Pauline Benard

Pauline Benard passed away May 14th of COPD, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, at the home that she shared with son David and daughter-in-law Linda. She was born at her Father's and Mother's farm house October 6, 1925 in Hand County, South Dakota. Her parents Henry and Clara Treichler were Swiss immigrants to America. Her Father arrived in 1903 with Mother Clara coming to America in the first part of the 1920's. Pauline started her education at the Palmer School in Harrison Township speaking almost no English but learned very quickly. In fact skipping one grade in grade school enabled her to finish high school in Orient, South Dakota by the age of 16. She went on to Aberdeen Teacher's College graduating with a 1 year Teachers Certification. Shortly after graduation her mother passed away from Heart Disease. Setting aside her teaching goals, she helped her Father and brother Jacob tend the house and other related farm chores. In the summer of 1944 her father died as the result of a farm accident. She continued helping her brother on the farm.
On January 15, 1947 she married Harold Benard, a late returning WWII veteran who had come home many months after VE day due to serious wounds received in Germany in the spring of 1945. Together, they purchased a farm in Spring Township South Dakota. After operating the farm for nearly 25 years, the cancer related disabilities of her husband were best served by retirement.
For many years Pauline and husband Harold were at home in Orient, South Dakota. She along with her husband served the community well with the highlight being operators of the quaint little "Orient Legion Cafe" sponsored by the Orient American Legion. With her husband's passing in 1991 she remained at her home in Orient until 2000. Then moving to Hesperia, California to live along with her son David, daughter-in-law Linda granddaughters, Lauren Ashley, Audra and Jessica and eventually two great grand children.
As always, she soon became comfortable in her new home and lived 10 comfortable years there even though she had been afflicted for many years by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Her adopted home in the California high desert allowed her to visit and spend good times with sons Roger and Arnie in Huntington Beach along with their friends and community. Timely visits and phone calls from her daughter Shirley and grand daughters Sara, Amy and Becky and great grand children living back in the Midwest were always the highlight to her day. Also, enough can not be said about the numerous friends that called and wrote to her all the years of her time in California.
Her love and proliferation of knitting also enabled her to gift many products of knitting to her family and many friends. She had also in earlier years written a book chronicling her youth and years around the Orient area. She was proceeded in death by her Husband Harold, Mother, Father, and Brother. She is survived by her son David, daughter-in-law Linda of Hesperia California. Her two sons Roger and Arnie Benard of Huntington Beach California and one daughter Shirley Schwab of Aberdeen South Dakota. Also Six grand daughters and six great grand children. "Gehe mit Gott Mutter" "Go With God Mother"
A memorial service will be held at a later date at Orient, South Dakota followed by interment at Prairie View Cemetery.
Victor Valley Mortuary is handling local arrangements, (760) 245-8164 and Luce Funeral Home of Falkton South Dakota will be handling the arrangements in South Dakota.