Who was this Mobridge High School beauty who after graduation in 1944 and a bit of college, struck off to Washington, D.C. and worked at the newly completed Pentagon? Every night after work would have found her at Walter Reed Hospital visiting the wounded of WWII.

Who was this hard-working young woman who married that handsome Marine, Albert “Brick” Mickelson, himself recently returned from the South Pacific? They made their life together raising three children on the Missouri River bottom and then near McLaughlin and Mahto at Oak Creek Ranch.

Who was this servant spirit who cared for so many? Her grouchy father-in-law at the end of his life, her sister-in-law as her life grew to its close, and her husband Brick, for ten years as his life slowly ebbed away. But there were the grand times at the holiday tables surrounded by her family and others who didn’t have their own relatives close by. There were too the branding parties with up to 150 guests and the countless groups who gathered around the groaning board in the summer kitchen or wherever. There were guests from everywhere in the US and abroad breaking bread together—New Zealand, Australia, Japan; Norway, Germany, Italy; Brazil, Paraguay, Mexico; etc. Until just recently Anna Jane carried on a massive correspondence all over the globe, confirming the Mickelson commitment to world understanding, begun there on Oak Creek Ranch.

This amazing woman was Anna Jane (neé Eidam) Mickelson who was born at Forest City near Gettysburg, SD, on January 17, 1927. Her mother taught her in little rural schools until she became a Mobridge Tiger in the ninth grade.

Her dad Jay, a mail deliverer during the Depression, opened the E & H Café there in Mobridge. After graduation and D.C., back in her new home town, she soon married her sweetheart, Brick, on June 25, 1947. That first year of marriage was a tough one, especially in November and December, for both her mother-in-law Julianna A. (Carlson) Mickelson and her dad Orlow Jay Eidam died.

Soon son Edward Jay was born (May 31, 1948) and then Kenneth Wayne (October 23, 1951). Tragedy struck September 26, 1953, when daughter Kathy Ann was stillborn. However, there was great joy as Barbara Murrie came into the world May 30, 1957. It was from Norway that another “daughter,” actually a cousin, Bente Aasen (Jan Barsnes), came to the ranch in the fall of 1968 and worked her way into the hearts of all.

All these years “A.J.” as “Brick” so affectionately called her, was actively involved with her children, the Trinity Lutheran Church, and the community of Mobridge with Cub Scouts, PTA, Ladies Aid, Church Choir, Jaycettes, etc.

Together A.J. and Brick, “signed their lives away” to purchase Oak Creek Ranch in the fall of 1959, near Mahto and McLaughlin.
Cash flow is always important in farming, so for 45 years Anna Jane milked cows and nearly every Thursday was at the Mobridge Livestock Auction as the ring clerk. Some of the sales lasted 18 hours straight, but only when computers took over were the scale slips as accurate as she wrote.

A.J. loved nice clothes, baby doll high heels, and she and Brick, after the kids left home, really got into square dancing and traveled far and wide to practice and to dance until their hearing became bad. They also enjoyed the neighboring night spot at Mahto for its Dew Drop Inn Special and great dance floor.

After Albert passed away (October 23, 2000), Anna Jane managed the ranch, kept the lawns there irrigated and mowed, and the flower gardens weed free and pristine. She was assisted by family friend Bob Keller in the beginning and grandson Austin Bowen currently.

Jay (Beverly), Ken (Barb), and Barbie (Ky Bowen) as well as the fine grandchildren: Allison and Drew (Nicole); McKenzie (Jake) McCoy, Lauren (Brent) Sukut, and Ben (Darcy); Marshall (Cora) Bowen and Austin (Hannah) Bowen were frequent visitors and helped with round-ups, branding, dehorning, building, repairing, mowing, and cleaning. There was also lots of other work, both physical and nurturing to do. The eighteen great grands loved seeing and being with GeGe too.

Her older sister June Darling of Helena, Montana, plus countless nieces and nephews mourn her passing.
Anna Jane Mickelson left this world March 30, 2022 -- her great grandson, Logan’s first birthday.

A visitation will be held from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, April 3, 2022 at the United Church in Philip with a prayer service at 6 p.m.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, April 4, 2022 at the United Church in Philip with Pastor Kathy Chesney officiating.

Interment will be held 3:00 p.m. Monday, April 4, 2022 at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

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