Mary Williams, age 84 of Sioux Falls, formerly Winner, SD, passed away Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017 at Dougherty Hospice House. Family greeted friends 5-7 pm with a prayer service at 7 pm Friday Aug. 11, at Miller Southside Chapel 7400. S. Minnesota Ave., Sioux Falls. Funeral services were held 1:30 pm Saturday, Aug. 12, at United Methodist Church Winner, SD.
Mary Louise (Thiede) Williams was born Sept. 29th, 1932 near Burton Neb. to William and Doris (Donneaud) Thiede. Mary was the second daughter of four, Ruth Williams, Ruby Richardson deceased), and Kathy Titus.
Mary attended a one room school near the Thiede farm. Then she attended and graduated from Springview Nebraska High School class of 1950. Five days after graduation Mr. Lillibridge from the Burke bank drove down to her parent’s house and asked her to work there since she knew shorthand. After two and a half years she wanted to use her scholarship that she had received and enrolled in Wayne State. While attending Wayne State she saw her future husband playing drums at a dance in Wewela. During intermission he came down and bought her a sandwich. She said it was love at first sight and said it was hard to go back and finish at Wayne State, but she did and then worked in Winner for Bill Assman.
On Aug. 25th 1954 she married the “drummer” in a double wedding with her sister Ruth marrying Eldon’s brother Jim. The four of them lived and worked on the William’s family ranch. Mary and Eldon worked side by side in everything then did, she was the best “hired man” and band roadie he could have ever had. They worked hard all week then hit the road on Saturday nights to wherever the Rhythm Ramblers were playing.
Mary was very active at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Clearfield and so many other community events, The Clearfield Hall and Farmers Union. The four Williams also started Williams Seed Corn and mom loved operating the forklift to load orders. She also taught at several one room country schools. She knew so much about so many things. She worked outside all the time yet had a huge garden and canned anything she could fit in a jar. She kept the smoke house stocked, and wired the new addition to the house in the seventies. She could weld and put a new motor in her dish washer like it was nothing. She would work side by side with Eldon and walk in and have huge meal ready in minutes. She enjoyed sewing, crocheting and embroidery. She nursed many a calf back to health and could drive tractors, silage trucks and of course her four-wheeler. After many years of using horses, Mary and Eldon enjoyed their four-wheelers. She loved the outdoors, she was a great teacher, mentor and was very strong in her faith.
She was a wonderful Mom to her three children, David (Janice), Mitchell, SD, Eileen (Tom) Donley, Sioux Falls, SD and Michael (Deb), Sioux Falls, SD, grandchildren, Christopher (Mandy) Williams, Sophia and Sawyer, Plankinton, SD, Nicole (Nic) Norton, Jackson, Juliet, Oliver, Kearney NE, Luke (Sara) Williams, Ames, IA. She is also survived by her sisters, Ruth Williams, White Lake, SD, and Kathy Titus, Springview, NE; many nieces and nephews; and a host of other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband Eldon, her parents, parent’s in-law, her sister, Ruby Richardson, and her brothers in-law, James Williams, Elmer Richardson Howard and Titus. www.millerfh.com
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