Click here to view the Rosary and Funeral Mass

Veronica Svihovec, 88, of Hettinger, ND, passed away on Sunday, April 6, 2025, at West River Health Services in Hettinger.

Rosary for Veronica will be held at 9:30 a.m. MT on Saturday, April 12, 2025, followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. all at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hettinger.  Fr. Greg Hilzendeger will officiate and burial will follow at the Hettinger Cemetery.

Veronica Ellouise (Maliske) Svihovec, 88, of Hettinger, North Dakota passed away peacefully on April 6, 2025 surrounded by family and under the expert care of the health professionals at West River Health Services. Veronica was born on February 7, 1937 on the family farm in Harding County near Vessey, SD to Michael and Apolonia (Powroznik) Maliske, both immigrants from Poland. She was their eleventh child and the baby of the family. From this viewpoint, Veronica – affectionately called "Meca" by family – grew up surrounded by the rhythms of farm life. She especially loved telling stories of her older siblings, always sharing them with a little spark of humor. She attended country school in South Dakota alongside her siblings, and was even a student of her sister, Agnes. Veronica graduated from Norbeck School in the eighth grade and later from Scranton High School in 1954, where she proudly played guard for her beloved Scranton Miners basketball team.

Her passion for care and service led her to St. John's McNamara School of Nursing in Rapid City, SD, where she graduated as a registered nurse in 1957. That September, she moved to Hettinger, ND, where she began what would become a 43-year career with West River Health Services—21 years in general nursing and 22 as a surgical nurse. Veronica loved being a nurse and cherished working alongside others to bring comfort and healing to her patients.

Though Veronica originally planned to stay in Hettinger only briefly, fate had other plans. That same year, she caught the eye of Delmar Svihovec, recently discharged from the Army and back home. They fell in love and were married on May 1, 1958. They were blessed with six children, Cyrisse, James, Collette, Maureen, Jolene "Joey" and Duane "Tubby." Veronica and Delmar valued education deeply and took great pride in all of their children earning college degrees. Still, their greatest joy was seeing their children happy and thriving. Veronica especially treasured her family and often said they were the most important part of her world. She held a special place in her heart for her nieces Faye and Waneta.

Veronica was preceded in death by her parents, Michael and Apolonia, her husband Delmar, her son Duane, her granddaughter Amy, her siblings and their spouses John (Katherine), Tony (Gloria), Wanda (Preston), Thecla (Jim), Tom (Esther), Sophie (Walt), Agnes (Wayne), Herman, Bertha (Joe), and Elizabeth (Al). She is survived by her  sister-in-law Lily Maliske, her children Cyrisse (Les) Wietstock, James (Linda) Svihovec, Collette (Terry) Kraft, Maureen Svihovec, and Jolene (Dave) Erickson as well as her grandchildren Chentel (Kayle) Dangerud, Nathan (Abby) Svihovec, Tara (Blake) Feil, Michaela (Mike) Quast, Bethany Erickson, and Kye (Michelle) Erickson; her great-grandchildren Ella and Jake Dangerud, Claire, Livia, Nicholas, and Benjamin Feil, Eli and Collins Quast, and Emmett Erickson and his Dad Al Mosbrucker as well as many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

Veronica lived a life devoted to her heavenly father, praying everyday for her family and those on the prayer chain. Her legacy of care for others lives on in the hearts of all who knew her.