Fern Emma (Fife) Bennett

Fern Emma Bennett, 95, went to be with her Lord on May 1, 2023, at the Bay View Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Red Wing, Minnesota. We want to thank Mayo Clinic Hospice for their care and many services.

Fern was born March 11, 1928, to Ray and Emma (Murray) Fife on the farm owned by relatives Edwin and Ada Fawcett south of Ree Heights, South Dakota. She attended school in Highmore, South Dakota.  On July 30, 1944, she married Albert P. Bennett in Huron, South Dakota. Three weeks later Albert began his Marine Corps service.

Survivors include, daughters, Colleen Love (Arvada, CO), Nadeen (Mike) Lunde  (Pine Island, MN) and Aleen (Kyle) Ford (Deadwood, SD); grandchildren, Kris Love (CO), John Love (CO), Eric Lunde (OR), Marc Lunde (AZ), and Katie Nelson (MD); great-grandchildren, Kirstin Luna Love, Nashalla Nash Love, Hope Love, and Angel Grey Muncy, all of Colorado, Sam Adorno (OR), Alucard and Rhys Nelson (MD); and her sisters, Ada Henninger (Lead, SD) and Flora (John) Tevis (Olympia, WA).

Fern and Al worked on a South Dakota farm until they moved to Lead, South Dakota for employment in the Homestake Mine.  Fern worked at a local grocery store and was a homemaker. She worked as a tailor at Finola’s men’s store. She and Al moved to Sturgis in 1983.

Oh, how Fern loved her full circle skirts, especially when she and Al danced swing, waltz, or square dance.  Fern was always dressed classy from the lobes of her ears to the tips of her toes, even at a Bennett Family reunion where she always brought her famous potato salad.

Fern was an award-winning Avon representative for 23 years.

She was active with Girl Scouts, Job’s Daughters, and Eastern Star.  Fern instilled high standards for anyone she was around.

Fern moved to Pine Island, MN in 2016.  She found many new friends at the United Methodist Church, Pine Island Senior Center (including MORNING exercise, yoga, and playing cards).  She was an active member of the Pine Island Lions Club including going to conventions, meetings, and service projects.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Emma and Ray Fife; husband, Albert; brothers, Frank and Robert Fife; brother-in-law, Jack Henninger; sisters-in-law, Peggy Fife, Arlet Fife, Connie Fife; and sons-in-law, Bobby Christofferson and Allen Love.

Visitation will be on Thursday, May 18, 2023, from 5-7 PM at Kinkade Funeral Home, Sturgis, SD.  Her funeral will be Friday, May 19, at 11 AM at the United Methodist Church Sturgis, SD with interment in the Black Hills National Cemetery with Albert.  A Celebration of Life will be held in Pine Island later.  Fern, “our tough old bird” now flies with her beloved Butterflies.

In lieu of flowers memorials selected by Fern are the United Methodist Church of Pine Island, MN, the Pine Island Lions Club, PO Box 458, Pine Island, MN 55963 and the United Methodist Church of Sturgis, South Dakota.