Lillian M. Ziesmann, age 92

Lillian M. Ziesmann

Lillian M. Ziesmann, age 92, was born March 1, 1924 at her grandparents home in Groton, S.D., to Hugo and Helen (Stirling) Ziesmann. She grew up on the homestead farm northeast of Draper, S.D., where she attended country school in Richland Township and Rich Valley Township. Due to the drought, Lillian boarded at people’s homes and later at the boarding home for girls in Draper until graduating from high school.  There was a shortage of teachers so Lillian attended the Southern Normal School in Springfield, S.D., in 1942. She taught at a country school near Draper, then later in Groton.  


Lillian wrote to Frank Dolezal during his tour in WWII until his return in November of 1945 at which time he asked her to marry him. On January 12, 1946, they were united in marriage. They made their home on a farm near Draper until around 1965 when they sold it and moved into town.  

She worked at Rusty’s Cafe and Louie’s Texaco Cafe until they relocated to Oacoma. In 1976, Lillian began working in the housekeeping department at Sunset Valley Haven Nursing Home until retiring in May of 1996. In 1998, she began working at the Senior Citizens Center in Chamberlain retiring from there in December of 2007. She later worked at the South Dakota Hall of Fame for several years before moving to Omaha, Neb. 
She was very active in the community through the American Legion Auxiliary, Rebecca Circle at the Zion Missouri Lutheran Church, genealogy at Chamberlain, and the Senior Citizens Center. She was also sponsor for the confirmation class.  


She loved to crochet, knit, painting in watercolor and oils, gardening, crafts and photography. She was always making things for family and friends. She taught her daughters Jeanette and Myra how to knit and crochet.  She had been active in plays at Draper and Southern Normal College. She liked to cook and try out new recipes. She loved being a grandma and attending her grandchildren’s activities and spending lots of time with them.  
Lillian passed away on December 20, 2016, at Hillcrest Shadow Lake in Papillion, Neb., at the age of 92 years. Gratefully sharing her life are her daughter Jeanette F. (Archie) Dolezal-Raymond of Omaha, Neb.; son-in-law Larry Starkey of Wessington Springs, S.D.; three grandchildren Terry (Amy) Starkey, Luke Starkey and Laretta (Austin) McPeek; and four great grandchildren.  


Preceding her in death were her grandparents John and Tessie (Kelly) Stirling and Karl and Pauline Ziesmann; her parents Hugo and Helen (Stirling) Ziesmann; her brother Delbert Ziesmann; her husband Frank Dolezal; her daughter Myra Jean Dolezal-Starkey; granddaughter Tammy L. Patro; and many beloved family and friends.


Funeral services were held on Monday, December 26, 2016, at the Zion Lutheran Church in Chamberlain with burial in Riverside Cemetery at Pierre, S.D.

The Pioneer Review

221 E. Oak Street
Philip, SD 57567
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