Mary Opal Carlin

RAPID CITY - Mary Opal (Rapp) Carlin, 97, Rapid City, passed away on Saturday, June 28, 2008, at her Rapid Valley home. Mary was born May 21, 1911, to John and Ursula (Jones) Rapp, at the home of her great-grandfather, Andrew Jackson Jones, at Bijou Hills, SD. Mary was baptized on August 10, 1911, at Holy Trinity Church, Bendon, SD, now relocated at Kimball. Mary was the first born of 10 children: Mary, Gertrude, Rose, Bernard, Richard, Leonard, Theodore, James, Frances and Julia. Mary grew up and attended school at Kimball, and was the last living member of her 1929 graduating class from Kimball. After high school, Mary attended nurses training at St. Joseph's Hospital in Mitchell, where she met Patrick Carlin. They were married Jan. 19, 1931, at St. Margaret's Catholic Church in Kimball. The young couple moved to farm of Patrick's father, Thomas Carlin, northeast of Emery, where they lived until 1959, when they moved to a farm east of Rapid City. To this union 15 children were born: John, Leo, Charles, Richard, James, Joseph, Patricia, Michael, Paul, Margaret, Anne, Mary, Thomas, Jeanette and Daniel. Mary is survived by 12 of her children, John Carlin, Graettinger, Iowa, Leo Carlin, Byars, Okla., James Carlin, Joseph Carlin, Daniel Carlin, Patricia Janssen, Margaret Buchert and Mary Dorothy Carlin, all of Rapid City, Michael Carlin, Cheyenne, Wyo., Anne Anderson, San Diego, Thomas Carlin, Mitchell and Jeanette Wallace, Douglas, Wyo.; 48 grandchildren; 96 great-grandchildren; numerous great-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Rose Lorene Brooks, Rapid City and Frances Ann Stapelberg, Lockeford, Calif.; and two brothers, Theodore Rapp, Rapid City and James Rapp, Denver. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, John and Ursula (Jones) Rapp; five of her siblings, Julia Evelyn, Bernard, Leonard, Gertrude Pearl and Richard; her husband Patrick Carlin; three of her sons, Paul, Charles and Richard Carlin; and one great-grandson, Alex Carlin. Of those who knew Mary, words cannot convey the strength and goodness of her character. Each of us will cherish our own memories of Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother and Great-Great Grandmother. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., with a Christian wake service at 7 p.m., Wednesday, July 2, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home, 2700 Jackson Blvd. Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 3, at the Church of St. Thérèse, the Little Flower, 532 Adams St., with Father Bill Zandri presiding. Burial will follow in Mount Calvary Cemetery, 1901 Mountain View Road, Rapid City. A memorial has been established. Friends and family may sign her online guest book at www.osheimschmidt.com.