Myrtle Lillie Hilmoe

Myrtle Lillie Hilmoe, age 95, formerly of Pierre died Thursday, May 27, 2010 at Brookview Manor in Brookings.

Family members will be present at the visitation from 6-8:00 PM on Tuesday June 1, 2010. Funeral services will be at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, June 2, 2010. Both the visitation and the funeral will be held at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Dell Rapids. Burial will be 3:30 PM Wednesday at the Riverside Cemetery in Pierre.

Myrtle was born on March 11, 1915 to Emanuel and Anna Marie (Nickolauson) Erickson in Rutland, North Dakota. She shared life on the farm with six sisters and two brothers all of whom preceded her in death. At age nineteen, Myrtle moved to Onida, South Dakota, where she met Orwald Hilmoe. They were married on April 13, 1935. They farmed in Hughes County where four of their five sons were born. All the work was done with out the benefit of electricity or running water. Orwald’s mother cared for the boys when Myrtle was riding horseback to herd the cattle or when milking the cows. In 1951 they moved to Dell Rapids where their fifth son was born and in 1963 they moved to Pierre. Orwald died in 1994.

Myrtle was a very creative person and enjoyed doing a variety of crafts. Her faith was important and she studied her bible daily. A special memory of the family is how they all loved her homemade bread.

Grateful for giving them life are her sons, Richard (Judie) Hilmoe, Volga; Elden (Audrey) Hilmoe, Dell Rapids; Clayton (Alice) Hilmoe, The Dalles, Oregon; Doug (Karen) Hilmoe, Prosser Washington; Merlyn (DeAnn) Hilmoe, Pierre;. Myrtle is also survived by 10 grandchildren; seventeen great grandchildren; 2 special nieces, Sharon Snyder, Rapid City and Myrna Wiens, Colorado Springs, CO; as well as numerous other nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Orwald, six sisters and two brothers.