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Ellen M. Chrans was born November 2, 1908 at Havana, Illinois, the daughter of Alfred T. and Jenna (Linderman) Chrans. As a child she moved with her parents to a homestead in the Kennebec and Reliance, South Dakota area. She grew up on the homestead and attended rural school in the community.

As a young lady she worked for various ranchers in that community as well as the Faith, Dupree, and Isabel areas.

Ellen was united in marriage to John E. Arends on October 28, 1930 at Fairpoint, South Dakota. They made their home on a farm near Enning, South Dakota.

In 1937 her husband began working as a superintendent for the WPA program and they lived in various places in South Dakota. He was superintendent on the Lake Waggoner Dam Project north of Philip. In the mid 1940’s the family moved to Rapid City. While in Rapid City, Ellen worked at the Holiday Inn for seven years.

After her husband’s death on November 13, 1977, Ellen continued to reside in Rapid City until moving to Philip in 1980, where she resided until moving into the Gateway Apartments in Kadoka in October 2001. Due to health reasons, Ellen moved into the Kadoka Care Center in September 2003.

Ellen was a member of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church of Kadoka, a former member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the Evening Guild in Philip, and a former member of St. Therese of the Little Flower Catholic Church and St. Veronica’s Club in Rapid City.

Grateful for having shared her life are her son John P. Arends and his wife Jan of Ft. Collins, Colorado; three daughters Virginia Novitsky and her husband Edward of Orlando, Florida, Jo Anne Stilwell and her husband Jerry of Kadoka, and Barbara Herr and her husband Del of Peosta, Iowa; seventeen grandchildren; twenty-one great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; one brother Theodore Chrans and his wife Esther of Scottsbluff, Nebraska; three sisters Florence Buck and her husband Robert of Simla, Colorado, Frances Farrell of Redding, California, and Berniece Kincaid of Simla, Colorado; and a host of other relatives and friends.

In addition to her husband John, Ellen was preceded in death by a daughter Mary Ellen Rogers; two grandsons Steven Rogers and Johnny Novitsky; two granddaughters Barbara Novitsky and Jenna Stilwell; two great-granddaughters Katie and Cheryl Brasel; a son-in-law Frank Rogers; her parents; eight brothers Robert, Roy, Dale, Don, Earl, Lyle, Clarence, and Del Chrans; and two sisters Gladys Steves and Bonnie Jean Nibe.

Ellen M. Arends, age 95, of Kadoka, formerly of Philip and Rapid City, died early Saturday morning, December 27, 2003 at the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital in Philip.

Visitation was held 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, December 29 with a vigil service at 7:00 p.m. all at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Kadoka.

Mass of Christian Burial was 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 30, at the church with Father Bob Baden as celebrant, assisted by Deacon Gene Heckathorne.

Interment was 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Rapid City.

A memorial is established.

Arrangements are with the Rush Funeral Chapel of Kadoka.

Tuesday, December 30, 2003 10:00 a.m.

Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church

Kadoka, South Dakota

Father Bob Baden

Deacon Gene Heckathorne

Marianne Frein– Organist

Mark Buchholz – Steve Buchholz

Ron Novitsky – Jeff Stilwell

Jerry Stilwell – Jim Stilwell

Michael Rogers – Dennis Rogers

John Rogers

All Relatives and Friends in Attendance

Tuesday, December 30, 2003 2:30 p.m.

Mount Calvary Cemetery

Rapid City, South Dakota

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