Oral M. Fiedler

Oral M. Stevens was born August 4, 1898, at Mission Hill, South Dakota, to Wallace F. and Alvina (Rahn) Stevens.

She grew up in that area and received her elementary education in rural schools near Mission Hill and then attended Mission Hill High School.  While in high school her mother died and Oral then stayed at home to help raise her six brothers and two sisters.

She was united in marriage to Henry Fiedler on December 21, 1916, at Mitchell, South Dakota.

They came out to Cottonwood, South Dakota, to see about a homestead and then in the spring of 1917 they moved to a homestead in the Cottonwood area where they built a home, barn and garage.

In March of 1921 they moved to Rapid City and in April of 1921 their son, Dale, was born.  They then returned to the Cottonwood area where they remained until the fall of 1926 when they moved to a farm near Milesville, South Dakota, where they continued to reside.

Their second son, Gene, was born in 1942 in Rapid City.

After her husband's death on April 23, 1955, she continued to live on the farm until Gene began high school in Philip in 1959 when they moved into Philip.  Her four grandchildren all stayed with her when they were going to high school in Philip also.  In 1962 she moved into a residence on Elm Street where she resided until moving into the Senechal Apartments.  She resided there until health reasons forced her into the Philip Nursing Home in 1989.

She celebrated her 93rd birthday with a family reunion hosted by her four grandchildren at the Ralph and Cathy Fiedler residence.

Oral became a member of the First Lutheran Church of Milesville in 1934 and was a charter member of the Lutheran Ladies Aid.  After moving to Philip, she became a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church and also the Bad River Senior Citizens Center.

Grateful for having shared her life are her daughter-in-law, Lorraine Fiedler, of Philip; four grandchildren, Ralph Fiedler of Philip, Morris Fiedler of Rapid City, Ross Fiedler of Missoula, Montana, and Karen Burks of Yankton, South Dakota; 12 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-granddaughter; one brother, Millard Stevens of Yankton; several nieces and nephews; and a host of other relatives and friends.

In addition to her husband, Henry, she was preceded in death by two sons, Dale and Gene Fiedler; her parents; five brothers; and two sisters.

Services
Wednesday, November 20, 1991
10:00 a.m.
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
Philip, South Dakota

Officiating
Reverend Dennis McManus

Music
Hallie Albrecht - Organist
Merlin Bennett - Vocalist

Ushers
Anthony Harty - Floren Falzone

Active Pallbearers
Ed Fitch - Mauriece Falzone
Jerry Neville - Tom Harty
Glen Hovland - Eugene Bierwagen

Honorary Pallbearers
All relatives and friends in attendance

Interment
Masonic Cemetery
Philip, South Dakota

Service Details

Services
Wednesday, November 20, 1991
10:00 a.m.
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Philip