Arlene Hemminger

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Arlene Hemminger, 80 years, six months and 10 days, of Highmore, passed away Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at the Highmore Health in Highmore.

Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, October 31, 2011 at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Highmore with Pastor David Peterson officiating.  Burial followed at the Highmore Cemetery.  Visitation was held from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., Sunday, October 30, 2011 with a 4:00 p.m. prayer service, all at the church.

Arlene was born April 16, 1931 in Highmore, South Dakota to Tom and Helen (Johnson) Brooks.  Arlene attended school in rural Hyde County and Holabird Schools, graduating from Highmore High School in 1951.  After attending college in Aberdeen, she taught school in rural Hyde County.

On December 21, 1952, she married Howard Hemminger.  They made their home on the Hemminger homestead in William Hamilton Township.  Arlene continued teaching and helping with the farm operation.  She remained on the farm in their home until moving to Highmore in 2004.

Howard and Arlene were blessed with two children, Don, born November 20, 1963 and Dixie, born June 19, 1966.  Raising Don and Dixie was the most important thing to Arlene and Howard.  Some memorable events of “Mom” to Don and Dixie while growing up included mom driving the tractor, against her will and tearing out many fences and hitting rock piles; cultivating corn and losing a shank and then having to go back to the field to look for it; and playing pranks with the water faucet.  They also remember their mom attending many school activities, driving them to town for music lessons; attending church functions and helping with 4-H activities.  They fondly remember their mother attending the state fair year after year and staying throughout the long week.  As a mother, Arlene also carpooled with the other neighborhood mothers to take children to school.  Not only a mother, Arlene spent many hours enjoying her many nieces and nephews when they would come to the farm for holidays, weekends and during summer months.

In later years, one of Arlene’s biggest enjoyments were her six grandchildren thus she became known as “Granny”.

After the drought in 1976, Arlene began working as a cook at the Highmore Healthcare Center and remained in that position until the fall of 2004. 

She was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church, Miriam Circle, Community Club, Senior Citizens Center and was on the William Hamilton Township Board for many years.  She taught Sunday school over the years and was a 4-H leader.  She enjoyed reading, playing cards, putting puzzles together and listening to baseball games on the radio, later watching them on television.  One thing she did not enjoy was singing, but she loved to listen to music.

Her memory will be cherished by her children: Don (Sandi) Hemminger and Dixie (Mike) Volek, all of Highmore; grandchildren: Haley (Bill) Wurdeman of Mitchell, NE, Shanda (Nathan) Spilde of Highmore, Blake Hemminger of Eagle Butte, Tia Hemminger of Sioux Falls and Sherise Volek of Highmore; sister-in-law, Faye Brooks; brother-in-law, Ralph Buthe; and a host of nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Howard; grandson, Winston Hemminger; brothers: Ray, Cleo, Jay and Leonard Brooks; and sisters: Maxine Buthe, Beulah Kirtz, LaVina Brooks, Florence Brooks, Belva Brooks, Mayme Blackburn and Veva Buchholz.

In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials to the Hyde County Library or Hyde County Steps for Hope.

Luze Funeral Home of Highmore has been entrusted with Arlene’s arrangements.