December 1, 1931 – July 10, 2024
Carol June Schaeffer Crance, 92, of Mobridge, died peacefully on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Mobridge Community Hospital following a stroke. A celebration of her life took place at First Baptist Church in Mobridge on Saturday, July 13, 2024. Following the service, interment was at the Timber Lake Cemetery.
Carol was born December 1, 1931 at home in Mosher (Mellette County) to Arvid and Bessie (Berry) Schaeffer along with her twin sister, Carmen. Prior to moving to Timber Lake, she attended Schaeffer School for three years. She completed her education in Timber Lake, graduating in 1950.
She married Adrian Lowell Crance on October 10, 1950 at the First Baptist Church in Timber Lake. While Adrian was in the service in Korea, Carol lived on his family’s farm west of Timber Lake. She received her teaching certificate after attending two summer sessions at Black Hills State College in Spearfish (1950 and 1951). She taught at Little Oak country school near Timber Lake and years later did some substitute teaching at the Hutterite Colony near Redfield. After Adrian was discharged from the service, Carol stayed at home raising their 5 children: Janice, Adrian, Jr., Roy, Dale and Julie. They moved throughout South Dakota following construction work.
In 1978, Carol re-entered the work force as a nursing assistant at the Sturgis Nursing Home, Hospice and then as a private home health aide. She retired again in 2010 and moved back to Timber Lake in 2012. She resided in the Manor there and worked part-time for the Head Start Program until moving for a final time to Prairie Sunset Village in Mobridge in 2017.
Carol’s life was her family, friends and her strong faith. She was a wonderful grandma and great-grandma – always remembering to send cards for birthdays and special life events. She was an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary for many years. Her church family was always very dear to her. She was an avid walker, reader, puzzler, Scrabble player, and she enjoyed sewing.
Carol is survived by her three sons, Adrian (Julie) of Spokane, WA, Roy (Ann) of Timber Lake and Dale (Patty) of Phoenix, AZ; her daughter, Julie (Mike) Cameron of Brookings; 15 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren; her siblings: Ruth Madsen of Eugene, OR, her twin, Carmen Dolan of Seattle, WA, and twin sisters Dixie Garr of Belle Fourche and Deanna Munsch of Aberdeen.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Adrian L. Crance, daughter Janice Hanson, infant granddaughter Cassandra Crance; brothers Lawrence, Paul and Roger Schaeffer and sisters Irene Winterberg, Cecelia Hieb, and Mary Imberi.
The family is requesting that memorials be made to First Baptist Church, 512 N. Main St. E., Mobridge, SD 57601.
(Roy Crance’s address is PO Box 224, Timber Lake, SD 57656,)