WILMA SCHNABLEL

Wilma Jean (Johnson) Schnabel passed away at the Avera Gregory Hospital Friday, February 5, 2021.

Wilma Jean Johnson was born October 8, 1936, in rural Avon, to Edward and Elsie (Pudwill) Johnson. Wilma attended and graduated from Avon High School and Springfield State Teachers College to begin serving in multiple teaching positions throughout her life. Her love for teaching began at an Avon country school, then led her to be a substitute teacher for Tripp Grade and High School, and culminated in a 15-year career at South Dakota South Central Child Development as a Head Start teacher and Area Manager. Wilma also served as a Sunday School teacher in Tripp Emmaus Lutheran Church.

On July 29, 1956 Wilma married Maynard Schnabel at the First Presbyterian Church in Avon and lived on a farm near Tripp, where Wilma and Maynard worked side by side on the farm. In 2007, they sold the land to South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks to create their legacy titled Rolling Hills Game Production Area. Maynard and Wilma then retired from the farm and made Gregory, their new home in July the following year.

During her lifetime Wilma enjoyed baking cookies, reading, quilting, sewing aprons and mending for all of us. Wilma also loved doing things with her grandchildren by going to their events, playing cards and marbles and enjoying a good laugh with them. She was also affectionally known as “Grandma Willie” to her great grandchildren.

Wilma is survived by three children: Kristie (Jerry) Wiederrich of Sioux Falls; Tony Schnabel of Fredericksburg, VA; Julie (Jerry) Hemeyer of Gregory; eight grandchildren: Mike and Matt Wiederrich, Kelly Kuykendall, Kevin and Brendan Schnabel, Heather Bender, Kyle Hemeyer, and Carrie Zachariahs; eleven great grandchildren: Regen and Zach Wiederrich, Elia and Sloan Wiederrich, Corinne and Mirabelle Kuydendall, JeriAnn and Paetyn Bender, Israel, Theodore, and Elijah Zachariahs; two brothers Nilus (JoAnn) Johnson of Mitchell and Tim Johnson of Avon; and one sister Karen (Gary) Sedivy of Vermillion.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Maynard, her brother Lester Johnson, and sisters Arlene Buchholz and Mary Ann Ridgeway.