Ella Marie was born to John and Susanna (Baesler) Wiedmer on August 23, 1917, north of New Leipzig, ND. She passed in to the loving arms of Jesus on Friday, April 17, 2015, peacefully in her sleep. Mom gave us 97 years of love, good food and devotion to her family. She would tell of growing up with her siblings and getting to trouble for wanting to go fishing instead of doing her work. Mom took great pride in the fact that she was faster at milking the cows than most! Many times she was sent to live with aunts and uncles to help out, but would miss her siblings terribly. One of those times was to Miles City, MT for a year where she learned to roller skate and would often tell of the beautiful music she skated to. Mother met Reinhold Friez at an early age, and it didn't take long for them to fall in love and run off to Mott, ND to get married. They started life with 2 cups, 2 forks, 2 plates and Dad made cupboards out of orange crates. Their son, Kenneth Gene was born while they lived in Mott and two years later their daughter, Deloris Mae, joined the family. They went to Yakima, WA during the 'dirty-thirties', to make an income working in the canneries. They moved a couple more times and finally settled in Lemmon, SD where Dad was a blacksmith and Mom a homemaker. In the late forties, they decided to do something Dad had always wanted, and that was to farm, so they left the running water and indoor plumbing and moved about 13 miles north of Lemmon to a farm – the water was across the yard and the outhouse was in the 'back forty', but Mother nurtured her chickens, geese, ducks and the new daughter that joined the family in 1952, Charlotte Renee. When Ken got married in 1954, the folks moved in to Lemmon where Dad continued to farm and Mom cooked many meals and kept an immaculate home. They were very active members of Temple Baptist Church. Upon retirement in 1975, they built a home in Rapid City, SD and enjoyed rummage sales and the wonderful smell of the pines. There they became members of South Canyon Baptist Church and loved to entertain family and friends in their home. Mother was well known for her amazing food, her canning of meats, jellies, but mostly it was her dill pickles that everyone couldn't stop raving about. After Dad passed away in 1995, Mom continued to reside in her home until three years ago when Charlotte and her husband moved in to the basement to help care for her. After her dementia continued to worsen, she moved to Holiday Hills Retirement Center in October of 2014. Mother had always enjoyed music and every Friday night they provided entertainment. She especially enjoyed the accordion music. Mom was a pretty lady with very few wrinkles for her age. She had a cute sense of humor, which she especially shared with her youngest granddaughter, Missy. Mom had a pretty smile and they would giggle at silly things.

Ella is survived by her children, Ruth Friez, Glendale, AZ; Delbert & Deloris (Dee) Hintz, Lemmon, SD; and Ray & Charlotte (Charlie) Schott, Rapid City, SD. Grandchildren, Brad & Cynthia Friez, Brenda Neuharth, Jim & Bretta Ferrie, Steve & Angie Hintz, Bryan & Ruth Hintz, Todd & Annette Hintz, John & Angie Jelinek and Ermin (Spike) & Marissa Husidic. Great-Grandchildren are Nathan, Josh & Rachel Friez; Robert & Nikole Schoelles; Dexter & Ethan Ferrie; Brendon (Tiffany Antoinette) & Chris Hintz; Preston, Aaron & Andrea Hintz; Dylan & Erin McNeal and Liliann & Madelynn Jelinek. Great-Great Grandchildren are Alexis Schoelles and Maddison Hintz. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, along with a brother-in-law, Ted Hochhalter. Ella was pre-deceased by her husband, Reinhold, her son Ken, a great-grandson, Spencer Ferrie, her parents, and siblings and spouses, Otto Wiedmer, Anna & Wilber Nelson, Henry & Alice (Wagner) Wiedmer, Helen & Henry Hintz, Esther & Glenn McCormick, along with numerous other relatives. Sleep in peace, dear Mother. You and Father instilled a Christian education and values in your children and we know that one day we will all be together again in Paradise. We will miss you and your cute German accent, but until we meet again you will forever be in our hearts, our memories, and our sunshine on the cloudy days. We rejoice that you are safe in the arms of our dear Lord and Savior.

Services will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2015, 2 p.m., at Reformed Presbyterian Church in Lemmon, SD, with viewing and visitation at the church one hour prior to the service. Pastor John Irwin will officiate with burial in Greenhill Cemetery at Lemmon. A luncheon will be served at the Senior Center after the burial.