Ethel Sulzle Buckmeier was born on a farm near Canova, SD to Emil and Anna (Wesenberg) Graese on June 7, 1925. They lived near Canova until Ethel was four years old, when her father went to work for the Indian Service at Cheyenne Agency, SD. When she was nine the family moved to Mobridge, where her father did carpentry work for A.H. Brown. Ethel went to grade school in the Mobridge Public Schools, then attended and graduated from Northwestern Lutheran Academy in Mobridge in 1942. It was while at the Academy that she met her future husband, Llewellyn Sulzle. After graduation Ethel worked at the old Mobridge Railroad Hospital. She was proud of having the distinction of being one of the first Nurse's Aides hired there. Lew and Ethel married on January 16, 1944 in Mobridge. Lew was serving with the Armed Forces at the time, spending quite a long time overseas. Ethel made her way to Santa Clara, CA, where she worked for the Frostcraft frozen foods plant and later as a telephone operator in San Jose, CA.


At the end of Lew's tour, the couple reunited and moved to rural Akaska, SD, where they lived on the family farm. While on the farm, they had six children, Rose Anne, Donna, Diana, Lewis, Christian, and Mary Lou. Lew and Ethel also saw to the care and up-bringing of Lew's youngest brother Warren and sister, Marlene, who came to live with them after their parents died.


As Lew's health began to deteriorate, they made the difficult decision to leave the farm and to move into Akaska, where together they purchased and operated the L & E Grocery store. Their family increased by three children in Akaska, David, Peggy, and Sandra.


When the older children were in high school, the family moved to Mobridge so they could attend NLA. Lew worked for many years as a plumber and electrician, until his health failed, and he was forced to retire. Ethel worked for a number of years at the Mobridge Nursing Home, and also at the Mobridge Community Hospital as a Nurse's Aide. While living in Mobridge, their last child, Michael, was born.


Llewellyn passed away in 1985 after a lengthy illness. Ethel married Wendelin Buckmeier in 1991. They made their home together in Lemmon, SD until he passed away in 1996. Ethel moved to Bison, SD shortly thereafter, where she resided at the Homestead Heights Apartment Complex until her death.


Ethel loved her Lord and was a faithful member of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bison, where she was active in their Ladies Aid group. She was also a member of the VFW Auxiliary and the Five Counties Hospital and Nursing Home Auxiliary in Lemmon. She enjoyed volunteering at the Thrift Store that the Auxiliary operated to benefit FCHNH. She also loved her family, and enjoyed their many visits. She especially loved playing the games of Dominoes and Scattergories with her family and friends. She enjoyed teaching the games to her grandkids and great-grandkids. One of her favorite pastimes was fishing, something she learned to enjoy as a child. She also loved to do embroidery work, making many embroidered tablecloths and bibs for new babies in the family. She was a voracious reader, loved working crossword puzzles and cooking for family and friends. Her favorite things to cook were any of the German dough- dishes as well as lasagna.


Ethel died on June 17, 2010 at her home in Bison with family at her side at the age of 85 years and 10 days.


Funeral services will be held Monday, June 21, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. MT at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bison, with Pastor Gerhardt Juergens, officiating. Pallbearers will be her Grandsons. Other grandchildren and great-grandchildren are considered honorary bearers. Burial will be at 5:00pm CT on Monday afternoon at the Akaska Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest next to her husband, Llewellyn.


A family service will be held at the Prince of Peace Chapel at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 20, 2010.


Ethel is survived by her children, Rose Anne (Alan) Draeger, Watertown, SD; Donna (Timothy) Pfitzer, Glenham, SD; Diana(Jerry) Landis, Bison, SD; Lewis (Cheryl) Sulzle, Lancaster, CA; Christian (Debra) Sulzle, Isabel, SD; Mary Lou (Ronald) Landis, Mobridge, SD; David (Julie) Sulzle, Garretson, SD; Peggy (Wayne) Hoeke, Madison, SD; Sandra (Shawki) Omar, Amman, Jordan; Michael (Arlena) Sulzle, Mountain Home, ID; 32 grandchildren; 60 great-grandchildren; one brother, Leland (Myrna)Graese, Salem, OR, and one sister, Eleanore (Frank) Barrett, Bellevue, NE; Brother-In-Law Reginald (Adeline) Sulzle, Dacono, CO; Brother-in-Law Warren (Cathy) Sulzle, Colorado City, CO; Sister-in-Law Evangeline (Sulzle) Johnson, Half Moon Bay, CA.


She was preceded in death by her parents, Emil and Anna Graese; her husbands, Llewellyn and Wendelin; her brothers, John and Elmer; her sisters, Melinda, Genevieve and Evelyn; and one sister-in-law, Marlene Sulzle.


A memorial has been established to Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bison.


Visitation will be Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00pm at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon and on Monday one hour prior to services at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bison.