Wilma Stout

Wilma Mae Gropper was born on June 19, 1923, to Herman and Ida (Odefy) Gropper. She moved to Cottonwood as an infant, then Belvidere, and spent her childhood south of the White River in the Red Stone Basin area herding turkeys and milk cows. She loved the country. She received elementary education in Washabaugh County, and later moved to Kadoka where she attended Kadoka High School and graduated in 1941. During these years, she delivered milk bottles from the Gropper diary to customers across Kadoka. Wilma remained in Kadoka where she did local waitress/drugstore clerk work.

Wilma united in marriage to Paul Brakke in Kadoka. Two children, Clee in 1950 and Kathy in 1954 were born to this union. They made their home in the local community where she continued working in town at the Junction Café, Petrified Gardens, Shamrock Motel, and Hopkins Econo-Mart with the exception of two years in the country near the Cactus Flats area. Wilma loved music, dancing to two-steps, polkas, waltz, and square dancing. She was an avid rock hunter, also. Wilma was a faithful member of the Lions for many years, a 4-H leader, PTA, Extension Club, and a volunteer at the CAP office. Wilma found a second home in the country when daughter, Kathy, married and moved south-east of Longvalley. Wilma loved the times helping at the ranch with the animals, the brandings, shearing sheep, moving cattle, planting trees, gardening, and watching her grandsons grow and watching their sporting, hunting, and rodeo events.

Paul died in 1975, and Wilma continued to reside in Kadoka working at Hopkins Drug Store and the People’s Market. At the age of 78, she married Roy Stout on December 7, 2002, until his passing on February 29, 2004. Wilma was a welcomed, smiling, loyal employee to the thousands of customers she checked out on Kadoka’s main street and made many lifelong friends through this association. She enjoyed traveling to the southern states, Mexico, Branson, and many camping trips in the 1980’s and 90’s. Upon retirement, she volunteered countless hours at the CAP office. Often, opening the office after hours for people in need who had lost belongings in house fires, etc. Wilma, also, spent much time on her riding lawn mower mowing her three lawns and spraying dandelions. She still spent considerable time in the country at the ranch watching her great-grandsons grow.

Due to the failing health and eye-sight, Wilma entered the Kadoka Nursing Home in March of 2016. She passed away one week before her 93rd birthday after a short illness.

Survivors include a son Clee Jay Brakke and his wife Paula of Milbank, and a daughter Kathy Mansfield and her husband Jim of Norris; four grandchildren James (Bridget) Mansfield, Jeremy (Tashina) Mansfield, Jay (Karen) Brakke, and Carl (Kellie) Brakke; nine great-grandchildren Alison, Mikayla, Clay, Mayson, Chays, Rayin, Amya, Wyatt and Ayden; a nephew Tom Kerlin of Sturgis; a sister-in-law Florence Gropper of Kadoka.

In addition to her first husband Paul Rodney Brakke, and her second husband Roy Stout, Wilma was preceded in death by her parents; and a brother Glen Gropper.

A memorial has been established.

Visitation will be held 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, June 16, at the Rush Funeral Chapel in Kadoka.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday, June 17, at the Kadoka City Auditorium.

Interment will be at the Kadoka Cemetery.

Service Details

FUNERAL SERVICES
Friday, June 17, 2016 - 2:00 p.m.
Kadoka City Auditorium
Kadoka, South Dakota
OFFICIATING
Ken Toews
MUSIC
John Kaiser
"I'll Fly Away"
"The Old Rugged Cross"
"Amazing Grace"
USHERS
Veryl Prokop - Larry Miller - Lois Pettyjohn
PALLBEARERS
Bill Fugate - Mark Carlson - Woody Davis
Chip Mitchell - Paul Gropper - Jerry Sharp
HONORARY PALLBEARERS
All the people who willingly gave time or attention
to Wilma in this past year
INTERMENT
Kadoka Cemetery
Kadoka, South Dakota

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