Genevieve Parmely | 1938 - 2023
Obituaries-Pierre / Posted Sep 4, 2023 | 1:53 PM / 406 views
BOX ELDER, SD –
Genevieve Parmely, 84, of Box Elder and formerly of Miller, passed away Saturday, September 2, 2023, at Westhills Healthcare in Rapid City.
Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 9, 2023, at the First Presbyterian Church, Miller, with Pastor Robert Brooks officiating. Burial will follow at G.A.R. Cemetery, Miller. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the funeral service.
Genevieve was born on a farm one mile south and a half mile west of Miller on September 28, 1938, to Andy and Elizabeth (Gussler) Gortmaker. She was the middle child of twelve children. She attended one room country schools – two years at Lone Star and six years at Corrin School, sometimes with 24 kids at school.
She married James Parmely on December 17, 1955, at the Presbyterian parsonage in Miller during a blizzard. They were able to spend their 60th anniversary together on December 17, 2015.
They lived on the family farm together for most of their lives farming, raising corn and small grain, working together, milking cows, raising and feeding stock cattle, sheep, pigs, and chickens. She mowed hay, cultivated corn, and worked in the field helping James wherever needed.
In 1957, they decided James should join the National Guard. While James was at camp for six months, Genevieve stayed home and helped James’ dad, Ferrill, farm and mow hay and alfalfa, building their future. After nine years, they decided to start a family and two children were born, Dwayne and Wanda. They were very special to her, as were her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
In April of 2000, James and Genevieve moved to the edge of Miller where they enjoyed living near town while still having the farm nearby. After several health challenges in 2014, they moved to Box Elder, SD.
She was a member of the Nazarene Church, was a Sunday school teacher, served as the Missionary President, and on the church board for many years, often attending assembly meetings in Ellendale, ND.
She liked to bake, sew and garden. She always had a big, bountiful garden and a large yard to mow. She made and decorated Dwayne and Wanda’s wedding cakes along with numerous other cakes for all occasions. She helped Mary McCartney decorate for wedding and anniversary receptions. She sewed several dresses for special occasions for Wanda, including the bridesmaid’s dresses for her wedding. She worked in Wolsey at the greenhouse, flagged for road construction on Highways 14, 45, and 34, and many county roads as well as weighing gravel trucks. She also worked at the Dew Drop Inn, in the deli at Tuckers Super Valu, and at the lunch room at the Miller School. She always felt there wasn’t a job she couldn’t do so she even accepted the call to work bees in Wessington, SD. She was a hard worker and there was always canned food in the basement for the winter. She was always willing to lend a helping hand and loved her family fiercely.
She is survived by her son, Dwayne Parmely, Huron; daughter, Wanda (Mike) Irwin, Box Elder; grandson, Douglas Parmely, Huron; granddaughters: Jacey and Taylor Irwin, Box Elder; great grandchildren: Nikolai, Starfire, and Blaze Parmely; brothers: Rodney (Mary Jo) Gortmaker, Miller and Pat (Joan) Gortmaker, Texas; sister, Sindy Schmidt, Wisconsin; sisters-in-law: Gisela Gortmaker, Wisconsin and Beth (Jack) Engel, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, James; parents: Andy and Elizabeth Gortmaker; parents-in-law: Ferrill and Mabel Parmely; brothers and sisters: Charolette (Jim) Burgher, Ethel (Don) Deuter, Marjorie (Roy) Mitchell, Tony (Kathleen) Gortmaker, James Gortmaker, Chuck Gortmaker, Donald Gortmaker, and Sharry Gortmaker; brothers and sisters-in-law: Robert Schmidt, Viola (June) Ford, Wayne (Ellen) Parmely, Mildred (Lowell) Engel, Marles (Roger) Dean, Margaret (Richard) Starks, Clark (Ruby) Parmely, Otis (Natalie) Parmely, Lenarda (Gene) Swaney; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Genevieve’s arrangements. Visit www.familyfuneralhome.net
