Lorraine Frances Evelo

Surrounded by her family, Lorraine F. Evelo, 89, of Aberdeen, SD joined Johnny on the heavenly dance floor, January 31, 2016. Lorraine died at Avera Mother Joseph Manor in Aberdeen.

Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday, February 4, 2016, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 409 3rd Ave SE, Aberdeen, with Father Mark Lichter as celebrant.

Burial will take place at Sacred Heart Cemetery.

Schriver's Memorial Mortuary & Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Wednesday, at the mortuary followed by a liturgical wake service and Catholic Daughter's rosary at 7:00 p.m. Visitation continues one hour prior to Mass at church on Thursday.

Lorraine Frances (Artz) Evelo was born April 5, 1926, in Mina, SD to Gerhard and Gertrude Artz. She attended Sunnyside Rural School, Mina and graduated from Aberdeen Central High School in 1944.

On June 11, 1946 she married John Francis Evelo of Aberdeen, SD at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Aberdeen. They lived for sixty years on a farm southeast of Aberdeen. Together they raised nine children and hosted many exchange students.

Lorraine was a champion typist winning first place in a typing contest at 39 words a minute. She worked at KO Lee as a secretary. She was a bookkeeper for the family business Northern Farm Supply, then called Midwest Livestock Systems and later Evelo Sales, Inc. In 1950 they received the County Farm Improvement Award. In 1967 she was featured as "Farm Wife of the Week". In 1978 Lorraine was named South Dakota Merit Mother for outstanding achievement in family living and community service. Other than raising her family and going on hunting adventures with her husband, Lorraine was a 4-H Leader for the School for the Visually Handicap, Rural Lads & Lassies and Bluebelle 4-H Clubs. She was a 4-H leader for over 30 years. Lorraine was active and had leadership roles in Town and Country Extension Club, AFS, and state and national Right-to-Life associations. She was a delegate to the Future of South Dakota, Girl Scout leader, a precinct committeewoman and active in cancer and heart drives.

Lorraine was very active in the church and Aberdeen Catholic Schools. She attended daily Mass, was an Eucharistic Minister, active in Sacred Heart Altar Society, Roncalli Auxillary, Catholic Daughters, Christian Mothers, volunteered at Roncalli Nearly New Store and regularly visited nursing homes.

Over the years, Lorraine and John traveled to many countries, including the Netherlands where they visited the towns from which the Evelo and Artz famiies had immigrated and met the family of Marjolein van der Linden, their "Dutch daughter" exchange student. Their most memorable trip was to Rome where they saw Pope John Paul II. Lorraine and John loved to dance and on most Saturday nights you would find them waltzing and doing the polka at the Moose Club. Most of all Lorraine loved visiting and spending time with her family which has grown to include 32 grandchildren, 39 great grandchildren with two more to be born this spring, 3 great great grandchildren, 3 step-grandchildren and 7 step-great grandchildren. Her grandchildren enjoyed spending time in the kitchen learning how to make family food traditions such as rogalikis. She traveled to many of her children's and grandchildren's sporting events.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, their son Richard, killed on September 27, 1970 in an auto accident; two brothers and their spouses: Lambert and Marcella Artz, Edwin and Ann Artz, a brother, Harold, and two sisters and their spouses: Gertrude and Clem Lingor and Arlene and Hank Weinreis. She is survived by her sister, Caroline Walsh, Yankton, SD, one sister-in-law, Evelyn Artz, Aberdeen, SD, and many nieces and nephews.

Grateful for having shared her life are her children, Lucille (Ron) Triem of Arlington, SD; Lyle (Vonda) Evelo of Powell, WY; Bernard (Jane) Evelo of Roundup, MT; Marietta (Nathan) Lakness of Hayti, SD; Michael (Sheryl) Evelo of Rhinelander, WI; Marie(Kevin) Steckelberg of Yankton, SD; Gary (Dee) Evelo of Anaheim, CA; and Patricia (David) Martin of Aberdeen, SD.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking donations be made to the John and Lorraine Evelo Scholarship Fund, ACSS, 1400 N Dakota St, Aberdeen, SD 57401. It was their dream that every child could attend a catholic school.