Obituary of Grace J. Dutcher

DUTCHER GRACE Grace was an activist. She made a conscious decision to see the best in everyone. Her life was filled with the things one would expect being born near the end of WW1 in rural SD. She graduated from Mount Marty High School in 1936 and was now at 97 one of the very last of her graduating class alive. Although she loved to dance and was Harvest Queen not long after graduation, she married a man who did not dance- she married him anyway and gave up her dancing shoes. Born Grace J Yaggie, she became Mrs. Albert Dutcher in September 1941. Together they raised three children and through marriage and birth acquired 6 granddaughters. Over the span of many years, Grace continued to be active in church work (Catholic Daughters, CCD, choir to name a few) and in the community with Cub Scouts. After moving several times, she and Albert became once again long term residents in their home town of Yankton belonging to Sacred Heart Parish, then moving with St. Benedict's. Her life exemplified the Benedictine principle of service to others. What was most characteristic of Grace was kindness. Grace was pre deceased by her parents, Otto and Anna Yaggie, her brothers Leo and Joe Yaggie, her sisters Ida Holzbaur and Anna Marie Holzbaur-Mach, and her first granddaughter Cynthia Lynn Weaver. She is mourned by her husband Albert Dutcher, her daughter Jeanette Bailey and son-in-law Joe Schneider, two sons Daniel and Terrence Dutcher, and 5 living granddaughters (Sherrie Shunk, Sandra Mindham Tengram, Micky Early, Melissa and Kristina Dutcher). She leaves behind two sisters-in-law, many nieces and nephews, God-children, dear friends and neighbors. If Grace were able to leave you with one request of your lives it would be this: Give your flowers to the living. Memorials should be sent to the Mount Marty College (non-traditional student) Scholarship Fund.