The Funeral Service for Lulu Mae Wilken, age 79 of Meadow, will be held at 10:30am Saturday, October 13, 2012 at Bethel Free Lutheran Church in Faith. Pastor Wayne Olson will officiate with burial in the Chance Cemetery.


Special music will be provided by Jayne Jordan, pianist, Phil and Vicki Hahn, Peggy Veal, Janet LaDue, Wade Hofer, Jim and Joni Hunt and the Wilken Girls.


Serving as casketbearers are Jim, Ralph, Norman, and Vivan Lyon, Chuck Anderson, Wade Hofer, Mike Wilken, and Dennis Peterson.


Visitation will be held on Friday from 5:00 to the time of the family and friends service at 7:00pm at Bethel Free Lutheran Church in Faith.


Lulu Mae Lyon was born May 1, 1933 to Vivian V.D. and Lulu (Long) Lyon at home near Meadow. She enjoyed riding horseback to the nearby country schools. She graduated from Lemmon High School in 1951. She attended Black Hills State College for the summer and started teaching that fall at Pleasant Valley. She continued to attend summer school, obtaining her teaching degree and teaching during the year. She met Don Wilken when he was teaching at Prairie View School several years later. They were married in 1955, after he returned from the service. They continued to teach in area country schools including Thorpe and Meadow until Linda was born in 1958. They later purchased the Roy Ellsworth place (Don's uncle), where they spent all their years together. Gary joined the family in 1961. Lulu Mae faced cancer when she was thirty-four years old, but by God's grace it never returned.


Lulu Mae enjoyed everything about being a country wife and mother taking on each challenge that ranch life presented. She enjoyed being a member of and hosting the Sagebrush Rustlers family club. Going to Sunday School and Church was always a priority. Lulu Mae loved being a grandma, teaching and caring for her grandkids whenever she could. She enjoyed every opportunity to be with them or watch them participate in their activities. Lulu Mae loved to fix dinners for family and friends always making sure everyone had a special birthday celebration. Don and Lulu Mae enjoyed trips with their fifth wheel camper including three trips to Alaska.


Lulu Mae suffered from Alzheimer's in later years.


She went home to be with Jesus early Wednesday morning, October 10, 2012 at the Oahe Haven where she had resided for nearly four years.


Missing her, but looking forward to seeing her again in heaven are her husband, Donald, of 57 years of marriage, Gary (Lori) Wilken of Meadow and Linda (Erling) Olsen of Dupree; eight grandchildren, Monica (Andy) Coyle, Odessa, Ukaraine, Lee (Jamie) Olsen, Bluff Dale, TX, Ann, Katie, Tricia, Susan, Lindsey and Josh Wilken of Meadow; four great- grandchildren, Moriah, Isaiah, and Josiah Coyle, Odessa, Ukraine and Trace Olsen, Bluff Dale, TX. Also surviving are her sister-in-law, Margaret Lyon, Lemmon, SD, brothers-in-law, Sam (Joyce)Tidball, Ft. Pierre, SD, and brother-in-law, George (Janet) Wilken, Spearfish, SD.


She was preceeded in death by her parents, brother, N.F. "Red" Lyon, and sister, Helen Tidball.


Memorials will be given to Sunshine Bible Academy and the Coyle Ministry.