Phyllis Jongeling

Phyllis Jongeling passed away at the age of 102 in Watertown, SD on January 1, 2026.

Memorial Service will be at 10:30am Friday January 9th, 2026 at Grace Lutheran Church, Watertown.

Visitation will be 4pm-6pm Thursday January 8th, 2026 at Wight and Comes Funeral Chapel Watertown.

Interment will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Watertown SD.

Phyllis June Johnson was born June 4, 1923, giving rise to her middle name June. She was the 12th child of 14 born to Steve and Lena Johnson in Watertown SD. Known as Johnnie to all her sale barn friends, she passed away January 1, 2026, at the age of 102.

Phyllis participated in many athletics in her school years. She was especially fond of volleyball and also enjoyed ice skating in Bramble Park. She also was a member of the drum and bugle corps. After high school she received her teaching certificate from Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen and taught for one year in a country school ten miles west of Watertown.

During WW II she and her friend Mary Algard moved to California living with her sister Marie while working in an airplane factory. Phyllis was truly one of the "Rosie the Riveters" building P-38's contributing to the war effort. Upon returning to South Dakota, she again taught at a country school. This one included many kids from the neighborhood that she and Gene would spend their lives in. Some of her former students may be here today.

After saying that she would never marry a farmer Phyllis, in 1947, married Gene Jongeling, a classmate of hers from Watertown High School. They started their own farm a mile from Gene's parents in Richland township two miles West of Lake Kampeska.

In her 90's she moved off the farm to StoneyBrook Suites Assisted Living in Watertown where she found living sociable and comfortable. Needing more care at 101 she moved to Jenkins Living Center.

She worked in the office of South Dakota Livestock Sales for many years, managing the office for several years where she earned the name "Johnnie". After college when Gary had moved back to the farm, she and Gene began spending winters in Texas where they joined other snowbirds from the Watertown area. In the summer they spent many days camping and fishing at their secret spot on the Missouri River with their cohorts Pophams and Crofts. It was rumored that the group was the reason for possession limits at the river, but it was never proven! Mother was never one to exhibit a great deal of patience so their fishing resembled trolling as they moved from place to place looking for "the bite".

She and Gene saw to it that both boys graduated from SDSU. She pinned Gregg's Lieutenant's bars on him when he was commissioned in the U.S. Army. Gregg later became City Engineer in Brookings. Gary still operates the family Century farm.

Grateful for having shared in her life are her two sons, Gregg (Vi) of Brookings,SD, and Gary (Sherry) of rural Watertown, SD: 4 grandchildren, Eric(Lesa) Jongeling of Prior Lake, MN, Shawn (Melissa) Jongeling of Richfield, MN, Tyler (Andrea) Jongeling of St. Cloud,MN, and Darci (Dan) Ross of Lincoln, NE, and seven great-granddaughters.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Gene in 1997, and all 10 brothers and 3 sisters.

Memorials may be directed to Grace Lutheran Church for their ongoing maintenance projects (202 2nd Street SE, Watertown, SD 57201) as she had a great love for her church.

She was one of the very first babies baptized in the "new" church and continued to be a

member of Grace Lutheran for her entire life.

Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel serving the family - wightandcomes.com