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- [S927] Obituary.
Life Legacy
Jean Elna Bender, age 82 of rural Fulton, SD died, Wednesday, May 7, 2014 at the Avera Heart Hospital, in Sioux Falls, SD. Funeral services will be 11:00 AM Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at the First United Methodist Church in Mitchell, SD with burial at the Graceland Cemetery in Fulton, SD. Visitation will be from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Monday at the Will Funeral Chapel with a prayer service beginning at 7:00 PM.
Jean Bender, daughter of Franklin and Helen Learn, was born on July 29, 1931. Jean attended Fulton School and graduated Salutatory of her class in 1949. Jean worked at the Hanson County Court House from February 1953 – March 1955. Jean also volunteered at the Fulton School when her children were young. Jean was an instrumental part of the family farm with her husband Bud and still resided on the family farm.
Jean was a member of the Fulton United Methodist Church for many years where she enjoyed teaching Sunday School and was a member of the churchwomen’s group. Jean was a member of the United Methodist Church in Mitchell. She was active in their knitting and crocheting group where she participated in making many pray shawls and baby baptismal blankets. Jean also made many baby hats and blankets for the area hospitals.
Jean loved life and was such a fantastic role model; she lived life to the fullest. She was a kid at heart always having a smile on her face. She had a kind soul and did so much for her loved ones.
In Jean’s spare time over the years she enjoyed dancing, fishing, snowmobiling, and traveling with Bud. Jean also enjoyed spending time with her family, specially her grandchildren and great grandchildren whom she loved so deeply. They always made her laugh. Jean enjoyed playing cards with her friends, knitting and crocheting.
Grateful for having shared her life are her children, Joan Urbanski and her, husband Frank, Dakota Dunes, SD, Marilyn Ven Osdel and her husband, Terry, Alexandria, SD, Scott Bender and his wife, Deb, rural Fulton, SD, Shari Hilton and her husband Mark, Apopka, Fl; nine grandchildren, Justin Urbanski, Dakota Dunes, SD, Ashley Bengtzen and her husband, Jeff of Frankford, Germany, Melissa Warne, and her husband Tony, Sioux Falls, SD, Paul Ven Osdel, Fulton, SD, Sara Kayser and husband, Nick, Alexandria, SD, Rebecca Arend and her husband, Michael, Alexandria, SD, Neil Bender and his wife Emily, Fulton, SD, Samantha and Spencer Hilton, Apopko, FL; 17 great grandchildren; Jaden, Emma, Kash Urbanski, Leslie, Matthew, Joshua Cox and AnnMarie Warne, Grace and Ava Arend, Colton and Isabella Bengtzen, Caleb (Beatch) Ven Osdel, Kelsey, Kennedy and Alivia Bender and Trent and Taylor Kayser; a brother in law, Melvin Bender, Michell, 4 sisters-in-law, Dorothy Learn, St. Paul, MN, Carolyn Easton, Mitchell, SD, Shirley Ritzman and her husband, Gary, Madison, SD and Judy Dillion and her husband, Matt, Hollywood, MD.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband, Bud Bender December 2006, two brothers, James and Franklin Learn, and two sisters in law, Jean Schutt and Dorothy Bender, and one brother in law Wayne Easton.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Mitchell Community Hospice Services or the Fulton Graceland Cemetery.
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1931 - 2014 (82 years)