View Service Folder For Alfreda


Mass of Christian Burial for Alfreda Wallace, 88, of Mobridge will be at 10:30 AM, Saturday January 20, 2018 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Mobridge. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will start at 6 PM Friday at the Kenel Catholic Church with services at 7 PM. Alfreda passed Thursday, January 11, 2018 at St. John's Hospital in Long View, WA.

Rose Alfreda Martin-Wallace (Wowakan win Spiritual Woman) was born in February 26, 1929, at home and was the youngest of 12 brothers and sisters born to Frank and Mary Martin at home near old Kenel. She grew up in the country along the Missouri River on the Standing Rock Reservation. She was brought up in her father's cattle business and she grew up as a horse woman. Alfreda herded cattle, broke horses, put up hay and did the same work the ranch hands did back then. Alfreda was a fluent Lakota speaker as both her parents were and English was her second language, she engaged in traditional Native activities with her family attending pow-wows and rodeos on the reservation.

Alfreda married Lew Wallace in 1954 in Kenel, South Dakota. They lived in Kenel as Lew operated a saw mill until the Oahe dam was built which flooded the land including his business. In 1960 Lew and Alfreda moved the family to Oregon where they lived for 18 years. Alfreda started her AVON business and ran it for many years and it was very important to her to make all her customers happy. Their Avon was always on time and they would always get what they ordered. Mom loved working with all the new people she met in Hillsboro, Oregon. Mom was a Lakota woman from a very small community in Kenel SD, but she took on Hillsboro and was very successful gaining friends and maintaining her Avon business. Alfreda then went on to work in the jewelry business they started in Oregon before moving it back to Mobridge in 1978. After Lew retired in 2005, Alfreda started the Rolling Plains business selling black hills gold jewelry and Native craft items. She retired at 87 following the death of Lew.

Alfreda was known as a kind woman and was well respected by the Mobridge community as well as the Native community from both Standing Rock and Cheyenne River. She was devoted to her family and the Catholic Church.

Lew and Alfreda had 6 children, Lew Jr. (Cynthia Keiser-Wallace), Hiram (Monica Lane-Wallace), Theodora (Thomas Hardcastle), Lori (Ron Elmore), Michele (Melvin Hill), and Martin (deceased). They had 12 grandchildren: Amber Crossley, Chad Wallace (deceased), Samatha Wallace-Savageau (Floyd), Eric Hawker (Tami Hawker), Erin Hawker (Fred Neufeld), Guthrie Capossela (Tonya Hochhalter), Marty Wallace (Laura), Amber Yarbor (Ryan), Sydney Elmore, Brett Lang, Jason Hill and Baylei Hill. She had 17 greatgrandchildren: Dylan Crossley, Tia Crossley, Hayley Peddycord, Zachary Hawker, Madeline Hawker, Abigail Hawker, Gracie Hawker and Kaleb Hawker, Tyson (Michellie) Bearsheart, Taya Bearsheart, Trenten Bearsheart, Sage Neufeld, Jackson Capossela, Oliver Capossela, Leah Yarbor, Izzy Yarbor, Ruby Yarbor. And one great-great granddaughter Skyla Bearsheart. Alfreda was also excited about the arrival of her 18 ^th great grandchild, Abigal Rose Wallace in May 2018.

Alfreda also had several nieces, nephews, cousins and Theresa Martin her last remaining first cousin.