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Ella Mae Hausauer, age 89, of Lemmon, SD, passed away on Thursday morning, July 1, 2021 at the Five Counties Nursing Home in Lemmon, SD.

Funeral services for Ella Mae will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 7, 2021 at the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Lemmon, SD, with Pastor Spencer Allen officiating.   Burial will follow in the Morristown Cemetery.  The Funeral will be livestreamed on Ella Mae's obituary through our website at www.evansonjensenfuneralhome.com .

Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon, SD.

Ella Mae (Olson) Hausauer, daughter of George and Leona (Holmes) Olson, was born July 28, 1931 in Morristown, SD.    Ella Mae and her five sisters were all born and raised in rural Corson County, South Dakota.  She attended grade school at Pioneer School near Morristown and high school at  McIntosh, SD and later earned her GED.

As a teenager, Ella Mae worked for several families cleaning, cooking and baby sitting the children during the harvest season. Ella Mae was working at her uncle's café in Morristown when Jack Hausauer and his brother-in-law came in for dinner.  Jack was helping  build the Morristown elevator.  He caught her eye and after seven months of dating, Ella Mae was united in marriage to John G. (Jack) Hausauer on March 17, 1947 at McIntosh, SD.  To this union one son, John Wayne Hausauer, was born.

The couple made their first home with Jack's parents, Charles and Josephine Hausauer, and helped with the family farming operation north of Keldron, SD.  Over the years Jack and Ella Mae lived in many homes between South Dakota, Washington and California as Jack worked construction or trucking jobs.   Ella Mae had a gift for making a house a home no matter where they lived.

In 1962 Jack and Ella Mae returned to Lemmon to make their forever home.   Ella Mae was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary.  She was very proud of Jack's service to the country.  She was also very active in her faith community at Spencer Memorial Church and later at Reformed Presbyterian Church.  She enjoyed helping with vacation bible schools and doing whatever she could to bring others closer to her Lord.

Ella Mae purchased  the Montgomery Ward Catalog Store in Lemmon in  1968  and operated it for 12 years.  Ella Mae then worked at Lemmon High School as a bookkeeper until she retired.  Ella Mae also helped John cooking and cleaning at the Waterhole #3 for many years.

Ella Mae was the family historian for both the Olson and Hausauer families. It was a project she enjoyed working on with her Granddaughter Markel.   She found great joy in keeping in contact with family members through letters and talking on the telephone and hosting many family reunions.   She was a favorite aunt to her many nieces and nephews, making each one feel special.  Ella Mae made jams, jellys, and pickles each fall for Christmas gifts for all of her relatives.  She also gifted many crocheted scrubbies and built bird houses on her kitchen table.  Ella Mae made delicious lemon meringue pie that graced every holiday table.

After Jack passed in 1990, Ella Mae moved into the Brick Village Manor.  She was known to be a wonderful neighbor and friend, hosting many coffee parties and birthday celebrations for the neighbors.  It was a great blessing for her and sister, Gladys, to be next door neighbors for many years at the Hud.   Many hours were spent at her kitchen table playing games and cards with a group of friends known as 'the girls.'  Ella Mae was a kind and helpful friend to all of her neighbors at the Hud.

Ella Mae moved into Five Counties Nursing Home in June of 2019.  She enjoyed visiting with long time friends and being near to her sister, Gladys, and of course playing bingo.

Grateful for having shared her life are her son John (Marla) Hausauer; Grandchildren Markel (Larry) Mohr, Melissa Reede and John Peter Hausauer; Great Grandchildren Josiah Mohr, Dillon, Kole and Molly Reede, sisters, Mavis Clark and Norma (Ralph) Weerts; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Ella Mae was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and sisters Gladys Wolfe, Harriet Pazie Cockerham and Mary Alice Meyer; brother-in-laws, Herb Wolfe, Roy Pazie, Frank Cockerham, Keith Meyer and Jim Clark.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established.