Alice May Meginness

Mass of Christian Burial for Alice Meginness, 91, of Isabel will be 10 a.m. MT Friday, December 4, 2020 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Isabel. Burial will be in Hillview Cemetery at Isabel under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will begin at 6 p.m. MT Thursday, December 3 followed by a prayer service at 7 p.m. at the church.

Alice passed away Sunday, November 22, 2020 at Hospice of the Hills in Rapid City after a brief stay following hip surgery.

Alice May Dempsey was born June 26, 1929 at Lemmon to Leo and Evangeline (Head) Dempsey. She was raised in the Athboy/Glad Valley area along with four brothers and three sisters. After graduating from Isabel High School in 1947 she ventured to Aberdeen to work as a telephone operator.

Alice was united in marriage to John M. Meginness on January 2, 1950 at St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church in Glad Valley. Following their marriage, they made their home in Ipswich where John worked for the REA. In 1952 they moved to a farm four miles northeast of Isabel where she resided the rest of her life.

Alice was a devout Catholic, active in St. Mary’s Guild, spending many years teaching religion classes and being part of the prayer blanket ministry. She was also a longtime member of the Liberty Belles Extension Club where she enjoyed many friendships.

Alice bought The Buttonhole fabric shop in Isabel in the 80’s, enjoying lots of coffee and conversation. She was an excellent seamstress.

In 2014 Alice’s daughter Cathy and granddaughter Sarah took Alice on a trip to Ireland. They visited the areas where the Dempsey and Meginness families originated.

One of her bigger accomplishments had to be getting eight kids fed, clothed and out the door for school. She was a wonderful wife and mother, doting on her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids and their many activities.

She is survived by two sisters, Margaret Bootz of Spearfish and Betty Heckel of Snohomish, WA; one brother Bill (Mary Jo) Dempsey of California City, CA; a sister-in-law Anna Dempsey of Fountain Valley, CA; eight children, Mike (Ho-Sun) Meginness of Tacoma, WA, Ellen (Larry) Fisher of Maple Valley, WA, John C. (Deb) Meginness of Isabel, Margaret (Jim) Karcher of Bellingham, WA, Dan (Vicky) Meginness of Aberdeen, Mary (Russ) Daley of Pierre, Cathy Boehler of Rapid City, and Laurie (Shane) Theilmann of Hot Springs; 21 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews and a host of relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John, in 1990; her parents; one sister, Dorothy; three brothers, Gene, Jack, and Jim; two sons-in-law William “Billy” Lutz and Bob Boehler; and one granddaughter, Joy Meginness Austin.

(John C. Meginness’ address is 23940 141st, Isabel, SD 57633.)