Edna Mae Blauwet

Larchwood, IA

     Edna Mae Blauwet, age 94, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, formerly from Larchwood IA, died Thursday, July 25, 2019 under hospice care at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls, SD.

     Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 29^th at The Church of St. Mary in Larchwood, with Father Francis Makwinja and Deacon Jeff Gallagher, celebrants.

     Burial will follow at the Larchwood Cemetery.

     Visitation will be Sunday, July 28th from 4-8 p.m. with the family present from 5-8 p.m. There will be a rosary at 6:45 p.m. and a Vigil Service at 7:00 p.m. at the church.

     Edna Mary (Mae) Karpinske, the daughter of Frank Karpinske and Mary (Ronke) Karpinske, was born on August 5, 1924, in Florence, SD. She attended Florence School and graduated from Watertown High School, Watertown SD, at the age of 16. After graduation, she took care of her grandparents for several years and then moved to Sioux Falls, where she attended and graduated from Nettleton College of Sioux Falls. She then worked for the Northwest Security National Bank and The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States until she married.

     Edna Mae met August (Gus) at the Arkota Ballroom in Sioux Falls. They enjoyed many a dance together! On March 31, 1951, she was united in marriage with August Blauwet, Jr. The couple lived on a farm near Larchwood where they farmed and raised their family of eight children.

     In September 1952, Edna Mae was diagnosed with polio. She was hospitalized for several months and later on became very active in the Tri-State Post-Polio Organization.

     Gus and Edna Mae moved from the farm to Larchwood in 1990. Edna Mae moved to the independent living apartments at Prince of Peace in Sioux Falls in 2008. From there, she moved into assisted living and then to long term care. Days before her death, she moved to Ava’s Hospice House, where she died peacefully in her sleep.

     Edna Mae was a member of The Church of St. Mary in Larchwood since her marriage to Gus. Her faith was very dear to her. She actively participated in many church activities, including serving as a CCD teacher and a member of St. Marys Altar Society and Foresters. While living at Prince of Peace, she led the rosary before mass and visited residents at Prince of Peace to pray the rosary with them.

     Volunteering was an important part of Edna Mae’s life. She was active with the DARE and BABES programs at West Lyon School and volunteered for the Lyon County Historical Society and at the VA in Sioux Falls. She served as a 4-H leader for 20+ years, guiding many young women to earn blue ribbons at the county and state fairs.

     Edna Mae was also a long-time member of the Pierians Book Club and Logan Loafers (the extension club). She enjoyed many wonderful friendships, some of which lasted over 70 years. Jeanette, her special friend at Prince of Peace, saw mom through good times and hard times in her later years.

     Edna Mae loved baking and was famous for bread, sweet rolls and rhubarb pie. She canned and froze bushels of fruits and vegetables from the family garden. She enjoyed flowers, including keeping her mother’s German Ivy and Regal Lilies growing to pass on to her children. She loved to read and worked daily crossword puzzles. She was a devoted Twins (Twinkies) fan. Edna Mae and Gus were avid card players, enjoyed bowling, and loved attending local theatre productions.

     Her greatest pride and joy, however, was her family. She was truly the matriarch. Family celebrations were always a highlight for her. She spent hours preparing a feast for everyone to enjoy.

     She deeply loved her 8 children, 13 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and was looking forward to meeting 3 more great-grandchildren due by the end of this year.   Even days before her death, she was delighted to see the little ones as they stopped by to visit. The laughter and chatter of babies would bring such joy to Edna.

     She is survived by her eight children: Diane Trei, Sioux Falls SD; Dudley (Muy), Erie, CO; Julaine (Steven) Davis, Ankeny IA; Thomas (Kimberly) and James (Dorothy), Larchwood IA; Lori, Rochester, MN; Mary Beth, Lindenhurst IL; and Lisa (Michael) Duncan, Sioux Falls SD; thirteen grandchildren: Jeffery (Jill), Daniel, Jeremy (Katie), Ryan (Alli), Stephanie (Brad), Ethan (Trista); Benjamin (Amber); Caleb (Teresa); Andrew, Justin (Ashley); Jessica (Tanner); Cody, and Zachary; and 17 great-grandchildren and counting; as well as one sister, Rosetta Olson, Fargo ND.

     She was preceded in death by her parents, husband August Blauwet Jr., brothers Clement and Gerald Karpinske, sister Ruth Johnson, and great-grandson, Alec Ideker.