Lillian J. DeKnikker | 1935 - 2023
Obituaries-Mobridge / Posted Nov 20, 2023 | 9:43 AM / 139 views
Lillian Joan DeKnikker, 88, of Gettysburg, passed away Friday, November 17, 2023, at Avera Oahe Manor, Gettysburg.
Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Gettysburg, with Fr. Brian Simon presiding. Burial will be 12:00 p.m. MST, Wednesday, November 29, 2023, at Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis.
Lillian was born August 6, 1935, at Philip, SD to John and Edna (Bennett) O’Dea. Lillian followed a number of siblings already in the family, and she was welcomed into this world with a twin sister, Lorraine. She was later joined by another set of twin boys and more siblings. In the end, there were fifteen (yes 15) children in the family. After high school graduation in 1954 at Philip, SD, Lillian began teaching in a little one room country schoolhouse at Ottumwa, SD within the Haakon County School System for the 1954-55 school year.
Lillian O’Dea met Edward D. DeKnikker at a good ole rodeo west of Philip, SD. He was a Marine Korean War veteran who was working on a ranch near Philip. They were married on August 6, 1955 in Philip, and they were married for 68 years. With that union, they welcomed to the family a set of twins, Vern and Violet, and less than a year later another son, E. Paul. Lillian and Ed stayed in the Philip, SD area, commonly referred to as West River, until 1966 when they moved to Gettysburg, SD.
Once again, living in a country area, this time near Gettysburg, SD, Lillian restarted her “one room, all students and all subjects” country school teaching career. In the fall of 1966, she was hired as an assistant teacher in the Appomattox School, teaching all eight grades and all subjects for one year. The following year she was the primary teacher and maintained that position for the next four years. With the shortage of students, and therefore the closing of the Appomattox School, Lillian moved to the Fayette School before it also closed its doors, once again due to a shortage of students. The next school was Sanner followed by Lebanon and then the Copp School with each school generally closing its doors due to a shortage of students. Her claim to fame is having taught a large number of Potter County residents with some of them now holding key positions in the county and the state. She may have had her favorites at each school right along with a few individual challenges. Very few people knew that Lillian struggled with school as a child, as a young adult in high school, and with college. Thus, she felt she was a better teacher for having had that struggle. After retiring, she began quilting and sewed many quilts and wall hangings for the community. Many children have a baby quilt made by her and many young adults were often honored with a larger bed sized quilt upon their graduation from high school and possibly another one with marriage.
Lillian is survived by her husband of 68 years, Ed, of Gettysburg, SD; daughter, Violet (Albert) of Raleigh, NC area; son, E. Paul of Devils Lake, ND; sisters: Maurine Hagler of Idaho, Rosella O’Bryan of Minnesota, Mary Bauer of Oregon, Phyliss Coleman of South Dakota; brothers: Gerald O’Dea, Leo O’Dea and Richard O’Dea all of South Dakota; two granddaughters and six great grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her parents; son, Vern; twin sister, Lorraine Smith, sister, Bonna Hagler; brothers: Jack O’Dea, twins Dean and Dennis O’Dea, Jim O’Dea, and Gene O’Dea.
Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Lillian’s arrangements.