Lela Mae Englehart

The Rosary Service for Lela Mae Englehart, age 81 of Bison, was held at 10:30 a.m. followed by the Mass of Christian burial at 11:00 a.m. at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Bison.  Fr. Tony Grossenburg officiated with burial in the Bison Cemetery.

Special music was provided by Todd and Tracy Buer.

Serving as Honorary Casketbearers are Marlana Lee, Dale and Arlene Delker, and all of Lela Mae’s friends and family.

Serving as Active Casketbearers are Levi Lee, Josh Lee, Dusty Smith, Todd Fink, Doug Hoff, and Tom Brockel.

Lela Mae Dailey was born on September 10, 1933 near Bison, SD to Glenn H. and Louise (Schecher) Dailey.  Lela Mae grew up on the Daily homestead west of Bison.  She attended a local country school and graduated a year early in 1950.  Following her graduation, she boarded a train with her sister Anna Rose and traveled to Aberdeen where they earned teaching certificates.  Lela Mae returned to Bison and taught in area rural schools.

Lela Mae was united in marriage to Leon Englehart on June 25, 1955 in Bison.  Lela Mae continued teaching for two more years.  She then followed Leon as he worked in the construction of     missile sites in North and South Dakota. 

In 1966, Lela Mae and Leon moved to the Dailey Homestead west of Bison where they farmed and ranched together.  She worked side by side with her husband raising Black Angus cattle, sheep, and tilling the land.  Two children, Irene and James were born to this union.

Everyone in the country knew what great baking skills Lela Mae had.  She made great cinnamon rolls and bread and always had a pot of coffee on the stove for anyone who stopped by.

Her husband Leon passed away on July 12, 2007 and Lela Mae continued to live on the place until 2010 when she moved to Rapid City.

She was a member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and active in the church altar society.

Lela Mae passed away on Friday afternoon, August 14, 2015 at Fountain Springs Health Care in Rapid City.

Surviving family members include her daughter and son-in-law, Irene and Lucky Lee, Rapid City, SD; son Jim Englehart and special friend Julie Bachand, Bison, SD; 3 grandchildren, Levi, Josh, and Marlana, sister, Anna Rose Woll, Bison, SD; brother-in-law, Llewellyn (Karen) Englehart, Meadow, SD; sisters-in-law, Phyllis Nash, Lodgepole, SD; Faye Schell, Hettinger, ND; Edith Kok, Beulah, ND; Lucille Stoeser, both of  Pierre, SD; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Leon; brothers and sisters-in-law, Ann Carter, Esther (Ernie) Nash, Louis Englehart, Dean (Beverly) Englehart, Melvin Englehart, Arlo Nasdh, Jim Schell, Bud Kok, Alex Stoeser and Kenneth Woll.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.evansonjensenfuneralhome.com