Louise  Guthmiller

CLERGY
Rev. Greg Way
MUSIC
Organist ~ Shelly Finck
Soloist ~ David Finck
“It Is Well With My Soul”
“Softly and Tenderly”
Congregational Hymns
“Amazing Grace”
“How Great Thou Art”
CASKETBEARERS
Charles Gukeisen
Chad Guthmiller
Harry Guthmiller
Judd Guthmiller
Mark Guthmiller
Daniel Nyreen
Myron Stoebner
Louise Guthmiller was born on a farm eight miles southwest of Tripp, South Dakota on Saturday, November 2, 1918. She was the youngest of eleven children born to Ludwig and Katharina (Hieb) Guthmiller. She was baptized and confirmed in the Reformed Faith and attended the Rural Oak Hollow School District #70 through the 8th grade. Louise’s father died in 1924 when she was six years old and her mother and all the children worked hard to keep their farm.
In 1943, Louise moved into Tripp from the farm and from 1943 to 1947 she was employed at various stores within the Tripp community. In 1947, she traveled with Rev. and Mrs. Jack Grether to Neillsville, Wisconsin where she began working at the Winnebago Indian School in Neillsville. After earning her GED in July of 1961 and attending night school, she became an administrative secretary at the school, first for Rev. Grether and later for Rev. Ben Stucki. Over the years, “Miss Lou” was given many beautiful baskets hand-woven by the women and children at the Indian school.
Louise had maintained her ties to the Tripp area during her years in Wisconsin and purchased a house in Tripp that she occupied during school vacations, then lived in following her retirement. After retiring to Tripp, Louise cared for her sister, Esther, and her brothers, Konnie and Samuel, in their final years. Louise was an independent, ambitious woman who held strong opinions and had a “can do” spirit. She was always busy. She loved to drive and will be remembered driving her red Dodge and later her white Beretta. She was the Guthmiller family historian and chronicled all of the family events, names and dates. Louise was a member of Frieden’s Reformed Church and the Good Samaritan Auxiliary. She was Treasurer for the Auxiliary and was instrumental in the creation of the Tripp Community Calendar to benefit the Good Samaritan Society, duties which she enjoyed until just last year. She enjoyed gardening and mowing her yard and she loved all animals, especially her cats, Mikey and Mickey. Louise lived her life independently, driving her car and maintaining her home until age 93.
Louise’s physical health began to deteriorate, but her mind remained sharp until the very end. She moved into Good Samaritan Assisted Living in October of 2011 and became a resident of the nursing home last month. It is there that she passed away on Saturday, November 24, 2012, having attained the age of 94 years and 22 days. ”I have fought the good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith.” Timothy 4:7
Louise is survived by numerous nieces and nephews and many great-nieces and great-nephews.  In addition to her parents, Ludwig and Katharina Guthmiller, Louise was preceded in death by three sisters: Athalia Tesky, Bertha Buchholz, and Esther Guthmiller; seven brothers: Solomon, Samuel, Emanuel, Konnie, Leo, Otto and Carl; one niece and two nephews.