Clara Bangs Lobdell died Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009, at her home in Austin. Clara was born Sept. 21, 1911, the only child of Stein and Eva Hall Bangs, in rural Rapid City, SD. Her mother lived to be 101.
On both sides of her family, she came of pioneer stock that had settled in Dakota Territory before statehood. When she was less than two years old, the family moved, by horse and wagon, to a ranch in Montana, on Mizpah Creek. As there was no local school, Clara was home schooled until 1924, when the family moved back to Rapid City and she entered the public schools. She graduated from Rapid City High School in 1930. She worked in the public school offices for five years.
On April 4, 1936, she was married to Wray 0. Lobdell. He was an electrician and they followed construction, living in several states. In 1942, they settled in Rapid City and then in 1945, they moved to Caputa, SD, where Wray started his own contracting business.
When Clara was a young wife and the mother of two small children, she contracted polio. Over the next three years, with the diligence and perseverance that characterized them, she and Wray largely abated the effects of this disease on her through a program of extensive patterned exercise. Her gait retained a noticeable affect for the next 66 years but it didn't slow her down.
Clara worked for 15 years as a medical assistant, retiring to care for her mother. Clara was interested in local and western history, served on the board of the Minnilusa Historical Association of which she was a life member and served a term as president as did her mother. She was a life member of the South Dakota State Historical Society, Westerners International and the First Congregational UCC Church of Rapid City. She was also an associate member of the United Christian Church UCC of Austin. She had belonged to numerous other organizations over the years. Clara wrote several articles on western history. She greatly enjoyed her regular class in memoir writing and wrote extensively about her life, especially her childhood. A book of her memoirs was published in 2001 to celebrate her 90th birthday.
In 1991, she moved, with others of her family, to Austin. She is survived by her children, Donn Lobdell, Sunol, CA, and Gayle Opie and Linda Sikveland, both of Austin; three granddaughters, Diana Madden, Sunol, CA, Paula Baker, Austin, and Shannon Opie, Round Rock; four grandsons, James Bane, Austin, Steven Lobdell, Portland, OR, Torger Sikveland, Manhatten, MT, and Mike Sikveland, Glendive, MT; and seven greatgrandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1959; her parents; her eldest daughter, Alice Bane; and her stepson, Warren Sinkler,
She chose cremation with ashes to be interred in the family plot in Pine Lawn Cemetery in Rapid City. Memorial money can be given to the Minnilusa Historical Association, 222 New York St., Rapid City, SD 57701.
On both sides of her family, she came of pioneer stock that had settled in Dakota Territory before statehood. When she was less than two years old, the family moved, by horse and wagon, to a ranch in Montana, on Mizpah Creek. As there was no local school, Clara was home schooled until 1924, when the family moved back to Rapid City and she entered the public schools. She graduated from Rapid City High School in 1930. She worked in the public school offices for five years.
On April 4, 1936, she was married to Wray 0. Lobdell. He was an electrician and they followed construction, living in several states. In 1942, they settled in Rapid City and then in 1945, they moved to Caputa, SD, where Wray started his own contracting business.
When Clara was a young wife and the mother of two small children, she contracted polio. Over the next three years, with the diligence and perseverance that characterized them, she and Wray largely abated the effects of this disease on her through a program of extensive patterned exercise. Her gait retained a noticeable affect for the next 66 years but it didn't slow her down.
Clara worked for 15 years as a medical assistant, retiring to care for her mother. Clara was interested in local and western history, served on the board of the Minnilusa Historical Association of which she was a life member and served a term as president as did her mother. She was a life member of the South Dakota State Historical Society, Westerners International and the First Congregational UCC Church of Rapid City. She was also an associate member of the United Christian Church UCC of Austin. She had belonged to numerous other organizations over the years. Clara wrote several articles on western history. She greatly enjoyed her regular class in memoir writing and wrote extensively about her life, especially her childhood. A book of her memoirs was published in 2001 to celebrate her 90th birthday.
In 1991, she moved, with others of her family, to Austin. She is survived by her children, Donn Lobdell, Sunol, CA, and Gayle Opie and Linda Sikveland, both of Austin; three granddaughters, Diana Madden, Sunol, CA, Paula Baker, Austin, and Shannon Opie, Round Rock; four grandsons, James Bane, Austin, Steven Lobdell, Portland, OR, Torger Sikveland, Manhatten, MT, and Mike Sikveland, Glendive, MT; and seven greatgrandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1959; her parents; her eldest daughter, Alice Bane; and her stepson, Warren Sinkler,
She chose cremation with ashes to be interred in the family plot in Pine Lawn Cemetery in Rapid City. Memorial money can be given to the Minnilusa Historical Association, 222 New York St., Rapid City, SD 57701.
Clara Bangs Lobdell died Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009, at her home in Austin. Clara was born Sept. 21, 1911, the only child of Stein and Eva Hall Bangs, in rural Rapid City, SD. Her mother lived to be 101.
On both sides of her family, she came of pioneer stock that had settled in Dakota Territory before statehood. When she was less than two years old, the family moved, by horse and wagon, to a ranch in Montana, on Mizpah Creek. As there was no local school, Clara was home schooled until 1924, when the family moved back to Rapid City and she entered the public schools. She graduated from Rapid City High School in 1930. She worked in the public school offices for five years.
On April 4, 1936, she was married to Wray 0. Lobdell. He was an electrician and they followed construction, living in several states. In 1942, they settled in Rapid City and then in 1945, they moved to Caputa, SD, where Wray started his own contracting business.
When Clara was a young wife and the mother of two small children, she contracted polio. Over the next three years, with the diligence and perseverance that characterized them, she and Wray largely abated the effects of this disease on her through a program of extensive patterned exercise. Her gait retained a noticeable affect for the next 66 years but it didn't slow her down.
Clara worked for 15 years as a medical assistant, retiring to care for her mother. Clara was interested in local and western history, served on the board of the Minnilusa Historical Association of which she was a life member and served a term as president as did her mother. She was a life member of the South Dakota State Historical Society, Westerners International and the First Congregational UCC Church of Rapid City. She was also an associate member of the United Christian Church UCC of Austin. She had belonged to numerous other organizations over the years. Clara wrote several articles on western history. She greatly enjoyed her regular class in memoir writing and wrote extensively about her life, especially her childhood. A book of her memoirs was published in 2001 to celebrate her 90th birthday.
In 1991, she moved, with others of her family, to Austin. She is survived by her children, Donn Lobdell, Sunol, CA, and Gayle Opie and Linda Sikveland, both of Austin; three granddaughters, Diana Madden, Sunol, CA, Paula Baker, Austin, and Shannon Opie, Round Rock; four grandsons, James Bane, Austin, Steven Lobdell, Portland, OR, Torger Sikveland, Manhatten, MT, and Mike Sikveland, Glendive, MT; and seven greatgrandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1959; her parents; her eldest daughter, Alice Bane; and her stepson, Warren Sinkler,
She chose cremation with ashes to be interred in the family plot in Pine Lawn Cemetery in Rapid City. Memorial money can be given to the Minnilusa Historical Association, 222 New York St., Rapid City, SD 57701.
On both sides of her family, she came of pioneer stock that had settled in Dakota Territory before statehood. When she was less than two years old, the family moved, by horse and wagon, to a ranch in Montana, on Mizpah Creek. As there was no local school, Clara was home schooled until 1924, when the family moved back to Rapid City and she entered the public schools. She graduated from Rapid City High School in 1930. She worked in the public school offices for five years.
On April 4, 1936, she was married to Wray 0. Lobdell. He was an electrician and they followed construction, living in several states. In 1942, they settled in Rapid City and then in 1945, they moved to Caputa, SD, where Wray started his own contracting business.
When Clara was a young wife and the mother of two small children, she contracted polio. Over the next three years, with the diligence and perseverance that characterized them, she and Wray largely abated the effects of this disease on her through a program of extensive patterned exercise. Her gait retained a noticeable affect for the next 66 years but it didn't slow her down.
Clara worked for 15 years as a medical assistant, retiring to care for her mother. Clara was interested in local and western history, served on the board of the Minnilusa Historical Association of which she was a life member and served a term as president as did her mother. She was a life member of the South Dakota State Historical Society, Westerners International and the First Congregational UCC Church of Rapid City. She was also an associate member of the United Christian Church UCC of Austin. She had belonged to numerous other organizations over the years. Clara wrote several articles on western history. She greatly enjoyed her regular class in memoir writing and wrote extensively about her life, especially her childhood. A book of her memoirs was published in 2001 to celebrate her 90th birthday.
In 1991, she moved, with others of her family, to Austin. She is survived by her children, Donn Lobdell, Sunol, CA, and Gayle Opie and Linda Sikveland, both of Austin; three granddaughters, Diana Madden, Sunol, CA, Paula Baker, Austin, and Shannon Opie, Round Rock; four grandsons, James Bane, Austin, Steven Lobdell, Portland, OR, Torger Sikveland, Manhatten, MT, and Mike Sikveland, Glendive, MT; and seven greatgrandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1959; her parents; her eldest daughter, Alice Bane; and her stepson, Warren Sinkler,
She chose cremation with ashes to be interred in the family plot in Pine Lawn Cemetery in Rapid City. Memorial money can be given to the Minnilusa Historical Association, 222 New York St., Rapid City, SD 57701.
Gravesite Details
No headstone installed yet. The urn with her ashes is buried in the same plot as her husband's remains, about 3 feet east (I think that's the right direction) of his headstone. Her headstone will be installed later.
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