Elfrieda (Goehring) Holzwarth

Funeral services for Elfrieda Holzwarth age 98 of Mobridge will be Saturday, August 16 at 10:30 AM at Cornerstone Community Church, 1510 North Main St., Mobridge, SD, Pastor Damen Woolsey officiating. Friday, Visitation at 3:00 PM, family present from 3:00- 5:00 PM, with Prayer Service at 7:00 PM at Kesling Funeral Home. Burial at Greenwood Cemetery in Mobridge following the service under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home. Elfrieda passed away Tuesday, August 5, 2014 at the Golden Living Center in Mobridge.
In lieu of flowers, Elfrieda has requested memorials be given to Gideon Bibles, Cornerstone Community Church or the New Mobridge Swimming Pool Fund.

Elfrieda Holzwarth was born November 5, 1915, to Mike and Magdelena (Miller) Goehring on the family farm southwest of Lowry, South Dakota. She lived on the family farm and attended the Washington Country School. After finishing eighth grade, she worked as a housekeeper and maid in the Lowry area until 1934. In later years she took adult education courses in home nursing, typing and business.

On August 5, 1934, she married Ferdinand (Ferd) Holzwarth on the Goehring farm. She then went to live on the Holzwarth farm northwest of Lowry. The Lord blessed Elfrieda and Ferd with 64 years together. Two children were born to this union, a daughter in 1939 and a son, Lynn James, in 1942.

In September of 1945 they left the farm and moved into Lowry where they started a home construction company and general merchandising store. Shortly thereafter, Ferd's brother Gust joined them in the business. The construction company grew and in 1952 they sold the store and moved the company to Mobridge, expanding into commercial building and opened a building supply store which became known as Holzwarth Brothers Construction (Now the Filler's Bakery). They enlarged the store several times and the construction company grew to employ 40 people. Elfrieda and her sister-in-law, Irene ran the store and did the book keeping all those years. They won many trips and prizes over the years for sales volume. If all the buildings the company built were located in one place, they would make a good sized town.

In the fall of 1980, they sold the business and retired. They then bought a motor home and spent time traveling, spending several winters in Texas, Arizona and California. The highlight of her travels was a trip to Europe in 2001. She visited the birthplaces of her parents in the Ukraine and Moldova. In Germany she visited 1st cousins and relatives she had never met until this trip. In her travels she visited 43 states, 5 Canadian provinces and 10 other countries.

Elfrieda was a woman of many interests and talents. She enjoyed working in her garden and was known as "The Flower Lady" for the many years she supplied flowers for her church and special occasions. She won many awards over the years with her flowers and vegetables at the local garden shows. Ferd and Elfrieda won the "most beautiful yard" award several times over the years.

She was known as a great cook and baker especially of German-Russian foods. For over 40 years she made the cole slaw for the annual Mobridge Regional Hospital Bazaar earning the unofficial title as the "cole slaw lady." She also has won awards for her rye bread. She enjoyed entertaining and her home was the gathering place for the extended family and friends always with wonderful meals and desserts. You never left her home without enjoying her great food.

She was an accomplished musician. Ferd and Elfrieda sang together all their married life and the final time they sang a duet was December, 1998. She was an accompanist for several different quartets and for her church in Lowry and Mobridge. She also sang in her church choir.

In her spare time Elfrieda enjoyed socializing, reading, sewing, crocheting and embroidering. She also collected poems and reading for all occasions which she shared with anyone that needed one. This gave her yet another title as "the poem lady."

Elfrieda loved the Lord and was very active in her church both in Lowry and Mobridge. She accepted the Lord as her personal savior during the great Lowry revival of 1939-1940. She was known as a lady of prayer and could be found faithfully reading her Bible and praying daily. She was a charter member of the ladies group at the Pilgrim Congregational Church in Lowry. She has served as Sunday School and Bible School teacher, sang in the choir, was an office holder in the Ladies Mission Society and helped in the church and Awana nursery. She also helped cook for Bethel Bible Camp. She was a member of The Christian Women's Club serving on the board for many years. She has been an active member of the Mobridge Gideon Camp Auxiliary since 1977. She was a founding member of Lakeside Bible Church. At the time of her death she was a member of Cornerstone Community Church.

She has always been active in the community. In Lowry, she helped organize the school PTA and was a charter member of the Lowry Extension Club and the Friendly Circle Extension Club. In Mobridge she was a member of the PTA, Chamber of Commerce, The Hospital Auxiliary, AARP, Mobridge Senior Citizens and a caller and worker for the hospital snack bar.

After her husband's death she continued living in her home with the help of her son. In November of 2008, she moved to the Golden Living Center in Mobridge due to failing health after suffering two strokes within a week. She continued to live there until her death.

Elfrieda went to be with the Lord, Tuesday, August 5, 2014. She was 98 years, 9 months old. She passed away on the same day as her Wedding 80 years ago. She is survived by her son, Lynn of Mobridge, 2 sisters-in-law, Verle Goehring of Rapid City, Millie Lutz of Mobridge and 48 nieces and nephews, and a large extended family and a host of friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1999, an infant daughter in 1939, her parents, 6 brothers; Ted, Elmer, Hugo, Oscar, Edwin and Herbert, 3 sisters: Elenora, Lily and Alma, her parents-in-law, 13 brothers-in-law, 12 sisters-in-law and 13 nieces and nephews.

She will be missed by all whose lives were enriched by knowing her. She was a wonderful wife, mother, sister, aunt, great aunt and great-great aunt. Most of all she was a faithful obedient servant of the Lord in whose presence she now rejoices.