Nadine Day

Click to View Nadine's Funeral Service Live

Nadine Day, 97, of Highmore, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at her home.

Memorial service was held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, November 7, 2020 at United Methodist Church in Highmore. Burial followed at the Highmore Cemetery.  

Nadine Elane Vopat Day was born August 17, 1923, to Edward and Elizabeth (Brick) Vopat in a maternity home in Tolstoy, South Dakota.  Nadine grew up on a farm 27 miles north of Highmore and attended eight years of grade school at Rice Lake School in northern Hyde Country and then 4 years of high school in Seneca, South Dakota where she lived in the girl’s dormitory. She graduated in 1941 and enrolled at Northern Normal in Aberdeen so she could qualify to teach school. It was December 7, 1941 while she was at school that the sirens blew and police cars with flashing lights were announcing that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. She completed that year of education, received her teaching certificate and signed a contract to teach in a rural school for $82.50 per month. Nadine taught for a year and saved her money to finance a trip to Seattle, Washington. Her sense of patriotism called her to do her part during the war by helping build bombers for Boeing Aircraft. On June 21, 1943, she and her cousin boarded a train for Seattle. While there, she worked on the B-17 and even got to sign the “Five Grand” the 5000 Boeing built Flying Fortress since Pearl Harbor. After the B-17 contract was completed she went to work on the B-29.

After the end of the war, while still working in Seattle, Nadine became engaged to her high school sweetheart, Orris “Corky” Day, whose ship was in the shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. She had received her engagement ring earlier in the mail. They were married by a Navy Chaplain on October 13, 1945. Nadine returned to South Dakota in August 1946 and taught school at Weiss School in Banner Township. After Corky’s discharge, they moved to Highmore where Nadine has resided ever since. They raised two sons, David and Roger. Nadine taught school in the Hyde County school system for over 40 years. She loved it so much she went back to college on weekends and evenings and finished her degree in 1973. She retired from teaching in 1988 but went on to substitute until she was 88 years old. Her first love was her family, and she was a faithful spectator at any and all events that they participated in. Nadine was very active in the Methodist Church, serving as a Sunday school teacher, Bible school teacher and was Church treasurer for years. She was a Cub Scout den mother, member/officer of the American Legion Auxiliary, member/officer of the Hyde County Library Board and the Historical Society. She was a member of the Senior Center and called bingo for them until she was 96 years old.

She was an avid supporter of any school event or other kind of event going on in Highmore. Nadine loved baseball as you might expect being married to Corky. She could be seen out at the ballpark whenever any kind of a ballgame was going on and she always watched baseball on TV. She even had to keep the scorebook when she was watching a game on TV.

Her memory will be cherished by her loving children: David (Carole) Day of Arlington, TX, and Roger (Vikki) Day of Highmore; eight grandchildren: Jonathan (Melissa) Day of Oklahoma City, OK; Martin (Marsha) Day of Grapevine, TX; Nyki (Don) Crymes of Arlington, TX, Joshua (Jessica) Day of Brookings, SD, Jordan (Jenny) Day of Georgetown, TX, Michael Day of Highmore, Shiloh (Forrest) Francis of Rapid City, SD, Rachel Day of Rapid City, SD, 12 great Grandchildren: Katelyn and Brianna Day of Oklahoma City OK, Makeelie, Brenley, and Kenzington Day of Grapevine TX, Carson, Easton, and Peyton Crymes of Arlington, TX, Jerry Day, Forrest and Aubrey Giard of Brookings, SD, and Victoria (and baby boy on the way) Day of Georgetown, TX; one brother-in-law, Lee Straight of Highmore, and nephews and nieces that she cherished along with a multitude of former students and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Corky, two sisters: Eileen Bortness and Beverly Straight; a grandson, Josiah, and a great grandson, Brexton; along with a long list of other family members in her long life.

Luze Funeral Home of Highmore has been entrusted with Nadine's arrangements.