Ernestine (Stina) Yohe

Funeral services for Ernestine (Stina) Yohe, age 93, of Lemmon, South Dakota, were held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, February 15, 2016 at the American Lutheran Church in Bison, South Dakota. Pastor Tera Lowe officiated with burial following in the Bucyrus Cemetery in Bucyrus, North Dakota.

Visitation was from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 14, 2016 at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon.

Ernestine Louise Yohe was born on March 6, 1922 to Louis and Violet Yohe in Clayton, Iowa. She attended grade school in Bucyrus, North Dakota. In 1925 Violet returned to Bucyrus, and during her stay gave birth to her second child Lester. 12 hours after he was born Violet died. Ernestine was then raised by her grandparents Erik and Anna Bell, while Lester was raised by Art and Ethel (Bell) Hoffman. After her grandparent’s death Ernestine lived off and on with her aunts on her mother’s side of the family spending most of the time with Herb and Ruth (Bell) Spencer. In the early 1950’s Ernestine began living with her brother Lester (Bud) and his family in Bison, South Dakota. She became just another member of the family and lived in that arrangement, in Bison, until she entered Five Counties Nursing Home in Lemmon, South Dakota, on November 7, 2006.

Ernestine loved to embroider and was constantly working on pillow cases, dish towels and other items. Over the years she embroidered and gave away hundreds of these items. She also did knitting and made lots of items that usually ended up as someone’s Christmas gift. She liked to give money in birthday cards. Ernestine was also an avid letter writer and regularly communicated by letter with family and friends that were part of her life. She enjoyed doing her craft work and writing in her room listening to her radio. She enjoyed listening to baseball games, especially the Minnesota Twins.

Ernestine enjoyed walking and covered a lot of miles over the years walking around Bison. She did lite housework for people her entire life, early in her life as part of room and board and later in her life as a source of income.
Ernestine was confirmed at Bucyrus Lutheran Church and while living in Bison was a member of the American Lutheran Church and the Ladies Aid. Church was a regular part of Ernestine’s life and the only time she missed church was if she was ill or out of town.

Ernestine was preceded in death by her parents Louise and Violet (Bell) Yohe and her brother Lester (Bud) Yohe.

She is survived by her sister-in-law Viola (Swenson) Yohe and her 5 nieces and nephews: Lance and Ramona (Johnson) Yohe, Kent and Kathy (Anderson) Yohe, Ryan and Nancy (Bahnson) Yohe, Lazette (Yohe) and Craig Nowicki, and Yvette (Yohe) and Jim Zeece. She is also survived by 9 great and 14 great-great nieces and nephews and numerous second and third cousins.