Dawn Marie Van Liere

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Dawn Marie Van Liere, age 82, of Chester, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 26, 2017, at Bethel Lutheran Home in Madison. A Celebration of the Resurrection will begin at 10:30 AM on Saturday, September 2, 2017, at St. Joseph the Workman Catholic Church at Huntimer, rural Colton, SD. Memorial visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM Friday, at the church, with a Scripture Service beginning at 7:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the St. Joseph the Workman Church at Huntimer.

Dawn was born August 12, 1935, in Huntimer, South Dakota, to Edward and Valda (Adams) Huntimer. As a young girl she worked at the Blue Goose Café in Chester, South Dakota. At thirteen, she attended Notre Dame Academy in Mitchell, working at the hospital for her room and board. She graduated from Chester School at the age of 16 in 1952 and married her one and only love, Harold “Howie” Van Liere on June 17, 1952 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Huntimer, where she was a lifetime member.

They made their home in Colton, South Dakota, where they raised their six children and ran Howie’s Service Station, for nearly 60 years, until Howie passed away in 2010. She kept the books, but the best part of her job was being able to visit with everyone that came through the door. She loved meeting new people and catching up with old acquaintances.

Dawn was elected to the Colton City Council in 1978. She served for five years and was elected to be the first woman mayor in Colton’s history. She also was chairman of the Colton Centennial Celebration in 1989.

Dawn enjoyed bowling, and playing softball, golf, and cards. She was an avid reader and if you were to go into the Colton Library, you would probably find her initials in the back cover of hundreds of books. She also enjoyed flying with Howie by plane, hot-air balloon, and the most memorable, the Goodyear Blimp. They loved camping, boating, and traveling with family and friends. They enjoyed the water so much that they bought a cabin on Brandt Lake, which they eventually made into their permanent home in 1989. She loved her view from her “cruise ship” room as she called it, watching the wildlife and the gorgeous sunsets.

Blessed to have such a wonderful loving mom and grandma are her children: Alan (Liz) Van Liere, Litchfield, MN, Melani Crosby, Sioux Falls, Kim Crosby, Chester, Brenda Amundson, Sioux Falls, Troy (Lisa) Van Liere, Gaylord, MI, and Ryan (Angie) Van Liere, Hartford; and her 19 grandchildren. She was known and loved as Grandma Great to her 27 great-grandchildren, as well as all the kids and parents at Amber’s daycare. Time spent with them was the highlight of her day.

Also grateful for having shared her life are her two sisters: Betty Thompson, Sioux Falls, and Sharon Von Ins, Fife Lake, MI; and a brother, Lyle Huntimer, Greenville, MI; as well as many other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Howie, her granddaughter, Kara Crosby, and siblings, David Huntimer, and Susan Kooyers.