Marilyn Rohde, 95, of Winner, SD passed away on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025 at the Winner Regional Long Term Care Facility in Winner, SD.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at 10 a.m. at the St. Isidore Catholic Church in Colome, SD. Burial will follow at the Colome City Cemetery. A visitation will be held one hour prior to service.
Marilyn Regina Smith was born on Nov. 22, 1929, to Lee and Regina Smith in Chicago, IL. She was the youngest of six children. She grew up in a quiet Chicago neighborhood located about a mile and half from Lake Michigan, where she would go almost every day to swim in the summer.
During high school, Marilyn worked at two different factories in Chicago. She also belonged to a horse riding club. When she graduated from Waller High School, she took a job at a bank. She eventually returned to one of the factories (Triangle Pennant Co.) and became the office manager. During this time, she met her future husband, Mike Rohde. In early 1952, Mike was visiting an Army buddy and his wife in Chicago. The wife was Marilyn’s friend. After their first meeting, they wrote letters to each other, and Mike traveled to Chicago a few more times before he convinced Marilyn to come to South Dakota. They were married on Sept. 6, 1952, in Paxton, SD. This was the start of a love story that would include almost 70 years of marriage, nine children, 25 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
Mike and Marilyn made their home on the farm where Mike was born. Electricity had just been installed before she arrived, but it was two years later in 1954 when they added indoor plumbing. As a former city girl, Marilyn quickly found a love for life in the country. Over the years, Mike and Marilyn worked hard to expand the family farm/ranch where they raised their family, cattle, hogs, chickens, and crops. Besides her faith, family was the most important thing in Marilyn’s life. She showed her love for her family through her nurturing and support for them. Tending to a large family required unending work, and Marilyn provided for them, especially with the delicious food that she made for her family and anyone else who was there. Her door was open to many. When the kids were little, she baked bread three times a week, and the kitchen table would be covered by loaves of bread and buns. She had a large garden and did a lot of canning, which was stored in the cellar along with potatoes and apples.
As her nine children became parents and grandparents, Marilyn loved to spend time with her always expanding family. She always enjoyed a game of pitch and treasured the family reunions. Her legacy is her family that includes the following:
-Son Steve (Gin) of Rapid City and children Aimee (Ray) Brinson of Slidell, LA, and children Owen and Audrey Brinson; Regina (Aaron) Ueckert of Valley, NE, and children Greyson and Hadley Peters and Ameri Ueckert; and Dylan Rohde of Omaha, NE.
-Son Martin (Barb) Rohde of Yankton and children Sara (Jon) McMahon of Sioux Falls and children Cecilia and Joslyn; and Levi Rohde of Yankton.
-Daughter Kathleen (Ron) Ernest of Winner and children Ethan (Krystine) Ernest of Winner and children Jaya, Esmae, and Zayden; Erin (Karl) Lehman of Lead and son Ren; Scott Ernest of Winner; and Grace Ernest (Shane Crawford) and children Sawyer and Kaia.
-Daughter Sheila (Mark) Gau of Pickstown and children Jasmine (Jeremy) Kreeger of Wagner and children Kendra, Cord, and Wade; Tina (Kelly) Nielson of Sioux Falls and children Miah, Colton, Connor, and Cali; and Leo Gau (Madisyn Gray) of Pickstown.
-Son Joseph (Pam) Rohde of Billings, MT, and children Brandton (Andrea) Rohde of Japan and children Cadence, Teagan, Kenna, and Brynn; and Jessica (Matt) Henry of Missoula, MT, and children Rowan and Asher.
-Son Ryan (Julie) Rohde of Colome and children Michael (Brittney) Rohde of Canada and Zane Rohde (Caylee Meinen) of Colome.
-Son Ross (Judy) Rohde of Rapid City and children Amy (Ben) Pravecek of Hulett, WY, and children Payton (Jeremiah) Johnson and son Jax; and Paxton Pravecek; Mandy and Justin Holcomb of Gillette, WY, and children Abby Millburg and Nash Holcomb.
-Daughter Leila Wells (Mike) of Winner and children Danielle (Dane) Anderson of Plentywood, MT, and children Finn and Ollie Anderson; Ashley Adair of Sioux Falls and children Andre, Neveah, and Chancellor; and Laven Adair of Rapid City.
-Daughter Rhonda (John) Gehlsen of Black Hawk and children Paige (Kyle Schilling), Isaac, Hannah, and Gabriel Gehlsen.
Mike and Marilyn also helped to raise two nephews: William and Jack Holden.
Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband, Mike; her parents, Lee and Regina Smith; and her siblings and in-laws: Melbourne and Kay Smith, Donald Smith, Magdalene Smith, Byron Smith, and Robert and Mary Smith.
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