Marilyn M. (Dinger) Lahr

Marilyn M. Lahr, of Aberdeen, died peacefully at Aberdeen Health and Rehab under the care of Avera St. Luke’s hospice program at dawn on her 88th birthday.

Given the unprecedented times we are living, her memorial service, for immediate family only, will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, March 30, 2020, at Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary & Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, with Father Michael Griffin officiating.

Marilyn’s ashes will be buried with Tony at the Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, SD.

A virtual celebration of her life is presented on Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary & Crematory website, www.schriversmemorial.com. Please take a moment to think of Marilyn and post your favorite memory online. Family and friends may sign Marilyn’s online guestbook and also view her service via the live stream service link.

Because she loved history, children, and animals, the family suggests Dakotah Prairie Museum, Storybook Land, or Aberdeen Area Humane Society for memorials in her honor.

Marilyn Maxine Dinger was born to Inez (Greeno) and Lloyd Dinger on March 27, 1932 in the Britton, SD hospital. Although her happy childhood on the Hecla farm turned upside down when her parents divorced when she was eight years old, she was very grateful for the love she received from her stepmother, Vyva Dinger and stepfather, Einard Gustafson. Patty Ann Dinger was born when Marilyn was ten, and the twins, Bill and Linda Gustafson were born when she was fifteen. She loved taking care of her young siblings, and often said the day the twins were born was the best thing that ever happened when she was growing up!

Once Marilyn’s mother completed teacher training in Aberdeen, she moved them to teach grade school in Frederick, SD where they made many life-long friends. Although she learned to read before starting country school and skipped third grade when they lived in Aberdeen, she always said her worst grades were when her mother was her 6th grade teacher! As a Frederick High School alum, Marilyn enjoyed seeing old friends at every school reunion and remembering all the fun times.

When she was fourteen years old, Marilyn fell in love with Tony and her dream to be Mrs. Anthony J. Lahr came true when she was eighteen. Shortly after they married, she traveled with him to Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC where he was stationed during the Korean War. Although this was the only time she left Brown County in eighty-eight years, living with Captain and Mrs. Smith was a life-changing experience. She learned there are other worldviews different from her own.

Although Marilyn received a college scholarship as Frederick’s Snow Queen, her major life goal was to be a stay-at-home mom. And because Tony dedicated his life to take care of Marilyn, he sent her home to be with her mother and Einard when pregnant with their first child, worried he would be sent overseas. A few months after Kristi was born, Marilyn moved them to Aberdeen to wait for him to be discharged from the Army.

Eight years later, their family was complete when Kathy was born. Although Marilyn loved making a home for Tony and their girls, she especially enjoyed reading stories, singing together, and playing games or dolls with her young daughters before making supper for Tony when he got home from work.

When Kristi was in the 8th grade and Kathy started kindergarten, Marilyn was asked by Father Wolf to be St. Mary’s first church bookkeeper and secretary. As a long-time member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, she enjoyed leadership roles with Foresters and Altar Society; working for the many priests over twenty some years; serving as Lector for numerous masses, weddings and funerals; and, leading the rosary for strangers, family, and friends.  A convert, she completed “how to be a Catholic” instructions after they were married to surprise Tony while he was in bootcamp. And when Marilyn questioned some tenets of the Church, Father Mardian had replied “let your conscience be your guide” so she always did.

Marilyn shared years of enjoyment with Tony being involved with the Aberdeen American Legion and Forty & Eight, traveling across the state for annual conventions and helping with local fund raisers to support veterans and their families.  So when Tony died the day after Marilyn’s 67th birthday, she lost the love of her life and closest friend.

Over the past twenty-one years, Marilyn stayed in the house Tony bought for them almost sixty years ago. Although her life changed, “home” did not. Tony’s memories were there to come home to after a day of volunteering at the Dakotah Prairie Museum, meeting friends for breakfast and/or lunch, playing bridge, going to church, joining friends to walk the yellow brick road at Storybook Land or at the Barnett Center, and using a shopping cart to carry her purse and support her walking exercise program over these last years of her life. As importantly, her beloved calico kitty Lucy offered love and loyalty through good times and bad for eighteen years.

Not only did Marilyn love being a mom, she enjoyed taking care of her grandchildren and playing games with her great-grandchildren. Some of her favorite times were family gatherings on the Missouri River, in the Black Hills, and at her daughters’ making new memories and telling old stories!

Grateful for sharing Marilyn Maxine Lahr’s life are her two daughters: Kristi (Lee) Pearce of Hot Springs , SD and Kathy (Rick) Heupel of Omaha, NE; her grandchildren: Elizabeth Lahr  (John Paul) George, Joshua Lahr  (Katie Miller) Geffre, Jessica Lahr Geffre, Joshua (Sarah) Pearce, Justin (Sarah) Pearce; her great-grandchildren: Aurora and Gavrielle George, Leo and Ari Miller-Geffre, Emma and Owen Pearce, Mila and Ava Pearce;  sister, Linda (Steve) Mellegard; brother, Bill (Deb) Gustafson; sister, Patty (Ron) George; sisters-in-law: Dorothy Lahr and Irene Kopetsky; numerous nieces and nephews, especially Tracy Lahr Wolf; and, her special friends Midge Campbell and Cheri Lien, North Lloyd neighbors, and the many bridge partners who shared her love of the game. As she always said, “only remember the good times.”  

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.

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