Mass of Christian Burial for Edna Maher, age 93, of Morristown, SD, will be held at 10:30 a.m. MT on Saturday, January 23, 2016 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Morristown, SD. Fr. Tony Grossenburg will officiate with burial in the Morristown Cemetery.


Edna M. (Lofgren) Maher was born, Jan. 13, 1923 to Francis and Hazel (Bown) Lofgren at their farm just south of Watauga S.D.

She attended Prairie View country school, south of Watauga, through her grade school years. Some of her favorite activities on the farm were fishing, riding horse, swimming, and catching turtles in the creek nearby. She would tell how she, and her brothers, would feel for snapping turtle tails, and then sling them on the bank. She pulled one home, behind their horse, and put it in the stock tank. Her dad could not figure out why the livestock wouldn't drink until he noticed the turtle in the tank.
In 1935 they had to quit the farm and move to McIntosh where her father got a job working on the railroad. There she attended McIntosh High School and graduated in 1940.

After high school she did some nursing training and also worked at the SCS office in McIntosh where she worked full and part time into her 60's.

She had 3 brothers in the service during WW2, Harry, (KIA in Kyle, Germany, purple heart award, bravery and air medal recipient) Merle and Myron and she was involved with the war effort, at home, during those times. She kept many letters she had written to her brothers and other soldiers.

While working at the SCS she met Don Maher, whom she married in 1946. They moved to the Maher Ranch east of Morristown and there raised 6 children (mostly redheads).

The children have many great memories of the times growing up on the ranch. She worked hard arranging family gatherings and made sure birthdays, holidays, etc. were always special, especially Christmas and Easter.

She made many picnic baskets for baseball games. Not sure if she really enjoyed baseball but when Don was playing everybody went. She did enjoy watching the World Series later in life.
Some of her favorite hobbies were dancing, arts and crafts, canning, pickling, writing poems, and doing word puzzles. She still loved to fish, but once married to Don, his idea of fishing was sitting on the bank, playing cards, and eating. She still got to go on some fishing excursions with her brother Merle.
She was very active in the Morristown Sacred Heart Altar Society for many years, and also liked to play in her card clubs such as Prairie Players and Country Gals.

Edna's character, sense of humor, and straight forward ways affected all who knew her. Many who have stayed at the ranch over the years, when they were kids and adults, have many fond memories of her and good stories to tell. She had a very sharp wit which remained with her until her passing. Even in her last days the doctor was visiting her and asked her to stick out her tongue, her comment was "at who".

She is survived by 3 daughters, Laura (Tom) Asbridge, Bismarck N.D., Cathy (Bill) Ericsson, Lemmon S.D., Carmel (Randy) Powell, Mobridge S.D., one daughter-in-law Lana Maher, Rapid City S.D., two sons, Russell (Alice) Maher (Vietnam vet), Joe (Michelle) Maher, Bismarck, N.D., and one brother Myron (Sara), (WW2 vet) Sioux City , Iowa, two sisters-in-law, Lavone Lofgren, Armour S.D., and Betty Maher, Bismarck N.D., 21 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, son Jerry, 3 brothers Harry, Merle, and Lloyd, one sister Lucille, and granddaughter Mary Ericsson.

Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. MT on Friday, January 22, 2016 at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon, SD. A rosary/vigil service will be held at 7:00 p.m. MT at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Morristown on Friday evening January 22.