Blanche Westermeyer

Blanche Westermeyer, age 93 of Big Stone City, SD died February 9, 2017, at St. William’s Care Center in Milbank.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, February 17, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Charles Catholic Church in Big Stone City, SD. Padre’ Da’vid Garza will officiate and burial will be in St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery, Dumont, MN.

Visitation will be Thursday, February 16, at St. Charles Catholic Church from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. and continue Friday morning, one hour prior to the Mass.

Urn bearers will be Chad Hanson and Nicole Holtquist. Honorary bearers will be her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Irene Blanche Westermeyer was born October 16, 1923, in Saskatchewan, Canada. She was the daughter of Ben and Johanna (Miller) Doll.

Blanche came to Minnesota with her family when she was two years old and her sister, Elenore, was one year old. She lived in Dumont for 20 years.

Blanche was united in marriage with Lewis Westermeyer on October 1, 1942, at St. Peter Catholic Church, Dumont. They were blessed with 11 children: Catherine, Robert, LeRoy, Alan, Shirley, Anthony, Billy, Cindy, Cheryl, Deborah, and Tony.

During their marriage, Blanche and Lewis lived in many places including California, Montana, Minnesota, and South Dakota. Blanche and Lewis owned and operated several cafés and Blanche was always the head cook. She was employed at the Hill Top Café in Ortonville, MN for 25 years and built many strong friendships. Blanche had a strong work ethic and worked very hard until she was 83 years old!

To say “Blanche loved to read” was putting it mildly…she was an avid reader and enjoyed as many books as she possibly could. Blanche was a faithful member of St. Charles Catholic Church and continually prayed for her children.

Blanche had the distinct honor of decorating a cake for President John F. Kennedy in Duluth, MN and made breakfast for Harry Truman during his Montana campaign.

Left to cherish her memory are her children: Catherine Smart of Spickard, MO; Robert (Linda) Westermeyer of Two Harbors, MN; Alan (Sue) Westermeyer of Fargo, ND; Cheryl (Keven) Boogaard of Odessa, MN; Deb (Dennis) Underwood of Milbank, SD; Tony (Sue) Westermeyer of Big Stone City, SD; 20 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; brothers: LeRoy “Butch” (Joyce) Doll of Graceville, MN; Ansel Doll of Appleton, MN; sisters: Elenore Anrens of Wheaton, MN; Norma Wojtalewicz of Appleton, MN.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; children: Billy, Anthony, Shirley, LeRoy, and Cindy; grandchildren: Cole Boogaard and Robbie Hanson; sons-in-law: Jerry Smart and Larry Hunt.