Ella R. Hieb

CLERGY
Rev. Ron Shifley
GERMAN LECTOR
Serkan Bayer
MUSIC
Organist ~ Sharon Orth
Congregational Hymns
“How Great Thou Art”
“In the Garden”
“Old Rugged Cross”
CASKETBEARERS
Marvin Thum
Steven Thum
Craig Winckler
Joe Wayne Winckler
Francis Serr
Dean Rettedal
Ella Rose Hieb was born on Friday, January 13, 1911 to Christian and Eva (Winckler) Hieb in rural Tripp, South Dakota. She grew up on the family farm five miles south and five miles west of Tripp alongside her sister Otilia and three brothers: Kuni, Emil, and Ruben. Ella was confirmed on June 28, 1925 in the Reformed Church in Tripp. As a young child, she helped her family on the farm. In 1947, a few years after Christian’s passing on December 11, 1933, Ella, her mother, and two brothers moved into Scotland. Ella took care of her mother until 1979 when her mother became ill and entered the Good Samaritan Society of Scotland.
Ella loved to garden and nurtured one of the best gardens in the neighborhood. Surrounding her house and garden, an array of beautiful flowers and shrubs could always be seen. Ella spent many years in her home in Scotland enjoying her garden and canning her many delicious home-grown vegetables. She also enjoyed bird watching and kept bird feeders in her backyard year round.
Ella enjoyed crafts, especially painting. She also had a passion for collecting splendid glass items of various colors and styles, as seen in her lovely glassware display in her home.
Ella was a fabulous cook and loved cooking a special meal for the out-of-state hunters that came each fall for pheasant hunting. The hunters would rave about the wonderful meal that awaited them at the end of a long day of hunting.
Ella was a good friend to many folks in the neighborhood. She was always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed help; whether it was a young mother who needed help with her child or someone older who needed assistance with chores they no longer could do.
Through the years, Ella enjoyed the friendship of her many Winckler and Hieb cousins. She had a special fondness for her cousin Martha (Winckler) Thum and husband Oscar. Ella spent holidays with the Thum family and was included in all of the family events. Evelyn and John Haynes were wonderful neighbors to Ella. In later years and into Ella’s residence at the Good Samaritan Society of Scotland, Evelyn helped Ella with various tasks. Ella relied on Evelyn for many years and was so happy to have her help. Another dear and close friend of hers for many years was Marge Ackerman, who helped Ella in several ways.
Many folks may recall only seeing her green 1955 Plymouth car Ella driving to church on Sundays. Ella was a devoted member of the church and attended every Sunday service as long as her health allowed her to. On occasion you would see her driving her Plymouth up town, but rarely for she preferred to walk every day to the post office and grocery store.
In 2002, after suffering with back pain that did not allow her to take care of her house and beloved garden, Ella decided to move into the Good Samaritan Society of Scotland. She resided there for nearly 13 years until her passing on Sunday, October 11, 2015 having attained the age of 104 years, 8 months, and 28 days.
Cherishing the memory of Ella is her one remaining cousin, Ben (Sophie) Winckler of Tyndall; second cousin Marvin (Agnes) Thum of Scotland and their children David Thum of Vermillion, Steven Thum of Vermillion, and Lorissa (Robert) Evans of Spearfish; second cousin Viona (Brooks) Ranney of Yankton; second cousin Marilyn (Ernest) Kratz of Yankton and their children Lisa Kratz of Cedar Falls, IA and Greg (Stacey) Kratz and family of Midvale, UT; second cousin Donna Mouser of Scottsdale, AZ and her son Randy (Lisa) Ulmer of Hartford; many other cousins in the Tripp and Tyndall area; and special friends Evelyn Haynes and Marge Ackerman.
Ella was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, and sister-in-law Lila Hieb.