Gail Marie (Lewis) Engelmeyer passed away Saturday, November 2, 2019 at Ava's Hospice House in Sioux Falls, SD at the age of 90 years old.
She was born January 29, 1929 to Roy and Mildred (Thornton) Lewis on the family farm 4 miles east of Burke; at the time, the address was actually Herrick, SD. Her Dad went into Burke via horse and buggy to bring Dr. Quinn and nurse Doris Lillibridge to deliver Gail, the oldest of 3 daughters.
Gail went to Butte Valley Grade School and graduated from Burke High School with an honorary degree.
In June 1946 Gail married John Engelmeyer and moved to their farm northeast of Burke. To this union, 7 children were born; Terry, David, Edward, Gary, Duane, Karen and Dale. All helped out on the farm prior to going off on their new adventures. John passed away 30 years ago on May 31, 1989 and later Gail sold the farm and moved into Burke.
Good faith was an important part of her life as a member of the Sacred Heart Parish, making sure all her children were baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church.
Gail was an active member in the Sacred Heart Alter Society, President of the Senior Citizens Center for many years, Board Member of the Rembrandt Country School and a founding member of the Cowbelles\Rosebud Rancherettes.
She loved gardening and did extensive amounts of canning when her children were growing up, along with milking cows and many other jobs on the farm. A humorous question that came up often during her recent hospitalizations was if she raised any chickens on the farm and she proudly answered over 500 a year, but never ate a single one!
Those left to mourn her loss include sons Terry (Betty) Engelmeyer of Shenandoah, IA; Dave (Bev) Engelmeyer of Burke, SD; Ed (Dar) Engelmeyer of Alexandria, SD; Gary (Charlotte) Engelmeyer of Brookings; Duane Engelmeyer of Mitchell, SD; Dale Engelmeyer of Brookings; and daughter Karen (Kevin) O'Connor, Sioux Falls, SD.
Children of all ages were the love of her life: Grandchildren Steve, Jenny, Jason, Char (David), Andy, Matt, Mark, Michelle (Bill), Colette (Matt), Tasha (Shaun), Erik (Kelly) and Brandy. Great Grandchildren include Bradley, Logan, John, Lexi, Riley, Alexis, Madison, Cooper, Brooklyn, Addelyn, Hudson, Sutton, Holden, Callyn, Emersyn and Deacon, Dillon and Allie; her sister Carol Barge of Pierre, SD and numerous special relatives and friends.
Gail was preceded in death by her parents, husband John of 42 years, sister and brother in law, Glee and Kenny Martin of Arizona, and in-laws Joe and Mildred Engelmeyer and Paul and Pauline Rust.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 8, 2019 at 10:30 AM at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Burke. Burial will be in the Graceland Cemetery, Burke. There will be a rosary on Thursday at 7:00 PM, with a visitation one hour prior to the service, at the church.