Tillie Pauline (Tingstad) Ekemo went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on May 3, 2010 at Five Counties Nursing Home with her daughter by her side at the age of 95 years 3 months and 3 days.


Tillie was born at Haynes, North Dakota on January 30, 1915, the ninth of ten children to Paul and Lettie (Olson) Tingstad. She attended school in Haynes, graduating from Haynes High School in 1933. She then worked in Lemmon, South Dakota at the JC Penney and Ben Franklin stores.


Tillie and Joe Ekemo were united in marriage June 15, 1939 at Lemmon, South Dakota. In 1942 they joined the war effort and moved to Venice, California, on the beach! Tillie was truly "Rosie the Riveter" placing bomb racks on fighter planes and Joe was a welder.


They returned to Lemmon in Sept. of 1944. Joe then established the Kokomo Inn which he operated until 1950. He then purchased the Palace Theatre until retirement in 1978. When asked why they came back to Lemmon after the war when so many stayed on the West Coast, Joe replied that he always wanted to own a bar and with the dam being built at Shadehill, Lemmon would be a good place to do so.


Tillie loved to dance and talked often of attending dances where the Lawrence Welk Band played. Joe and Tillie were the most amazing dancers and absolutely glided across the floor. Tillie still danced on occasion until the last year at the Nursing Home.


Joe and Tillie loved to travel and after Joe's death in 1987, Tillie went on several Senior Bus trips. She was proud of the fact that she had been in every state except Alaska.


Tillie enjoyed craft work and for many years was a part of the Friday Sewing Club and crocheted many beautiful pieces and afghans and embroidered hundreds of dish towels. She was a member for over 50 years of Calvary Lutheran Church and Ladies Aid, Circle and the annual Lutefisk suppers were an important part of life.


After Joe's death in 1987, she lived in her home and then moved to the HUD apartments in Bison in 1998 to be closer to family and joined the American Lutheran Church in Bison. She entered Hillcrest Care Center in November of 2003 and Five Counties Nursing Home in June of 2007.


Celebrating Tillie's life are one daughter and son-in-law, Verlyn and Larry Veal, Bison, SD; 4 grandchildren, Travis (Jackie) Veal, Bison; Shannon Veal and Chris (Jennifer) Veal, Meadow, SD; and Shiloh (Travis) Dupper, Milbank, SD; 7 great grandchildren, Tucker and Jacelyn Veal, Bison, SD: Gracee, Jozee, and Rylee Veal, Meadow, SD, and Ethan and Alexander Dupper, Milbank, SD; 3 sisters-in-law, Elva (Christian) Tingstad, Viola (Melvin) Tingstad, Tacoma, WA, and Bergetta (Ekemo) Lysne, Belle Fourche, SD; special friend and neighbor of many years, Irene Wise, Lemmon, SD, and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.


Preceding Tillie in death were her husband, Joe Ekemo, Lemmon, SD her parents, Paul and Lettie Tingstad; 5 brothers, Joseph, Roy, Samuel, Melvin and Christian Tingstad all of Tacoma, WA; 3 sisters, Stella (Tingstad)Tormoen, Minneapolis, MN, Eunice (Tingstad) Helland, Mott, ND, and Lillian (Tingstsad) Tester, Portland, OR and one infant sister; 4 sisters-in-law, Jennie (Ekemo) Falde, Alma (Ekemo) Lysne, Sophie (Ekemo) Archibald, Inga (Ekemo) Archibald, all of Hettinger, ND.


Some very special people in Tillie's life were caregivers at Hillcrest Care Center, Hettinger, ND and at Five Counties Nursing Home in Lemmon, SD who made her last years so happy for her. The caregivers at Five Counties Nursing Home gave her love and dignity with the most special care the last weeks and days of her life for which her family is so very grateful.


A Celebration of Tillie's life will be held at Calvary Lutheran Church, Lemmon, SD at 11:00 AM Saturday, May 8, 2010. Pastor Ken Miller will officiate with inurnment in Greenhill Cemetery.


Special music will be provided by Marilyn Willey.


Honorary Bearers are Travis and Jackie Veal, Shannon Veal, Chris and Jennifer Veal and Travis and Shiloh Dupper.


A memorial has been established to Western Horizon's Care Center in Hettinger, ND, and Five Counties Nursing Home in Lemmon, SD.