Jeanne Elizabeth Dell

The Memorial service for Jeanne E. Dell, 103, of Aberdeen, SD will be Saturday, September 30, 2023 at 10:00 AM at the First Presbyterian Church in Aberdeen with Reverend James. E. Clarke officiating. Interment will be at Riverside Cemetery. Jeanne died Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at Angelhaus in Aberdeen, SD.
Jeanne Elizabeth Melcher was born on October 23, 1919 at Mrs. McKeon's Maternity Home in Aberdeen to Bernard and Lillian (Axtell) Melcher. She was joined in this family by four brothers: Raymond, Bernard (Lyle), Beryl, and Richard (Dick). She attended various country schools.
She graduated from Aberdeen Central High School with the class of 1937. The graduation exercises were held at the Brown County Fairgrounds. The students gathered in the dance hall and marched down the racetrack into the grandstand where they listened to an Arctic explorer and received their diplomas. After graduation, she attended Northern Normal and Industrial School to earn her one year teaching certificate in 1938. Her first teaching position was at the Thorson Country School in Ordway Township where she met Harold Dell.
Jeanne married Harold on March 8, 1946 in Aberdeen after he returned from serving in the Army in the Pacific during World War II. They began farming and she continued to teach until 1948 when she raised their three children. Jeanne helped to supplement their income by raising chickens, turkeys, and selling cream. After taking 17 years off to raise her family, Jeanne returned to teaching at the Plana Township School, which later closed in 1968. She was offered a position in Columbia to teach. During this time, Jeanne went back to Northern State College to earn her Bachelor's degree and then her Master's degree. She retired in 1987 when the Columbia School closed and the students went to Groton.
She was an active member of the B-R Neighbors Extension Club for 71 years serving on the county level as well. Jeanne helped with her 3 children's 4-H projects spending lots of time prepping animals for showing, attending various judging schools, setting up demonstrations, and finishing those last minute projects into the wee hours of the night before the fair. After the kids were done with 4-H, Jeanne got to enter her projects in the fair earning various awards at the county level.
Jeanne was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church. She taught Sunday school, served as a deacon, and elder, as well as being active in the United Presbyterian Women.
After retirement, Harold and Jeanne moved into Aberdeen. They traveled to Canada and the coasts by bus and car. They enjoyed playing pinochle and whist with neighbors and friends. They enjoyed being involved in the lives of their grandchildren while they were growing up.
Her hobbies were crocheting, embroidering, gardening, baking, and canning. Going on bus trips with the Brown County Extension gave her much pleasure. She was an avid reader. Membership in the "Young at Heart" reading club gave her opportunity to discuss recent books and title to add to her reading list.
Harold died on March 8, 2003 in Aberdeen.
On August 1, 2003, she moved to Parkside Independent Living where she continued her activities and enjoyed the new ones available there.
She started the "Slow Readers" club, which was served by the Alexander Mitchell Library. It provided a good topic for conversation whenever the members got together. Pinochle remained a favorite pastime, as well as Solitaire. She continued to host family gatherings.
Jeanne entered Bethesda Nursing Home in April of 2021, and later moved to Angelhaus in November 2021 until the time of her death.
Celebrating her life are her children: Ronald (Debbie) Dell of Mina, SD; Carol (Ted) Otten of Aberdeen; grandchildren: Brian Dell, Heather (James) Hunsley, Derrick (Maggie) Dell, Karie Dell (Rick Gehring), Kelly (Bren) Buising, Lonni (Cory) Fleck, Veronica (Lance) Meyer, and Rhys Otten; great-grandchildren: Teala (Kalleb) Townsell, Sydney Bitz, Mason and Amara Dell, Dawson and Micah Fleck, Gavin and Samuel Meyer; step-grandchildren: Shanadoah (Kevin) Floth; step-great-grandchildren: Chelsea Conway and family, Stephanie Olson and family, Kaitlin DeJoseph and family, Allison Buising, Ariel and Dominic Floth; and brothers: Beryl (Cheryl) and Dick (Carolyn) Melcher.
Preceding Jeanne in death are her husband Harold Dell, son Stanley Dell, parents Bernard and Lillian Melcher, and brothers Raymond and Lyle Melcher.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the hospice program with Avera@Home and/or the Salvation Army backpacks program.