The funeral for Opal L. Ratzlaff, 93, Avon, S.D., was held Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008 at the Friedensberg Bible Church, 30992 406th Ave, rural Avon. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Opal L. (Boese) Ratzlaff was born Sept. 6, 1915 to Isaac and Nettie (Schultz) Boese in rural Springfield, S.D. She died Monday, Sept. 22, 2008 at the Good Samaritan Society in Tyndall, S.D.
Opal attended the Mennonite District 41 rural school and graduated from Springfield High School in 1934 as valedictorian of her class.
Upon confession of her faith in Jesus Christ as her personal Savior she was baptized and was a lifetime member of the Friedensberg Mennonite church. She was active as a Sunday school teacher, pianist, organist and president and treasurer of Women in Missions as well as other offices in the church. She taught vacation Bible school during many summers at Kingsburg church, Mennonite church and in Charles Mix County. She also participated in the Easter cantata for several years.
Opal's career of teaching spanned 39 1/2 years. She obtained her degree and postgraduate courses at Springfield Southern State Teachers College, Northern State Teachers College at Aberdeen, S.D., and the University of Minnesota. She taught in rural schools of Bon Homme and Charles Mix counties, at Wessington Springs, S.D., where she also served as a teaching principal and Mitchell, S.D., where she also served as president of the Mitchell Teacher's Association for several years. Opal also taught in Minneapolis, Minn., in various schools, eight years of which were in a laboratory school of demonstration teaching for the education department of the University of Minnesota. The last five years she was a special education teacher.
Opal taught pilot courses in air age education for nine summers on the campus of Black Hills Teachers College in Spearfish, S.D. She assisted writing and illustrating books on conservation and air age for enrichment courses.
After retiring from an active teaching career, she moved back to her home community. She married Albert Ratzlaff in 1977. They lived at ARC Farms for six years before moving into Avon.
Opal enjoyed traveling, oil painting, sewing and music, often singing in church services.
Thankful for having shared her life are her three stepchildren: Ronald and wife Judy Ratzlaff, Calvin and wife Donna Ratzlaff, all of Avon and Sharon and husband Eugene Jespersen, Marion, S.D.; eight stepgrandchildren; 10 stepgreat-grandchildren; a brother, Merlin and wife Hazel Boese, Tyndall; a sister, Carol Lukkes, Seattle, Wash.; sister-in-law, Margaret Ann Boese of Menomonee Falls, Wis., and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Opal was preceded in death by her husband, Albert; parents; two sisters: Alma Metcalf and Elona Boese; brother, Arden Boese; two brothers-in-law: Wayne Metcalf and Bob Boese; nephew, James Boese; stepgrandson, Eric Jespersen; stepgranddaughter, Betty Jespersen; and stepgreat-grandson, Ryan Wayne Brattmiller.
Opal L. (Boese) Ratzlaff was born Sept. 6, 1915 to Isaac and Nettie (Schultz) Boese in rural Springfield, S.D. She died Monday, Sept. 22, 2008 at the Good Samaritan Society in Tyndall, S.D.
Opal attended the Mennonite District 41 rural school and graduated from Springfield High School in 1934 as valedictorian of her class.
Upon confession of her faith in Jesus Christ as her personal Savior she was baptized and was a lifetime member of the Friedensberg Mennonite church. She was active as a Sunday school teacher, pianist, organist and president and treasurer of Women in Missions as well as other offices in the church. She taught vacation Bible school during many summers at Kingsburg church, Mennonite church and in Charles Mix County. She also participated in the Easter cantata for several years.
Opal's career of teaching spanned 39 1/2 years. She obtained her degree and postgraduate courses at Springfield Southern State Teachers College, Northern State Teachers College at Aberdeen, S.D., and the University of Minnesota. She taught in rural schools of Bon Homme and Charles Mix counties, at Wessington Springs, S.D., where she also served as a teaching principal and Mitchell, S.D., where she also served as president of the Mitchell Teacher's Association for several years. Opal also taught in Minneapolis, Minn., in various schools, eight years of which were in a laboratory school of demonstration teaching for the education department of the University of Minnesota. The last five years she was a special education teacher.
Opal taught pilot courses in air age education for nine summers on the campus of Black Hills Teachers College in Spearfish, S.D. She assisted writing and illustrating books on conservation and air age for enrichment courses.
After retiring from an active teaching career, she moved back to her home community. She married Albert Ratzlaff in 1977. They lived at ARC Farms for six years before moving into Avon.
Opal enjoyed traveling, oil painting, sewing and music, often singing in church services.
Thankful for having shared her life are her three stepchildren: Ronald and wife Judy Ratzlaff, Calvin and wife Donna Ratzlaff, all of Avon and Sharon and husband Eugene Jespersen, Marion, S.D.; eight stepgrandchildren; 10 stepgreat-grandchildren; a brother, Merlin and wife Hazel Boese, Tyndall; a sister, Carol Lukkes, Seattle, Wash.; sister-in-law, Margaret Ann Boese of Menomonee Falls, Wis., and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Opal was preceded in death by her husband, Albert; parents; two sisters: Alma Metcalf and Elona Boese; brother, Arden Boese; two brothers-in-law: Wayne Metcalf and Bob Boese; nephew, James Boese; stepgrandson, Eric Jespersen; stepgranddaughter, Betty Jespersen; and stepgreat-grandson, Ryan Wayne Brattmiller.
The funeral for Opal L. Ratzlaff, 93, Avon, S.D., was held Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008 at the Friedensberg Bible Church, 30992 406th Ave, rural Avon. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Opal L. (Boese) Ratzlaff was born Sept. 6, 1915 to Isaac and Nettie (Schultz) Boese in rural Springfield, S.D. She died Monday, Sept. 22, 2008 at the Good Samaritan Society in Tyndall, S.D.
Opal attended the Mennonite District 41 rural school and graduated from Springfield High School in 1934 as valedictorian of her class.
Upon confession of her faith in Jesus Christ as her personal Savior she was baptized and was a lifetime member of the Friedensberg Mennonite church. She was active as a Sunday school teacher, pianist, organist and president and treasurer of Women in Missions as well as other offices in the church. She taught vacation Bible school during many summers at Kingsburg church, Mennonite church and in Charles Mix County. She also participated in the Easter cantata for several years.
Opal's career of teaching spanned 39 1/2 years. She obtained her degree and postgraduate courses at Springfield Southern State Teachers College, Northern State Teachers College at Aberdeen, S.D., and the University of Minnesota. She taught in rural schools of Bon Homme and Charles Mix counties, at Wessington Springs, S.D., where she also served as a teaching principal and Mitchell, S.D., where she also served as president of the Mitchell Teacher's Association for several years. Opal also taught in Minneapolis, Minn., in various schools, eight years of which were in a laboratory school of demonstration teaching for the education department of the University of Minnesota. The last five years she was a special education teacher.
Opal taught pilot courses in air age education for nine summers on the campus of Black Hills Teachers College in Spearfish, S.D. She assisted writing and illustrating books on conservation and air age for enrichment courses.
After retiring from an active teaching career, she moved back to her home community. She married Albert Ratzlaff in 1977. They lived at ARC Farms for six years before moving into Avon.
Opal enjoyed traveling, oil painting, sewing and music, often singing in church services.
Thankful for having shared her life are her three stepchildren: Ronald and wife Judy Ratzlaff, Calvin and wife Donna Ratzlaff, all of Avon and Sharon and husband Eugene Jespersen, Marion, S.D.; eight stepgrandchildren; 10 stepgreat-grandchildren; a brother, Merlin and wife Hazel Boese, Tyndall; a sister, Carol Lukkes, Seattle, Wash.; sister-in-law, Margaret Ann Boese of Menomonee Falls, Wis., and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Opal was preceded in death by her husband, Albert; parents; two sisters: Alma Metcalf and Elona Boese; brother, Arden Boese; two brothers-in-law: Wayne Metcalf and Bob Boese; nephew, James Boese; stepgrandson, Eric Jespersen; stepgranddaughter, Betty Jespersen; and stepgreat-grandson, Ryan Wayne Brattmiller.
Opal L. (Boese) Ratzlaff was born Sept. 6, 1915 to Isaac and Nettie (Schultz) Boese in rural Springfield, S.D. She died Monday, Sept. 22, 2008 at the Good Samaritan Society in Tyndall, S.D.
Opal attended the Mennonite District 41 rural school and graduated from Springfield High School in 1934 as valedictorian of her class.
Upon confession of her faith in Jesus Christ as her personal Savior she was baptized and was a lifetime member of the Friedensberg Mennonite church. She was active as a Sunday school teacher, pianist, organist and president and treasurer of Women in Missions as well as other offices in the church. She taught vacation Bible school during many summers at Kingsburg church, Mennonite church and in Charles Mix County. She also participated in the Easter cantata for several years.
Opal's career of teaching spanned 39 1/2 years. She obtained her degree and postgraduate courses at Springfield Southern State Teachers College, Northern State Teachers College at Aberdeen, S.D., and the University of Minnesota. She taught in rural schools of Bon Homme and Charles Mix counties, at Wessington Springs, S.D., where she also served as a teaching principal and Mitchell, S.D., where she also served as president of the Mitchell Teacher's Association for several years. Opal also taught in Minneapolis, Minn., in various schools, eight years of which were in a laboratory school of demonstration teaching for the education department of the University of Minnesota. The last five years she was a special education teacher.
Opal taught pilot courses in air age education for nine summers on the campus of Black Hills Teachers College in Spearfish, S.D. She assisted writing and illustrating books on conservation and air age for enrichment courses.
After retiring from an active teaching career, she moved back to her home community. She married Albert Ratzlaff in 1977. They lived at ARC Farms for six years before moving into Avon.
Opal enjoyed traveling, oil painting, sewing and music, often singing in church services.
Thankful for having shared her life are her three stepchildren: Ronald and wife Judy Ratzlaff, Calvin and wife Donna Ratzlaff, all of Avon and Sharon and husband Eugene Jespersen, Marion, S.D.; eight stepgrandchildren; 10 stepgreat-grandchildren; a brother, Merlin and wife Hazel Boese, Tyndall; a sister, Carol Lukkes, Seattle, Wash.; sister-in-law, Margaret Ann Boese of Menomonee Falls, Wis., and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Opal was preceded in death by her husband, Albert; parents; two sisters: Alma Metcalf and Elona Boese; brother, Arden Boese; two brothers-in-law: Wayne Metcalf and Bob Boese; nephew, James Boese; stepgrandson, Eric Jespersen; stepgranddaughter, Betty Jespersen; and stepgreat-grandson, Ryan Wayne Brattmiller.
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