Lois M. Oyen

Lois M. Oyen, 90, of Crooks died Tuesday, August 2, 2011 at Dow Rummel Village in Sioux Falls.

Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Friday, August 5, 2011 at West Nidaros Lutheran Church, rural Crooks. Burial will follow in the West Nidaros Cemetery. Visitation with the family present will be from 5-8:00 PM Thursday, August 4, 2011 at Minnehaha Funeral Home, Baltic.

Lois Marjorie Amundson was born to parents Martin and Dina (Hamre) Amundson June 4, 1921 on the family homestead in Burke Township near Colton. She was baptized and confirmed at Willow Creek Lutheran Church. She attended country school and graduated from Colton High School in 1939. After attending General Beadle Normal School, Lois taught in the one-room Hamre Country School. Lois married Ivan A. Oyen June 4, 1943. They farmed the Oyen homestead near Crooks and raised four children there. Lois later worked at Howard Johnson’s and the Crooks Café, and then spent many years as a devoted houseparent at Children’s Care.

Lois was an active member of West Nidaros Lutheran Church. She enjoyed Tri Valley sports and watching her grandchildren’s events. One of the great highlights of her life was her trip to Norway with Ivy in 1976.

Grateful for having shared her life are her children, Glenna & Don Swier, Crooks; Sue & Mike Anderson, Sioux Falls; Monte & Carla Oyen, Crooks; Monica & Stephan Lhotzky, Sioux Falls. She is also survived by grandchildren, Todd (Julie) Swier, Greg (Darcy) Swier, Jill (Mike) Wickie, Angie (Pat) Schmidt, Chad (Amy) Anderson, Cory (Melissa) Anderson, Ryan (Stacey) Oyen, Emily (Jameson) Lukasiewicz, Joey Oyen, Kara Lhotzky, Marit Lhotzky; 21 great grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Thelma Amundson, Wentworth, and Darla Amundson, Dell Rapids; numerous nieces and nephews and many other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, Vernon, Donald, and Dean, two sisters, Madeline Kringen and Audrey Monger, sister-in-law Aileen Hanson and her husband Ivan on January 2, 1996.