OLIVER, Judith Ann (Viereck) 1942-2011

OLIVER, VIERECK, BRUGGEMAN, CIHAK, MOSER, KRAMER

Posted By: Diane M Scott (email)
Date: 2/6/2013 at 13:21:59

Judith Ann (Viereck) Oliver

May 1, 1942 – November 6, 2011

Sioux Falls, South Dakota – Judy Ann Oliver, age 69, passed away Sunday, November 6, 2011 at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls. Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:00 AM on Thursday, November 10 at St. Therese Catholic Church. A visitation will begin at 2:00 PM Wednesday at George Boom Funeral Home, Sioux Falls with the family present to greet friends from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. A Liturgical Wake Service will be held at 7:00 PM Wednesday at the funeral home.

Judy Ann Oliver was born in Rock Rapids, Iowa on May 1st, 1942 to Roy and Mary (Bruggeman) Viereck. She grew up in Larchwood and graduated from St. Mary's Catholic School in 1960. She attended nursing school in Mitchell, South Dakota, and graduated with an LPN degree. She was a nurse for 10 years and though this was not to be her lifetime vocation she carried much of what she learned in nursing school with her as she transitioned to the role of housewife, mother, grandmother and great-grandma.

She married the love of her life, Ralph Oliver, on March 10, 1962 at St. Chrysostom's Church in Canton, South Dakota. They began their married life in Long Beach, Calif., where Ralph was stationed with the U.S. Navy. They moved from Long Beach to Hills, Minnesota, then to St. Paul, Minnesota and in 1968 moved to Sioux Falls where they built their home and raised their family. Together, Judy and Ralph enjoyed traveling, camping and especially spending time with their family.

They celebrated 49 years of marriage this past March. Judy always enjoyed re-telling the story of the blizzard on their wedding day and having to spend their wedding night in Larchwood.

Ralph and Judy were blessed with two children, Bruce and Cheri and while they were the apple of her eye, her greatest passions were her six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She spent her days nursing cabbage patch babies back to health, playing school, and bandaging boo boos. Judy was blessed to have had the chance to hold her newest great-grandchild Maddie, born just 8 days before she passed away.

Judy was a great woman of faith. The Lord was the most important thing in her life. If you knew her for more than five minutes chances are you now know the Lord as well. Daily, she prayed and sang His praises. Her strong and unwavering faith gave strength to her family all the days of her life. She urged everyone to forgive, repent, and above all else, love unconditionally. Judy was willing to pray for anyone and everyone and always wanted everyone to know that Jesus loved them and they were special. She felt if you knew that, then she had done her job.

Sadly, Judy was diagnosed with COPD in 2003 and later congestive heart failure and diabetes. Judy fought a long and hard battle for many years and lived far beyond what the doctors had predicted. She passed away at the Dougherty House Hospice on November 6, 2011. Judy was surrounded by family, faith and an abundance of love as she walked Home to be with Jesus.

Grateful for having shared her life are her husband, Ralph; son, Bruce (Jackie) Oliver, Canton, SD; daughter, Cheri (Virgil) Cihak, Canton; six grandchildren, Austin (Mike), Kadee, Jessica, Andrew, Darby, and Jacey; two great grandchildren, Skye and Maddie; two sisters, Sue Moser, Sioux Falls and Arla (Ron) Kramer, Larchwood, Iowa.

Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Mary (Bruggeman) Viereck; brother-in-law, Dick Moser.