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Funeral services will take place on Friday, August 30, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Mountain).

Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Rapid City, South Dakota

Friday, August 30, 2019 - 2:00 p.m.
Interior Fairview Cemetery
Interior, South Dakota
A rosary service will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 29, at Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Rapid City.



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In memory of

Virginia Guptill

of Rapid City, South Dakota, died on Saturday, August 24, 2019 at Hospice of the Hills in Rapid City at the age of 94

Virginia Eva Guptill was born April 2, 1925 in the family farm house in Tyndall, South Dakota to Charles and Sylvia (Dunn) Hisek. At age four, she moved with her family to Buffalo Gap, South Dakota.


She attended a country school at Harrison Flats and graduated from Cathedral High School in Rapid City in 1943. After high school, she worked at the Bell Telephone Company as a Telephone Operator and it was during this time that she was fixed up on a blind date with her future husband, a handsome US Air Force Pilot and WWII veteran, Earl Guptill. The two were united in marriage October 18, 1947 at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Rapid City.


After they were married they lived on Earl’s mother’s place on Potato Creek until they moved to Wall in early 1949. They lived in Wall for six years while Earl made a living flying his airplane doing crop spraying during the summers and coyote hunting in the winters. In 1956, they moved to a farm south of Interior where they raised their six children and built their home while farming, ranching, and raising alfalfa seed. They continued working together on the farm until Earl's death in 1987, after which time, Virginia moved to Rapid City where she lived for the remainder of her years.


Virginia had numerous talents including baking, needlepoint, sewing, gardening, canning, ceramics, and playing bridge. Her family was also blessed with her creative talents. Among other things, she always had a new beautifully crocheted baby blanket at the ready for each new family addition that came along. On the farm she was always ready for company with delicious food, her famous atomic chocolate cake, and iced tea ready at a moment’s notice.


In her later years, Virginia always kept busy with her multiple volunteer activities. She spent many hours running the rug loom at the Canyon Lake Senior Center and helped with numerous duties while living at the Good Samaritan Society at Echo Ridge. She was a member of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help where she crocheted and donated numerous prayer shawls over the years. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary for 56+ years.


Grateful for sharing her life are her three sons; Leroy (Linda), Jim (Patti), Pat (Mary Lou); three daughters; Karen Langager, Connie (Bernard) Guptill-Cuny, and Carolyn Johnson (Mark Hixson); 17 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; a sister Lucille Streeck; sister-in-law Jean Cutler; and numerous nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.


She was preceded in death by her husband Earl; her parents; son-in-law Harvey Langager, two sisters Laura and Sylvia; one brother Donald; and three grandchildren.

A rosary service will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 29, at Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Rapid City.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 30, at Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Interment will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, August 30 at the Interior Fairview Cemetery in Interior.

ROSARY SERVICE
Thursday, August 29, 2019 - 7 p.m.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Rapid City, South Dakota

MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL
Friday, August 30, 2019 - 10:00 a.m.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Rapid City, South Dakota

CELEBRANT
Father Matt Fallgren

MUSIC
Jeanine Gerlach - Cantor
Michelle Skoog - Accompanist
“You Are Mine”
“Ave Maria”
“I Am the Bread of Life”
“Song of Farewell”
“On Eagles Wings”

USHERS
Dale Guptill - Perry Guptill - Jerry Tystad

ALTAR SERVERS
Steven Hasenohrl - Philip Daniel - Max Daniel

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
Mary Lou Guptill - Jim Bodyfield

READERS
Paula Clark - Judy Hasenohrl

PALLBEARERS
Matt Guptill - Mark Guptill - Jeremy Cole
Ryan Johnson - Roy Guptill - Scott Nelson
Troy Guptill - Paul Guptill - Tate Guptill

HONORARY PALLBEARERS
Tammy Gregg - Sarah Langager - Holly Hindle
Julie Stephens - Alicia Johnson - Josie Guptill - Tia Guptill

INTERMENT
Interior Fairview Cemetery - Interior, South Dakota
Father Tony Grossenburg - Presiding

  • Both Bill and I send our most sincere condolences to all Virginia's family far and wide. I just watched the most beautiful video of Virginia's life and times. It brought back so many fond memories of all the Bill Guptill trips back home when I was growing up. Thank you for sharing the video. My memories of Virginia were always great. I do so remember her quick smile and snappy eyes. She was always so kind to all of us kids and I think she truly enjoyed having us come and visit. Boy she was a worker! Always working and so talented in every way. I think Virginia was a woman of tremendous faith in God and she kept that faith all her life. Virginia was a class act. As a kid growing up I always thought of her as loving, patient and kind. What else could be more important? Go sit high upon that mountain and look around at a job well done! Rest in peace Aunt Virginia and tell Uncle Earl Hi from me! ~ Barbara Guptill Grannell Tome, New mexico (9/6/2019)
  • Dear Pat and family, Just praying that God will comfort you and your family. Love and Prayers Debbie ~ Marty and Debbie Hansen Philip SD (9/1/2019)
  • SD ~ Lori (Stangle) Kelly Philip (8/31/2019)
  • Connie and Family, So sorry for all of you. It's not easy to loose your mother but just knowing where they are is a great comfort. We have talked of the times we went to dancing lessons at Earl and Virginia's. That was a time to remember for sure! Love and sympathy to all of you. ~ Ron & Marilyn Gartner Interior SD (8/28/2019)
  • my very first memory on this planet involved my aunt Virginia ... waking from a nap at her farm house south of interior, i was 3 and visitng from california with my family, no one was at the house other than me & Virginia, my mom was outside, i was scared, i walked up to her leg and apron, she was standing at the sink, and she let me just hug her until i felt safe ... after that, i had a few thousand other great memories involving her ... she is a person of the highest quality, and for me, is still right here, nothing has diminished ... she is God's glory ~ roy guptill ... nephew oregon (8/28/2019)
  • We will miss Virginia at Echo Ridge. She was a part of Good Samaritan in every way. Making new Residents feel welcome, volunteering always. We enjoyed everyday we were able to share with her. ~ Sheila Gehring Box Elder SD (8/28/2019)
  • Our sympathy goes out to the Guptills. Virginia and all the family was just a given since I can remember. So sad to lose a friend and mom, but cherish all the good memories. You are all in our prayers. ~ Nancy Peterson Kadoka (8/28/2019)
  • Rapid City SD 57701 ~ LaReign Munsch 2123 Ivy Ave (8/27/2019)
  • So sorry to hear of your loss of Virginia. She was a great lady. I have such fond memories of her. She will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you. God Bless. ~ David & Mary Jones Martin, SD (8/27/2019)
  • Pat and Family~ We are sorry to hear of your loss. Many prayers sent your way. ~ Jason and Vonda Hamill Milesville, SD (8/27/2019)
  • Pat and Jim, sorry to hear of your mother's passing. The Badlands lost another great person. ~ Tim and Peggy Lester Austin, TX (8/27/2019)
  • Nevada ~ Karen Langager Las Vegas, (8/26/2019)