Sherry Ellen Roth

Sherry Roth died Monday, January 22, 2024 at Clear Lake Medical Center of Parkinson's disease. She had remained at their farm until shortly before her death when her husband's injury required them to move to Clear Lake. She was fiercely independent but very appreciative of the compassionate care she received from staff at the hospital in her final days. She also valued help from Dale and his family as well as that from neighbors and friends. She remained alert and aware to the end even as her physical strength failed her and she comforted her family, telling them she was at peace.
A Memorial Service will be held at the White, SD United Methodist Church on Saturday, June 8th with a private graveside service to follow. Houseman Funeral Home of Clear Lake, SD is entrusted with the arrangements.
Instead of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in Sherry's memory to the Parkinson's Foundation or to PFLAG.
Sherry Ellen Alberts was born at home near Davis, SD to Bernie (Brechter) and Anna (Antje Cramer) Alberts. She attended rural school District 23 in Turner County and graduated from Hurley High School. She received her State Teaching Certificate from General Beadle State Teacher's College in Madison, SD and taught elementary school at Wakonda, Mitchell, Saginaw Rural School at Vermillion and at Yankton, SD.
She met Rodney Hall, a fellow teacher, in Mitchell SD and they were married at Bethel Reformed Church in Davis, SD. Before she became a full-time homemaker after the birth of her son Preston, she successfully used her slenderness to keep teaching through the births of her two daughters, Barbara and Debra, despite rules at the time that didn't allow pregnant women to remain at their jobs.
Teaching took the family from South Dakota to Santa Ana, California and back to SD, then Sac City, Iowa and New Hope, Minnesota before returning again to a farm near Fulton, SD where her fourth child, Randall, was born. Her children grew to adulthood there and she was an active participant in their school and 4-H activities as well as being an involved member of the Fulton United Methodist Church with friendships that continued the rest of her life. She took part in a variety of fact-finding and lobbying efforts as the wife of a state senator and Farmers Union member, even trying out the sport of curling on a trip to Canada.
The farm work was relentless but she added beauty to her family's lives with her gardens, her sewing and her decorative arts and crafts. She elevated everyday meals and celebrations with desserts that became family favorites. Her piano music, card playing and board games provided hours of entertainment. She returned to work as a secretary when her children attended university and used her earnings for their tuition but also for her first automatic dishwasher. She received the Friend of 4-H Award for her work with the Hanson County Extension Office. She provided countless hours caring for her parents and her in-laws, hosting both of their Golden Wedding Anniversary celebrations.
She traveled extensively to visit her children in Rhode Island, Oregon, Colorado, Texas, Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma as well as Hawaii, Canada and New Zealand. There were several cross-country drives for vacations and helping with moves, and to visit grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was divorced in 1989 and worked as a secretary in Sioux Falls until she married Dale E. Roth in 1993 and moved to a farm near Astoria, SD where she spent the rest of her life. She enjoyed gardening and traveling across the state with Dale. She was a member of the White United Methodist Church.
She is survived by her husband, Dale; her brother Jim (Chris) of Provo, Utah, her children: Barbara Hall of Ottawa Ontario, Debra Hall (Robert Verver) of Grapevine Texas, Preston (Janan) Hall of Owasso Oklahoma and Randall Hall of Miami, Florida; her grandchildren: Jason Mohamdee and Aislin Mohamdee of Ottawa, Casjen (Chelsea) Rico of Abilene Texas, Keenan Rico of Austin Texas, Katie (Nic) Bedard of Rochester, Minnesota, Braxton Hall of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Madison Hall of Iowa City, Iowa; and great-grandchildren: Ruby, Isabel and Penelope Bedard and Camden Rico and by several nieces, nephews and cousins.
She is also survived by her step-daughters: Jeni (Scott) Holt of Honey Brook, Pennsylvania and Stephanie (John) Thompson of Brookings, SD; her step-grandchildren: Anna Holt, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Emily Holt, Charlottesville, Virginia, Tanner Thompson, Madison SD, and Tatum Thompson, Brookings, SD.
She was preceded in death by her sister Helen Alberts, her nephew Steve Alberts, her parents, her brother Philip Alberts, and her sister-in-law, Tedda Roth, and brother-in-law, Lowell Roth.