Fern M. Nemmers

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Fern Marie Nemmers, 87, of Dell Rapids passed away Saturday, November 1, 2014 at the Dells Nursing & Rehab Center.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 PM Wednesday, November 5, 2014 at St. Mary Catholic Church, Dell Rapids. Burial will be in the St. Mary Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 5:00 PM Tuesday with a Wake Service at 7:00 PM followed by the Rosary at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Dell Rapids.

Fern Marie (Hansen) Nemmers was born May 6, 1927 to Leo and Ida (Bricher) Hansen in Dell Rapids. She was the seventh child in a family of 16 children and was caregiver for all her younger siblings. She attended St. Mary School and graduated in 1945. Following graduation she continued helping her parents on the farm.

She was united in marriage to John R. Nemmers at St. Mary Catholic Church on October 14, 1947. They continued farming near Dell Rapids until their retirement.

Throughout her life Fern was very active in community and church activities. She served many years on the Dell Rapids Township Election Board. She was designated a VIP Blood Donor by the community blood bank for her many years of blood donations. She served in the Altar Society of St. Mary Church and held many offices in this organization, Fern and her husband John were founding members of the Terrace Manor Nursing Home. She served several years as a Grandmother for the Presentation Sisters Youth leadership camps. She made several trips to the Presentation Sisters missions in Mexico and with the Lutheran Church of Dell Rapids to Rosebud Reservation to deliver food and bicycles for the Native Americans.

For all of her life, Fern was an avid hunter. She enjoyed sharing her expertise with kids in the hunter's safety courses at the Sportsman's Club. She was also an avid bowler and sports fan, supporting local teams in all sports. Fern enjoyed gardening and always had beautiful flower gardens.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John; her son, Donald; five brothers and a sister. Fern’s deep religious convictions and devotion and her love of the land have been an inspiration for her family and all that knew her. Those remaining to continue the celebration of life that Fern so encouraged are her children, Theresa, Tom and his wife, Kristi, Marty and his fiancé, Angel and Jeremy; her grandchildren, John and his wife, Jacqueline, Kim and Aaron, Brad, Beth and her husband, Garrett, Leigh and Erin; her great grandchildren, Isabella, Ava, John Thomas, Lily, Kinley, Kennedy and Mia; her brothers, Tom, Terry and David; sisters, RoseAnn, Grace, Erma, Darlene, Betty and Karli.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the St. Mary Grade School and Church.