Virginia Ruth (Hartshorn) BLOOMENRADER

HARTSHORN, BLOOMENRADER, KRISMER, BLAIR, KIEPKE

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/28/2010 at 13:23:06

June 25, 2010
Capital Journal, Pierre, South Dakota

Virginia Bloomenrader, 90, Highmore, South Dakota passed away, Friday, June 18, 2010 at the Highmore Healthcare Center. A memorial service will be at 10:30 a.m., Monday, June 28, 2010 at the Luze Funeral Home in Highmore with Roger Day officiating.

Virginia Ruth Bloomenrader was born on July 27, 1919, in Popejoy, Iowa to Hugh H. and Louise (Krismer) Hartshorn. In February of 1920, Virginia moved to South Dakota with her parents who had recently purchased the ranch where Virginia was raised and spent her entire life. Virginia attended country grade school through eighth grade and then began high school in Highmore. It was in high school she met Leon Bloomenrader, the man she would marry. Leon and Virginia were married in March of 1937, shortly before she graduated from Highmore High School as Salutatorian of the Class of 1937. Not long after their marriage, they settled on the present day Bloomenrader Ranch. In 1938, the first of their five children were born. Thus began 40 years of life together on the ranch where Leon and Virginia worked as partners. Virginia had no greater love than for her family and the ranch. She was an accomplished horseman and spent many hours in her youth riding the prairie with her younger sister, Jane. Long after her children were born, when it was time to round-up the cattle, you would often find her in the saddle, lending a hand.

In the late 1960’s, Virginia, feeling she had her family well-grown and in school, began work as the Postmistress at Stephan Mission. She held this job for over 30 years, retiring in 1999, after she turned 80. In her spare time, Virginia enjoyed painting, writing poetry and short stories, and was a voracious reader. She dearly loved her pet cats, who kept her company after Leon passed away in 1979. Mostly, she just loved her family and being a country girl and life on the ranch.

Left to cherish her memory are her five children: Judy Blair, of Pierre; Dennis (Carla) Bloomenrader of Highmore; Scott (Karen) Bloomenrader of Billings, Mont.; Bret (Wendy) Bloomenrader of Highmore; and Ricki Bloomenrader (Dale Kiepke) of Pierre; 12 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; and several great-great-grandchildren. Virginia was preceded in death by her husband, Leon; her parents; her sister, Jane; her brother, Fred; and her son-in-law, Earl Blair. Luze Funeral Home of Highmore has been entrusted with Virginia’s arrangements.