Aberdeen - Celestine M. Wahlen, age 90 of Aberdeen and formerly of Faulkton, died Friday, June 3, 2005, at Aberdeen ManorCare. Funeral Mass will be 10 a.m. Thursday, June 9, 2005, at St. Thomas Catholic Church, Faulkton with Fr. Randy Phillips officiating. Burial will be in the Faulkton cemetery under the direction of Luce Funeral Home, Faulkton. Visitation will be from 1-5 p.m. Wednesday, June 8, at the funeral home with a 7 p.m. prayer service at the church. Celestine Mary was born Sunday, Nov. 1, 1914, on All Saints Day to Michael and Elizabeth (Sihrer) Prince in Davidson County near Loomis, S.D. They moved to Faulk County in 1915 and lived in the Rockham, Miranda, and Zell area. Celestine attended grade school at St. Mary's Catholic School in Zell. In 1930, they moved to the Prince farm north of Burkmere. She married E.D. "Bob" Wahlen on Jan. 9, 1938, in Faulkton. They lived on the Wahlen farm north of Faulkton until they retired in 1964 and built a new home in Faulkton. Celestine was active in the church, having been confirmed at St. Thomas Catholic Church, during her marriage she participated with the UCC Church and then the United Church of Faulkton serving for many years on the Memorial Committee, World Day of Prayer, and delivering drinks and cookies for Vacation Bible School each summer. In later years, she joined Koinoia and rejoined the Catholic church in 2000. Celestine was very active in the community over the years serving as Assessor, Township Clerk, and Millard Cemetery committee to name a few. She volunteered at the JP Shirk Nursing Home for many years. She was a member of the Faulk County Historical Society, Autumn Leaves Senior Center and VFW Auxiliary. She loved to play cards, visit, and help give rides to neighbors and friends. You seldom saw her without her camera. She received the Good Neighbor Award in 1987. In 1999, she moved to Aberdeen, S.D. to be closer to her nieces, Dixie and Jeff Parker, Millie and Vern Schilling, Elsie Wells and her sister-in-law Arlowyn Prince. She enjoyed having them close by seeing their children and grandchildren whey they came home on visits. She lived at the Sherman Apartments for a few years and in October 2004, she moved to ManorCare in Aberdeen. Her memory will be cherished by her girl Dixie (Jeff) Parker of Anchorage, Alaska; grandchildren: Jeremy Myers and daughter Kyleigh, Wright, Wyoming; Erik Myers, Anchorage, Alaska; Amber (Terry) Dierkson of Black Hawk, S.D.; nieces: Mille and Vern Schilling and Elsie Wells who have looked out for her these past years; sister-in-law Arlowyn Prince and numerous other nieces, nephews, and cousins. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband Bob; sister Florence (Henry) Weiss; and two brothers: Edward and Erwin Prince.
Published in the Aberdeen News on 6/7/2005.