VeLoris Daugaard

VeLoris Veronica Vasgaard Gerken Daugaard, 93, died Tuesday, February 11, 2014 at Menorah Manor Nursing Center in St. Petersburg, FL. VeLoris was born May 8, 1920 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the daughter of John H. and Engila L. (Lukken) Vasgaard. She grew up on a farm north of Centerville, SD, attending the Ash Grove Country School, Lennox High School and graduating from Centerville High School in 1938. She graduated from South Dakota State College (now University) with a degree in Home Economics. VeLoris taught school for a short time prior to her marriage. On June 26, 1943 she was united in marriage to Arvid Gerken of Lennox, SD at Yuma, AZ. While they were married the couple had two children, and the family lived in South Dakota, California, Nevada and Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1975 VeLoris moved back to Sioux Falls, and on August 12, 1978 she was united in marriage to Arthur Daugaard, of Dell Rapids, at West Prairie Lutheran Church, Lennox, the church she had grown up attending. She and Art lived in Sioux Falls until 1997 when Art passed away, and then she moved to St. Petersburg to be close to her daughter in 1998. Throughout her adult life, VeLoris was always very active, either working or participating in organizations or activities. She worked as a teacher's aide and in sales in a department store while in Cincinnati, and several years at Herberger's in Sioux Falls. While in Sioux Falls VeLoris was a member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church where she was active in E.L.C.A. She was also a member of the Sioux Valley Hospital Auxiliary and volunteered at the Senior Center. After moving to Florida she was an active member of Pasadena Community United Methodist Church and The Garden Club of St. Petersburg. She was on the Board and President of her condominium association for eight years. After a fall in September, 2006, she moved into an independent living facility and then an assisted living facility before moving into Menorah Manor in June, 2013. Besides her parents and an older sister, Inez, who died in childhood, and a brother and his wife, Elayton and Vivian Vasgaard, VeLoris was preceded in death by both of her husbands, Arvid on January 26, 1988 and Arthur on July 29, 1997. Grateful for having shared her life are her two children: Bea (Bill) Rahter, St Petersburg, FL and David (Dianne) Gerken, San Diego, CA; two grandsons: Bill (Charisse) Rahter, Syracuse, UT, and Robert (Elizabeth) Rahter, Windermere, FL; eight great-grandchildren: Alyssa, Will, Hannah and Bryce in UT and Madeline, Colton, Nathan and Ashton in FL. Also her step-children: Jean (David) Rave, Dell Rapids, SD, Carol (Don) Riswold, Sioux Falls, SD, Janet (Leo) Schwahn, Robbinsdale, MN and Allen (Mary) Daugaard, Roy, UT, and their families; her sister and husband, Donna and Orval Fodness, Sioux Falls and brother and wife, John and Patty Vasgaard, Centerville and Mission, TX; and many other family members and friends. Services will begin at 1:30 Tuesday, February 25 at West Prairie Lutheran Church, rural Lennox with burial in the West Prairie Cemetery. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the funeral, also at West Prairie Lutheran. Dindot-Klusmann Funeral Home, Lennox is in charge of arrangements.

VeLoris Daugaard

May 8, 1920 - February 11, 2014

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