Audrey Owens
October 13, 1924 ~ December 12, 2006
Served by: Luce, Luze & Reck Funeral Homes
Audrey Owens, 82, of Highmore, died Tuesday, December 12, 2006 at the Hand County Memorial Hospital in Miller.
Funeral services were 10:30a.m. Saturday, December 16 at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Highmore with David Peterson officiating. Burial was in the Norway Lutheran Cemetery, rural Glenham, directed by Luze Funeral Home of Highmore. Visitation was 3:00-7:00p.m. Friday, December 15 with a 7:00p.m. prayer service at the funeral home.
Audrey Bernice was born October 13, 1924 at San Bernardino, California to Alert and Hannah (Trondson) Tronson. Her elementary education was in the Wayside and Lund one-room schoolhouses in rural Campbell County. She studied and taught piano from an early age and she graduated from Mobridge High School in 1942. After the long depression and dust bowl, a bumper crop allowed her beloved Papa, Alert, to fulfill his dream of sending his girl to St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. She graduated in 1947 with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education. She came back to South Dakota to commence her long and fulfilling career teaching music to all ages.
That career tool her to schools in Kimball, Harrold, Highmore, Crow Creek, Marty, Crazy Horse, and Wakpala. Audrey and James Owens met in Kimball and they were married on October 28, 1951 at Norway Lutheran Church in rural Campbell County. Four children were born to this union during the years they lived in Kimball. In 1961, they moved to Highmore, and remained there to the present. In addition to her teaching duties over the years, she taught piano and organ lesions to many hundreds of children, and was organist and choir director at her churches in Kimball and Highmore.
Throughout her adult life’s devotion to sharing her gift of music, Audrey also preserved in the passion of sustaining her father’s and mother’s dream, their homestead in Campbell County. She spent most summers on her beloved ‘prairie garden’, reveling in the simple outdoor life and hard work that always restored her spirit.
She retired in 1990 and continued to live in Highmore, immensely enjoying her children and grandchildren.
Audrey (known as Bernice to many) touched so many lives with her unconditional love and generous, forgiving spirit: thousands of music students, and fellow worshippers in her role as church musician. Truly, she game all of us what gifts her Lord bestowed upon her, leaving nothing behind. She was, indeed, the bond that held her beloved family together these many years.
Audrey is survived by her husband: James of Highmore; her children: Jim of Brookings, Thomas (Christine) of Glenham, Lori Boyd of Richmond, CA, and Jeffrey of Aberdeen; Seven grandchildren: Lori’s children-Erin and Christina Boyd, and Jeff’s children-Kari, Alan, Julia, Andrew, and Alison Owens.
She was preceded in death by her parents and twin brother, Thomas, in infancy.
In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred.
Funeral services were 10:30a.m. Saturday, December 16 at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Highmore with David Peterson officiating. Burial was in the Norway Lutheran Cemetery, rural Glenham, directed by Luze Funeral Home of Highmore. Visitation was 3:00-7:00p.m. Friday, December 15 with a 7:00p.m. prayer service at the funeral home.
Audrey Bernice was born October 13, 1924 at San Bernardino, California to Alert and Hannah (Trondson) Tronson. Her elementary education was in the Wayside and Lund one-room schoolhouses in rural Campbell County. She studied and taught piano from an early age and she graduated from Mobridge High School in 1942. After the long depression and dust bowl, a bumper crop allowed her beloved Papa, Alert, to fulfill his dream of sending his girl to St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. She graduated in 1947 with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education. She came back to South Dakota to commence her long and fulfilling career teaching music to all ages.
That career tool her to schools in Kimball, Harrold, Highmore, Crow Creek, Marty, Crazy Horse, and Wakpala. Audrey and James Owens met in Kimball and they were married on October 28, 1951 at Norway Lutheran Church in rural Campbell County. Four children were born to this union during the years they lived in Kimball. In 1961, they moved to Highmore, and remained there to the present. In addition to her teaching duties over the years, she taught piano and organ lesions to many hundreds of children, and was organist and choir director at her churches in Kimball and Highmore.
Throughout her adult life’s devotion to sharing her gift of music, Audrey also preserved in the passion of sustaining her father’s and mother’s dream, their homestead in Campbell County. She spent most summers on her beloved ‘prairie garden’, reveling in the simple outdoor life and hard work that always restored her spirit.
She retired in 1990 and continued to live in Highmore, immensely enjoying her children and grandchildren.
Audrey (known as Bernice to many) touched so many lives with her unconditional love and generous, forgiving spirit: thousands of music students, and fellow worshippers in her role as church musician. Truly, she game all of us what gifts her Lord bestowed upon her, leaving nothing behind. She was, indeed, the bond that held her beloved family together these many years.
Audrey is survived by her husband: James of Highmore; her children: Jim of Brookings, Thomas (Christine) of Glenham, Lori Boyd of Richmond, CA, and Jeffrey of Aberdeen; Seven grandchildren: Lori’s children-Erin and Christina Boyd, and Jeff’s children-Kari, Alan, Julia, Andrew, and Alison Owens.
She was preceded in death by her parents and twin brother, Thomas, in infancy.
In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred.
View current weather.
Memories Timeline
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
Saddened to hear of Audrey’s passing. Our deepest sympathy to all of you.
Bret&Wendy
Bloomenrader
Lori:
Please accept my sympathy on the loss of your dear mother. It has been many years since I’ve seen you or any of your family, but I have a lot of memories of the times I spent with you. Your mother was very kind. Please pass my condolences on to the rest of your family.
I usually bring up the Capital Journal and read the obits. I happened to see where Audrey passed away. Oh, how sad and especially this time of the year.
Jim and family just wanted you to know that you have my deepest sympathy. Losing a loved one is so very hard. I see where you had 55 years of marriage! That was great. I remember Jeff when he had the little ones. I suppose they are all growing up into little adults. Times goes so fast. I remember the great times we had working together in Child Support Jim. I enjoyed the work and also am enjoying my retirement in Sioux Falls. I have 3 granddaughters and 3 step grandchildren. Enjoy them so much and I am sure you do too. Here’s wishing you the best Jim and hope this finds you in good health. I sure will remember the family in my prapers. God bless you all and we will all meet Audrey in heaven some day. Happy holidays to all of you. Sharon Schwaderer.
Dear Jim, Tom, Lori and Jeff:
We wish to extend our heartfelt sympathy to all of you and your dad on the death of your wonderful mom. She was a lovely woman who helped me, Tess, many times with my singing. I will always remember her for her kindness and expertise. My two girls have inherited some of my music ability and hopefully with some of my experience I gained from your mom, they will find true musical enjoyment all of their lives. May you all save wonderful memories of your dear mom.
Just received my Highmore Herald in the mail yesterday, and saw where Audrey had passed. I am so sorry for your loss. I remember Audrey as a woman of great patience and tolerance. I don’t know how she put up with some of the antics our class put her through during music class. She was a woman that made a difference in the lives of many youth. You should be proud. Best regards.
Dear Jim and family,
I was so sorry to learn of Audrey’s death. All of you are in my thoughts and prayers. What a blessing to know that even now she is safe with her Lord and Saviour.
I wasn’t very old when you lived in Kimball, but I do remember the great and wonderful job she did with music both at church and at school.
In the midst of your sadness, I hope that you will find comfort knowing that the heavenly choir rejoiced at her arrival!
God’s Blessings,
Susan Nativg Borglum (Virg’s daugher)
Jim and Family, Audrey was a fun and loving women. She put up with alot when we were in her Music class. It took lots of patience and she loved her music. I would visit with her in the store and she would tell me about her grandkids and their musical abilities. She also loved her dogs. I will miss not seeing her around as she always had a smile. Our deepest sympathy is with your family . God Bless