Lois Besmer

A committal service for Lois Besmer was held on Saturday, June 17, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at the IOOF Cemetery in Gregory, SD, with Pastor Marcus Ring officiating. Inurnment was in the IOOF Cemetery in Gregory, SD. Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Lois Loraine Knittel was born on June 9, 1939, the fourth of six children, to Edward and Ola Knittel (Steppat Warden), in South Dakota on the Rezac place south of Dallas. Lois spent her childhood on the family farm near Gregory, SD. Initially attending a one-room schoolhouse with siblings and neighbors, Lois later boarded in town while attending Gregory High School, from which she graduated in 1957. While in high school, she was a 4-H leader of the ‘Ramos Ramblers’. The group sang “The Cattle Call” at the State Fair in Huron, SD, and took first prize. The group then went to Kansas for another performance. While in high school at Gregory High, her interests were bookkeeping and home economics. Lois kept the books at Newsam Chevrolet and enjoyed polka dancing and waltzing at Colome on Saturday nights.

Lois married Alvin Besmer and they had three children. Lois became single and continued to raise their children.

After the birth of her third child, Lois went to work as a secretary at the 1st National Bank of the Black Hills in Rapid City. From that position, she worked her way up to vice president of business banking at Norwest Bank in Sioux Falls. She retired from banking in 1998. During her banking career, Lois was in the vanguard of women entering higher levels of professional careers. Known as a hard worker and a dedicated mentor to younger professional women, Lois held leadership positions in various social organizations such as Kiwanis, Toastmasters, and Business & Professional Women (BPW). After retirement, she re-located to Mesa, Arizona, returning to Rapid City in the final years of her life.

Lois enjoyed attending Little League baseball games, wrestling matches, and football games.

Lois Besmer passed away on December 3, 2022. She was sustained in life by an abiding faith in God.

She is survived by her brother, Merlin Knittel; sister, Judy Lantz; three sons, Doug, Scott, and Kirk; as well as numerous grandchildren.