Emma "Pat" Sherburn

Britton: The funeral for Emma “Pat” Sherburn will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009, at the First Presbyterian Church of Britton. The Reverend Terry Sletto will officiate. Spring burial will be in the Britton Cemetery.

Visitation will be 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Price Funeral Chapel of Britton, with members of the family present.

Pat died Friday, Jan. 9, 2009, at Wheatcrest Hills in Britton at the age of 88.

Emma Leondina “Pat” Kiesz was born May 29, 1920, to Carl and Eva (Scheuffele) Kiesz at Long Lake, S.D. When Pat was only 2 years old, her mother died. Her father later married Rose Rall, a lady who became Pat's mother in every sense of the word.

Pat attended country school through the 8th grade, and then attended Leola High School. She was confirmed in the German language, at the Salem Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Long Lake. At the age of 16, Pat moved to Britton to attend the Britton Nursing School and received her LPN Degree.

On Nov. 16, 1942, she married Lyle John Sherburn at Britton. They lived on a farm northeast of Britton, where they raised their four children, Roger, Deborah, John and Mary Jayne and later welcomed a foster son, Darwin LaBatte. Pat's life was that of a busy farm wife. She raised and tended a large garden each year. Her professional life was centered around her nursing career. She worked at the Britton Hospital and later at the Marshall County Memorial Hospital for many years, retiring in 1995. When her children were young and she wasn't working at the hospital, she would help “special” folks in the community who needed extra nursing care, especially in the evening. Her kind of care was truly the precursor to what we now know as hospice care. Lyle died May 16, 1982 and Pat continued to live and work in Britton.

Pat was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Britton, where she had served as an elder and also belonged to the Presbyterian Women. She was a member of a Marshall County extension club for over 61 years. She joined the Happy Homemakers in 1944, and then in 1964 she joined the Busy Bees.

Her years as a nurse showed her the need for blood in the community. She was instrumental in organizing Britton's first blood drive for United Blood Services, and she volunteered with them for many years. She was always proud and grateful for the community response and their willingness to donate much needed blood. Pat was also a seven-year cancer survivor.

Pat is survived by her children, Rev. Deborah (Norm) Mack, Tulare, S.D.; John Sherburn, Prescott, Ariz.; Jayne (Bill) Carey, Whitewater, Kan.; Darwin (Lona) LaBatte, Newton Grove, N.C.; two brothers, Julius (Erna) Kiesz, Lodi, Calif.; Marvin (Carole) Kiesz, Aberdeen, S.D.; a sister, Ida (Alvin) Bender, Rogers, Ark.; and a sister-in-law, June Wuest, Lake Andes, S.D.

She is also survived by 17 grandchildren, JaNann (Lonnie) Jones, Claremont, S.D.; Kipp (Christy) Larson, Alexandria, S.D.; Kurtis (Tammy) Larson, Claremont, S.D.; JaKelle (Chad) Hardy, Langford, S.D.; Brian Schwartz, Claremont, S.D.; Todd Sherburn, Prescott, Ariz.; Angela (Colin) Irwin, Denver, Colo.; Caleb Carey, Nate Carey, Josiah Carey, Noah Carey, Katrina Carey, Raquel Carey, Savita Carey and Micah Carey, all of Whitewater, Kan.; Lona LaBatte and Brittany LaBatte, Newton Grove, N.C.; and 10 great-grandchildren, Amanda Jones, Bradley Jones, AmyLeigh Jones, Dylan Jones, Riley Jones, Emma Larson, Kassidy Larson, Kallie Larson, Tucker Jo Hardy and Jake Lee LaBatte, as well as several nieces, nephews and their families.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Lyle; her son, Roger; and an infant sister, Anna.

Music for the funeral will be provided by Dorthy Jones, organist; Lonnie Jones, soloist; and a trio consisting of Katrina, Raquel and Savita Carey. Casketbearers will be Pat's grandsons and Honorary Casketbearers will be her granddaughters.