Ramona Moe-Ustrud

A celebration of life will be held for Ramona White Moe-Ustrud on Tuesday, August 12th from 4:00 – 7:00 pm at Second Street Station in Watertown, SD. A short program will take place at 5:00 pm, officiated by Pastor Leland Armbright.

Ramona passed away at age 97 on August 7, 2025, in her hometown of Watertown, South Dakota. She was born on August 4, 1928, in Watertown to Henry Dale White and Ida Annette Ustrud. Ramona lived a long and remarkable life filled with family, resilience, and cherished memories. Her childhood was marked by the grit and determination of rural life around Codington County, including living through a tornado on the family's farm in 1944.

Ramona married Charles Moe, on September 7, 1947, after a courting that depended on Charlie returning home by train and hitchhiking during his time with the Army during World War II.

They had two sons, Richard (Rick) in 1948 and Theodore (Ted) in 1950. Rick married Nancy McClung in 1968, and they had one son, Darrick. Ted married Kay Hemmingson in 1970, and they had two daughters, Angela and Tyanne. Ramona was blessed with many great grandchildren: Darrick and Robin (Davis) Moe: Aleshia (Armbright), Anna, and Rick. Angela (Moe) and Jim Czech: Theo, Sam and Andrew. Tyanne (Moe) and Paul Luken: Missy (Sinner) Kate and Ava. She had four great, great granddaughters AvaMarie, Marguerite, Josephine and Genevieve. Ramona provided her family and their future generations an enduring role model demonstrating endless commitment to them.

Ramona and Charlie farmed near Wallace, and following the sale of the farm in the early 1950s, Ramona and her husband embarked on a new chapter in road construction. They spent 11 years, Charlie working as a mechanic and the family moving often to follow the road crew's projects throughout South Dakota. Rick and Ted attended many different elementary, middle and high schools across the state. Ramona was never afraid of much and certainly not working. Her first job was in the clothing department at Schriver's in Sioux Falls, where the family spent many winters during this time.

While Charlie owned and operated a service station in Wallace and later drove truck, Ramona worked at Osco Drug in Watertown. She taught Sunday school in Wallace for several years. Ramona and Charlie spent decades driving semi-trucks across the country together, returning home mostly to be with their children and grandchildren. She received a belt buckle from Sammons commemorating 2 million miles of service. After sharing 55 years in marriage, Charlie passed away in Kansas, while the couple and their pets were on the road, in 2002.

Ramona married Jerome Ustrud on July 31, 2004, who was also a veteran of World War II.

Ramona was active in the Daughters of the American Revolution, tracing her ancestry to Lieutenant Cornel Stephen Balliet who served in the Revolutionary War. In addition to hauling telephone cable reals, the truck was always hauling rocks and ancestry resources to add to her collection. Ramona loved her family, learning, books, traveling, rocks, genealogy, and the Lord.

She was preceded in death by both husbands, her son, Ted, and her sisters Shirley and Fern. She will be deeply missed.

Family prefers memorials be sent to Prairie Lakes Hospice or the Glacial Lakes Humane Society.

To send a flower arrangement in memory of Ramona Moe-Ustrud, please click here to visit our sympathy store.