Funeral services for Viola Reuer, 99, of Reliance, SD will be 10:00 a.m., Monday, February 21, 2022 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Chamberlain with burial in the Reliance Cemetery at Reliance.  Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 pm Sunday with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. at the Zion Lutheran Church in Chamberlain.

Viola (Kindopp) Reuer was born May 1, 1922 on a farm that was located south of Lyman, SD to Edward and Christina (Roth) Kindopp.  She was the only girl in the family with four brothers.  She attended Roosevelt School for all eight grades and completed two years of high school but never graduated.  She did not finish high school because she needed to earn money to help on the farm.  She worked for many area farmers by milking cows, doing housework, and watching children if they needed a babysitter.

Viola was confirmed in 1936 at the Trinity Lutheran Church.  She learned all her confirmation doctrine in German and had to memorize it and be able to recite the scriptures in German when a minister came through.  She mentioned how hard it was to keep things straight with a two language household.

In 1941, Viola met Richard Reuer at a celebration in Kennebec.  It was called “Watermelon Days” and it was a carnival and dance.  On March 19, 1945, they were united in marriage in Pierre, SD when Richard came home on leave from the Navy.  Viola lived with Richard’s folks until his return from the service.  They continued to live on the Lower Brule Reservation until their current farm place was constructed.  In March 1949, they moved to a farm place north of I-90 which was just northeast of the current farm place.  Later in 1949, they moved the house across the road to its current spot where it still sits today.

Viola loved working with her flowers and garden.  She always had cows to milk, hogs to feed and ewes to lamb.  She was always baking bread, making and freezing homemade rhubarb pies, and cooking good food.  She raised a lot of chickens for eggs and butchering.  She was outside as much as she was inside.  She was always running back to the house to check on the next meal or bread that was baking.  She loved to farrow out her sows and lamb out her ewes.  That was one of her greatest pleasures. She raised hogs and sheep well into her 90’s.

Viola served on many boards. She was a lifelong American Legion Auxiliary Member.  She served on the Zion Lutheran Church Board and taught Sunday School.  She was a member of the local Extension Group in the area.  She was also a member of the Prime Cowbelle’s.

Viola passed away on February 15, 2022 at Sanford Care Center in Chamberlain at the age of 99 years.  Gratefully sharing her life are her children Darrel (Margaret) of Iroquois, SD, Rod (Brenda Burull) of Chamberlain, SD, Gloria (Kelly) Koerlin of Volga, SD, Keith (Leslie) of Reliance, SD; daughter-in-law Eiko Reuer of California; 14 grandchildren, and ten great grandchildren.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband Richard, two sons Kenneth and Kevin; and four brothers John, Chuck, Orvin, and Gus.

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