Joan Norem Hilmoe

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Joan Hilmoe died on December 10, 2017. She was a mother, a grandmother, a great grandmother, a friend, an educator and a life long challenger of the status quo.

She was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on April 11, 1926 and grew up in Sioux Falls and San Diego, California. She got a BA degree from Augustana College in 1949 and married Sam Hilmoe in June 1951. After having 5 children, she went back to school in the mid 1960s and got a Master of Education degree in 1969. In 1990, she was the South Dakota State Mother of Year, travelling with 2 of her daughters to New York for the 50-state celebration.

She was a teacher and elementary principal, serving in Egan, Rutland, Tri-Valley, and Chester School Districts, retiring in 1992. In retirement she travelled much, including trips to Egypt and France, and taught in China. In her early 80s, she moved to Bellingham Washington for about 6 years, living closer to mountains, water and to her three west coast children. In her short time in Bellingham, she made many new friends and was active in the community, getting a Volunteer of the Year award. She moved back to Sioux Falls in 2014.
She is survived by her children, Carrie Aaron, Sioux Falls; David (Mary Kay) Hilmoe, Seattle, WA; Kathy Hilmoe, Ferndale, WA; Kristen Hilmoe, Lantzville, BC, Canada; and Jody Hilmoe, Sioux Falls; 7 grandchildren: Katie (Mike) Christopherson; Kristen (Andrew) Steen, Colleen Aaron, Emily (Ryan) Farrow, Claire Nevels, Bonnie (Luke) Nord, and and Patrick (Chelsea Johnson) Hilmoe: 5 great grandchildren (Olivia, Danika, Amelia, Theo and Henry).

A Celebration of Life for Joan will be held at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls at 1:00 pm on Saturday, December 30. It will be a memorial service followed by a time for sharing oral, visual and written remembrances.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Joan’s name may be made to any organization that supports people in need.
And as our dear Mom, Grandmother, Great-grandmother and Friend would say: “Love God, love people, and have fun doing it. Have an adventure!”