from the bank and wanted something to do to keep busy, she went to work as a waitress at Summers Bar.

She had few hobbies but the ones she did usually involved competition. She enjoyed bowling and was a member of the bank’s bowling team for several years. She was a member of various bridge clubs over the years but especially enjoyed playing cards, mainly cribbage. She also enjoyed going to the casino and playing the slots with her friends. She was an avid sports fan and followed the Miller High School sports team with her favorites being football, boys’ and girls’ basketball, and volleyball. She also enjoyed watching pro football games.

She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Karen Beranek; sons, Mark (Brenda) Beranek and Steve (Karen) Beranek; grandchildren: Matt (Abby) Beranek, Rachel (Alex) Hagen, Lakota Beranek, Jada Beranek, and Colin Beranek; step granddaughters, Michelle (Jon) Matthews and Jill Seney; great grandchildren: Juliet Beranek, Luke Hagen, Gabe Hagen, Levi Hagen, Tate (Grace) Matthews, Luke Matthews, Eden Matthews, Sage Seney, Sadie Seney, and Saylor Seney.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernie and Millie Palon; her husband, Marvin; son, David; two infant brothers, Virgil and Johnnie; brother, Jimmy, two sisters, Geraldine (Sissy) Houdek and Jean Gormley; three nieces, Susie (Kusser) Bonnichsen, Valerie (Gormley) True, and Laurie (Houdek) Koski; and two nephews, Jim Kusser and Chad Houdek.

A special recognition to sister-in-law, Mary Beranek, who was more than a relative but a best friend for a number of years. And to Lincoln and Myles Beranek, who brought joy to our mom as she got to be around small boys again.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Carolyn’s arrangements.

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