Service of Remembrance for longtime Lemmon Teacher, Hilma Randen will be Monday, March 28, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at the Calvary Lutheran Church in Lemmon. Rev. Ken Miller will officiate. Burial will be at the Rosebud Cemetery south of White Butte, SD. Visitations will be from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 27 at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon and one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday morning. A gathering of family, friends, students and fellow educators will be at 6:00 p.m. at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home on Sunday evening.

Hilma Marian Johnson was born on October 3, 1920 near the present location of the Rosebud Lutheran Church, south of White Butte, SD in the sod house of Oscar and Hilma (Sandwick) Johnson. When she was one year old, her family moved to a farm several miles northeast of their sod house where Hilma grew up. She attended Burdick School in the Rosebud School District.


Hilma enjoyed sledding and skating in the winter months and swimming in the summer along with doing chores with her seven siblings, including milking the cows. Hilma's childhood also included music and dancing as her father played the violin at home and also at many dances at the neighbors.


She graduated from Lemmon High School and then attended Northern State College in Aberdeen, SD. After receiving her Teaching degree, Hilma taught at the Pleasant Ridge Country School for three years. During this time she met John Randen. In 1942 John and Hilma decided to get married. John was called into Military service in June of 1942. They were married before John was sent overseas. From 1942 until 1945, the only communication between Hilma and John was by letter.


Hilma taught at the Jonny Butte School while John was away during the war. In 1945 when John came back, the next winter they moved into Lemmon. Hilma worked at the Ben Franklin store in Lemmon for some time, then taught at a rural school in White Butte before teaching first grade in Lemmon. Hilma was asked to start a Kindergarten program in Lemmon in 1951 as a trial basis. It has continued ever since. Hilma went back to teaching first grade and continued to do so for 36 years. During the summer months she attended Black Hills State in Spearfish and earned enough credits to obtain her Master's in Education.


Hilma retired in 1986 and enjoyed spending time with John, working around the house, yard, traveling and relaxing. She also substitute taught as needed in the primary grades, now and then.


Hilma enjoyed teaching and becoming close with many children and students throughout her career. She viewed her time as an educator as becoming a "big family". Hilma was very well organized and devoted her life to each student's education. She knew that teaching in the rural schools wouldn't be an easy job, but thoroughly enjoyed the challenges that it presented. She truly has been a vital part of the Lemmon School District for many years and will be missed by many students, fellow teachers, friends and her family.


After her husband, John's passing in 2009, Hilma entered the Five Counties Nursing Home and resided there until her death on March, 23, 2011.

Grateful for having shared in her life are her sisters, Muriel Seidel, Bismarck, ND and Martina Ham, Shadehill, SD, her brother, John (Shirley) Johnson, White Butte, SD and sister-in-law, Esther Johnson, Lemmon, SD, numerous special nieces and nephews, Hilma's special "grandchildren", Cody, Melissa, Alicia, Colt and Jessica and Jeanna Nehl, who died in infancy in 1995.

Hilma was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, John Randen, sisters, Anna Isdahl and Alice Kettleson and her brothers, Andrew and Oscar Johnson.