Valeria Pond

Valeria A.C. Pond, age 87, formerly of the Peever area, passed away on June 21, 2022, at St. Williams Care Center in Milbank.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 2, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at Peever Lutheran Church. Rev. Sheila Pohl will officiate. Visitation will be held on Friday, July 1, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the church, and continue on Saturday, one hour prior to the service. Honorary bearers will be Valeria’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A private family graveside service will be held at a later date.

Valeria A.C. Pond was born on December 19, 1934, in Peever, SD. She was the daughter of Joseph Cooper and Leone M.L. Kurrasch. Valeria graduated from high school and attended Presentation College in Aberdeen, SD, receiving a Teacher’s Certificate.

Valeria was married on January 15, 1954, with Charles Lowell Pond, in Browns Valley, MN. Valeria taught at Northeast Area Head-Start, Sisseton, SD. She later worked as a nurse’s aid at Coteau Des Prairie Hospital in Sisseton for 20 years.

Valeria lived in a variety of places in South Dakota during her life including Big Coulee, Rapid City, Peever, Wilmot (on the farm), Dell Rapids, and Milbank. She was a Meals on Wheels volunteer and served on the hospital auxiliary in Dell Rapids.

Left to cherish her memory are her children: Burnell (Sharon) Pond of New Castle, WY; Charles (Kay) Pond of Gainesville, VA; Donna Droptiny of Arkansas; Beth Pond of Sioux Falls, SD; Matthew (Lori) Pond of Wilmot, SD; Teresa (Gerry) Breen of Baltic, SD; and Nicole (Craig) Osterloh of Marvin, SD; 28 grandchildren; and 34 great-grandchildren.

Valeria was preceded in death by her husband, Charles L. Pond; daughter, Laureen L. Pond; and grandson, SSGT Justin Nelson.