ElVera Deckert

ElVera Deckert, 79, of Freeman passed away with her family at her side on Aug. 27th at her home. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 9th, from 5-7 pm at the Walter's Funeral Home in Freeman. A private family service and burial will follow at a later date. 

ElVera Deckert

ElVera Joan Deckert, 79, of Freeman, South Dakota passed away on August 27 at home surrounded by her loving family.

ElVera was born on February 13, 1946 to Jacob D.S. Hofer and Edna (Walter) Hofer in a hospital in Scotland, SD. She was welcomed by her older brother Laverne and the family lived on a farm northwest of Freeman, SD. She attended Wolf Creek District #31 Country School and it was in 8th grade she was inspired by her favorite teacher to become a teacher. She graduated from Freeman Academy High School, attended Freeman Junior College for 2 years, and graduated from Sioux Falls College 2 years later with a degree in education.

ElVera was a believer in Jesus Christ having accepted Him as her personal savior in her adolescent years. She was baptized by Rev. Albert Ewert of Neu Hutterthaler Church and was active throughout her life in church as a church organist, Sunday School teacher, serving on many committees, and by playing piano, a true passion of hers. She found great joy in playing piano as it was a natural gift and she could often be seen playing at nursing homes, accompanying for various groups, and most recently being the pianist for the Senior Citizen Choir. As ElVera grew older she would often make her children cringe when she spoke to a random stranger but somehow things always seemed to go well and would often end with her saying “Give it to the Lord”.

Upon graduating from Sioux Falls College, she started teaching 1st grade in Freeman and shortly after that met and married Ron Deckert. Ron and Elvera were married on August 9, 1970. They were blessed with 2 children, Melissa and Darren, and lived on ElVera’s home place where Ron farmed. Faith and family were very important to ElVera as she was a wonderful loving wife and mother and was always supportive. ElVera took a short break from teaching when she had children, but did go back to teaching again, specifically at Tschetter Colony, Wolf Creek Colony, and 3rd grade in Freeman. Since the colony spoke Hutterish (a language she grew up with and was quite fluent) ElVera found many friendships that lasted a lifetime. It was a unique part of her life that kept the heritage living on. Sadly, in 1993, she was involved in a car accident that resulted in a brain injury. She recovered vastly beyond any doctor’s expectations, but it did end her teaching career. She enjoyed life and persevered and found great joy in being a supportive wife and mother. At home, some of her favorite hobbies where gardening, sewing, cooking and baking (almost a new dessert every day), reading recipe books and devotionals, and playing piano.

Road trips, vacations, and camping were always something the family looked forward to and where many cherished memories were made.

Preceding ElVera in death were her parents, Jacob D.S. and Edna (Walter) Hofer; husband, Ronald Deckert; parents-in-law Herman and Delila (Ratzlaff) Deckert; brother, LaVerne Hofer; sister-in-law, Angie (Boelson) Hofer; sister-in-law, Verlyn Deckert; and nephew, Terry Hofer.

ElVera is survived by her children Melissa and Darren; brother-in-law, Gary Deckert (Muriel); niece, Tracee Wuestewald (Brian); niece, Tamara Voegeli (Keith); niece, Trisha Voegeli; niece, Tiffanee Johnson (Ryan); Nephew, Tracy Deckert (Teresa); niece, Sara Stahlecker (Jeff), and several great-nieces and great-nephews.