Leta Olive (Bailey) REASONER HICKINS COTTON

COTTON, DEJONG, PAUL, ANDERSON, HICKINS, COLLINS, BAILEY, REASONER, KINDT, KROG, LAWVER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 10/25/2006 at 14:11:53

Leta O. Cotton, 100, died Friday, June 27, 2003 at South Ridge Health Care Center in Sioux Falls, SD. She was born in Galt, IA on May 18, 1903.

Survivors include her children: daughter, Clara DeJong of Sioux Falls daughter, Lurdene Anderson (Jim) of Gann Valley, SD son, Lloyd Hickins (Gwen) of Peoria, AZ, daughter, Jacqueline Collins of Rapid City, SD son, Roger Hickins (Carole) of Waterloo, IA daughter-in-law, Charlotte Reasoner of Raymond, IA forty-one grandchildren and fifty-four great grandchildren. Her sons, Chester Reasoner and Vernon Hickins daughter, Ruth Kindt a granddaughter, Dixie Lee Krog and two grandsons, Dennis Lawver and Bruce Lawver, preceded her in death.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Miller Funeral Home Valley View Chapel, 6200 W. 41st Street, officiated by her grandson, Pastor Larry Johnson. Visitation begins at 10 a.m. Monday with the family present at 10 a.m. at Miller Funeral Home.

Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, SD)
June 29, 2003
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Leta Olive Bailey, the daughter of Chester & Clara (Paul) Bailey was born in Galt, Iowa on May 18, 1903 the second child of three girls and a boy. The family lived and farmed in many towns in Iowa, living for several years in Rowan, IA, where Leta and her siblings attended school, walking to school most of the time. At the age of 14 they moved to a farm near Dows, IA. While living in Dows she met and married Casper Reasoner. In October 1919 Leta and Cap joined her parents whom had moved to Highmore, SD following the death of Grandpa Paul. Leta was united in marriage with Walter Hickins on January 11, 1926 at Storm Lake, IA. Following their marriage they moved to a farm near Wessington Springs and continued to farm during the “Dirty Thirties”. In 1938 they moved to the Mills Ranch west of Crow Lake and had a share deal with Roger Mills from Sioux Falls. Leta and Walter then bought a place of their own southeast of Gann Valley paying $5 an acre and farming for several more years. For a short time they invested in a thousand laying hens and sold eggs at a premium to the Kimball Hatchery, this work was very tedious and time consuming. They then bought a trailer house, tractors, mowers, a baler and a semi and put up hay west of Pierre, SD. Walter died of a massive heart attack on May 12, 1960. While living in Rapid City Leta met and married Ross Cotton on April 10, 1970 with Jim and Lurdene as their attendants. Following their marriage they moved to Miller, SD and resided at the Ross’ farm until 1977 when they moved into Miller. Ross became sick and died in 1981. Leta spent six years with her daughter, Clara in Sioux Falls before going to reside at Southridge Health Care Center in Sioux Falls. In her later years Leta took her first plane ride, and traveled to Hawaii twice.

Grateful for having shared her life are her children, Clara DeJong, Sioux Falls, SD, Lurdene (Jim) Anderson, Gan Valley, SD, Jacqueline Collins, Rapid City, SD, Lloyd (Gwen) Hickins, Peoria, AZ, Roger (Carole) Hickins, Waterloo, IA; daughter-in-law, Charlotte Reasoner, Raymond, IA; 41 Grandchildren; 54 Great Grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends. In addition to her husbands, two sons, Chester Reasoner, Vernon Hickins; daughter Ruth Kindt, granddaughter, Dixie Lee Krog; and two grandsons, Dennis Lawver and Bruce Lawver, preceded her in death.

Miller Funeral Home, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
http://www.millerfh.com/index.php?option=com_obituary&task=details&oid=2468