Funeral services for Stella M. Hafner, 91, lifelong Perkins Co resident and ranch wife will be Tuesday, Oct. 3rd at 11 AM at the Bison American Lutheran Church. Marjorie Hershey, Pastor and Charlotte Kvale will officiate. Interment will be in the Bison Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 AM at the church in Bison on Tuesday. Special music will be provided by Gen Kopren, pianist, Todd Buer and John Bekken vocalists. A memorial has been established. Evanson Jensen Funeral Home, Lemmon is in charge of the arrangements. www.evansonjensenfuneralhome.com
Stella passed away at the Belle Fourche Senior Care Center on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 28th.

Stella M. Rue was born on Dec. 21, 1914 at her parents homestead in Vickers Township, Perkins Co., near Bison. Her parents were Edwin and Bertha (Haugen) Rue. She was raised there and attended the Sunnyside rural school near the homestead. She attended High School in Lemmon for a time, and upon her return home she worked with her parents and for neighboring farmers and ranchers. Her father raced thoroughbred horses and Stella jockeyed for him. She loved horses.

She was married to Hugh Hafner on April 2, 1936 at Bison and they began their life together on the Weaver place and later the Burckhard farm, residing there until 1939 when they bought her grandfather Haugen's farm/ranch. They raised their family there and she helped with the outside work as well, with horses in the early days with her husband. She loved to bake for family and friends, always raised a large garden, raised chickens and did much canning. She also enjoyed neighboring, was a member of the Sunnyside and Lone Tree Homemakers Club, the Bison American Lutheran Church and Dorcas Circle.
After the passing of her husband, Hugh in March of 2001, she continued to live on the farm until April of this year when she entered the Care Center in Belle Fourche.

She is survived by one daughter; Joann Aaker, Belle Fourche, three sons; Orein (Rose) Hafner, Belle Fourche, Don (Barbara) Hafner, Casper, WY, and Clyde (Lorretta) Hafner, Bison, one sister; Irine Bekken, Belle Fourche, 7 grandchildren and their spouses, 9 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents and one grandson, Rick Hafner.