PIERRE, SD – Grace Mckillip, 88, of Pierre passed away April 5, 2024 in Highmore. A visitation will be held 9:30 – 10:30 Friday April 12, 2024 with a Memorial service at 10:30 at Feigum Funeral Home.

Grace Rose Mckillip was born on January 6, 1936, to Carl John and Rose Sampson in Chamberlain, South Dakota. She spent her early years on a farm near Midland and attended Loyalty Grade School South of Midland, South Dakota. Grace graduated from Midland High School with the class of 1954.

She got baptized in her early teens at the Stamford Community Church.

Grace married James E. McKillip on February 5, 1956. Two sons were born to this union – Jim Alan and Douglas Todd.

The family relocated to Murdo, South Dakota in the early 1960s, where Grace served as the Director of Murdo Housing for three decades. Grace was well-respected for her dedication to providing safe and clean housing to handicapped and elderly tenants. She also worked as a cashier at the Jones County Food Stamp until its closure.

Grace was actively involved in the Community Bible Church in Murdo and the Okaton Evangelical Free Church in Okaton, where she made many treasured friends. She was widely known for her kindheartedness and willingness to help anyone in need.

Grace fully supported her husband Jim in his fellowship with Alcoholics Anonymous. Together, they found many friends and opened up their home for weekly meetings for many years, always striving to help others in Murdo and surrounding towns.

Grace had a deep affection for her home in Murdo, which she shared with her husband Jim. They spent many years restoring the house and its woodwork, and Grace cherished the town of Murdo and its people. However, as her health declined, Grace moved to Pierre Edgewood Senior Living in July 2015. She spent seven wonderful years there, attending Edgewood Church Services and Bible Study. The staff at Edgewood provided Grace with a new home and life that she thoroughly enjoyed, and she was deeply grateful to them for creating a safe and beautiful place for her to live.

Grace moved to Highmore Health Nursing Home in 2022, where she lived until she passed away on April 5th, 2024. During her time there, she had several wonderful roommates with whom she shared her life. The staff of Highmore Health Nursing Home was an incredible group of people who were dedicated to helping Grace through her final years. She was very grateful for their help during her most vulnerable years and always had kind words to say about everyone who worked there and cared for her so generously.

Grace is preceded in death by her husband James Erwin, son Jim Alan, two sisters Blanche Dolezal of Kadoka and Dorothy Blom of Pierre, and two brothers Stanley Sampson of Badlands and Vernie Sampson of Midland.

She is survived by her son, Douglas Todd, and his wife, Amanda, as well as her daughter-in-law, Kathy Schmidt (Mckillip). She is also survived by her grandchildren: Roger Mckillip and his wife, Natashia, Mike Mckillip, Jenny Langdeau (Mckillip) and her husband, Colton, Erin Gordon (Mckillip) and her husband, Kyle, and Heather Reiser (Mckillip) and her husband, John. Additionally, she is survived by her 14 great-grandchildren.

Please join the family for a time of lunch and fellowship at the Missouri River Event Center immediately following the service.

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