Wilma Schnabel

Funeral services for Wilma Schnabel were held on Saturday, March 20, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at the Emmaus Lutheran Church in Tripp, SD, with Pastor Marcus Ring, officiating.

Music was provided by Tim Johnson, soloist, accompanied by Delila Hahn, organist. Kelly Kuykendall, Carrie Zachariahs and Heather Bender were in charge of registration.

Casket bearers were Mike Wiederrich, Matt Wiederrich, Regen Wiederrich, Zach Wiederrich, Kyle Hemeyer and Larry Schuler.

A committal service was held at the Pleasant View Cemetery in Tripp, SD. Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Wilma Jean Johnson was born October 8, 1936, in rural Avon, SD, to Edward and Elsie (Pudwill) Johnson.

Wilma attended and graduated from Avon High School and Springfield State Teachers College to begin serving in multiple teaching positions throughout her life. Her love for teaching began at an Avon country school, then led her to be a substitute teacher for Tripp Grade and High School, and culminated in a 15-year career at South Dakota South Central Child Development as a Head Start teacher and Area Manager. Wilma also served as a Sunday School teacher in Tripp Emmaus Lutheran Church.

On July 29, 1956 Wilma married Manard Schnabel at the First Presbyterian Church in Avon and lived on a farm near Tripp, SD, where Wilma and Maynard worked side by side on the farm. In 2007, they sold the land to South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks to create their legacy titled Rolling Hills Game Production Area. Maynard and Wilma then retired from the farm and made Gregory, South Dakota, their new home in July the following year.

During her lifetime Wilma enjoyed baking cookies, reading, quilting, sewing aprons and mending. Wilma also loved doing things with her grandchildren by going to their events, playing cards and marbles.

Wilma Jean (Johnson) Schnabel passed away at the Avera Gregory Hospital on Friday, February 5, 2021.

Wilma is survived by three children: Kristie (Jerry) Wiederrich of Sioux Falls, SD; Tony Schnabel of Fredericksburg, VA; Julie (Jerry) Hemeyer of Gregory, SD; eight grandchildren: Mike and Matt Wiederrich, Kelly Kuykendall, Kevin and Brendan Schnabel, Heather Bender, Kyle Hemeyer, and Carrie Zachariahs; eleven great-grandchildren; two brothers Nilus (JoAnn) Johnson of Mitchell, SD, and Tim Johnson of Avon, SD; and one sister Karen (Gary) Sedivy of Vermillion, SD.

She was preceded in death by her husband Maynard, her brother Lester Johnson, and sisters Arlene Buchholz and Mary Ann Ridgeway.