Viola Gillick

Mass of Christian Burial for Viola Gillick was at 2 p.m. Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at Holy Cross Catholic Church, Ipswich, South Dakota with Fr. Timothy Cone serving as Celebrant.  Burial followed at Holy Cross Cemetery. 

 Viola (Vi) was born on June 21, 1927, to Joseph and Magdalena (Roth) Lacher in Fountain Township.  In June of 1944, Vi graduated from eighth grade and worked on the family farm until just shortly before her 18th birthday when she began working at the Ipswich Community Hospital. Thus began a 44 year career as a nurse's aide.  

 Vi was married to James Robert Gillick on January 30, 1957 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Ipswich.   

 Vi was a lifetime member of Holy Cross Catholic parish, a member of the Altar Society, a member of the Ipswich Saddle Club, and also a volunteer EMT in Ipswich. 

Her greatest joys included her Faith, Family, Serving others, Food, and of course Fun. 

As a family growing up, we were not considered wealthy by monetary standards, but we were rich in the things in life which truly mattered. We were blessed with a mother and father who instilled in us a deep faith, importance of family, and treating others with compassion and love.   

Mom worked nights as a nurse's aide at the hospital caring for others.  We remember many Christmas Eves after attending Mass as a family, we would take Mom to the hospital to begin her night shift.  Love of God and Faith were taught through example by Mom living her faith with Dad.  The gift of attending Mass, receiving the Sacraments, and prayer were always first.  

 After retirement, Mom and Dad prayed the Rosary together every evening at bedtime. Even after Dad passed, Mom continued to pray the Rosary before she fell asleep every night. 

Having 48 first cousins on Mom's side meant sharing holidays and reunions with aunts, uncles and cousins. Reunions started with sharing Mass together, followed by food and then the fun would begin.     

To Mom, food was Love.    Mom loved making her potato salad, stuffing, kuchen, caramel rolls, Special K bars, and honey cookies to name a few. It meant so much to Mom when people enjoyed her food. 

 If another family was in need, Mom would take something she baked or cooked. It was how she showed her compassion and love. 

Annual family vacations to the Black Hills included an entire trunk stocked with food and Shasta pop.  Before we were even 30 miles down the road, we would have to pull over to have a little snack. 

Playing cards, especially pinochle, was one of Mom's favorites when we got together. If she wasn't winning, we played until she did. Mom enjoyed watching sports, especially cheering on her Notre Dame Fighting Irish. 

Mom loved animals, especially dogs and horses. How she would light up when she saw a dog who reminded her of Gabi or a horse of her childhood, Topsy. Mom rode horse even into her 70s. When she could no longer ride horse, she hitched up her little team of Billy and Barney and gave rides around town.   

We will miss you so very much Mom. Each time we gather to share a meal or play cards, we will smile and think of you fondly. With grateful hearts, we will carry your example of Sacrificial Love that you and Dad shared with us. You will remain in our hearts forever. We will Never forget you.  

Grandma, we will cherish your long hugs and how you would whisper in our ears words of encouragement of how uniquely special and loved we each were.   

Grateful for having shared Vi's life are son Timothy (Barb) Gillick, son-in-law Greg Beattie, daughter Yvonne Gillick, daughter Cheryl (Rod) Breitling and son John (Lori) Gillick; eight grandchildren: Richard (Cassie) Gillick, Chad (Adrianne) Gillick, Christopher (Laura) Gillick, Brandon (Jessica) Breitling, Ryan (Abby) Breitling, Marie (Kyle) Jameson, Lauren (Kyle) Swagman, Ashlea Gillick and fiancé Connor Hunnerfauth; and 16 great-grandchildren; sister Teresa Morgan and sister-in-law Jessie Lacher. 

Vi was preceded in death by her husband James, her parents, daughter Donna (Gillick) Beattie, three children in infancy (Catherine, Edward and Magdalena), siblings Rose Lacher, Beatrice Rahrick, Minnie Hammrich, Edward Lacher, Lillian Geditz and Daniel Lacher. 

Schriver Funeral Home of Ipswich is entrusted with the arrangements.