Letha Kinney
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Letha Kinney, 101, of Huron, formally of Bruce, SD, passed away August 20, 2020, at Avantara Nursing Home. Family graveside services will be 1:30 pm Saturday, August 29th, 2020 at the Hillcrest Cemetery in Estelline, South Dakota.
In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Preston Christian Church, rural Bruce.
Letha Lorraine Kinney was born on March 29, 1919 in Brookings County, South Dakota, the daughter of Herbert and Bertha (Cotton) Goodfellow. Letha went to the Goodfellow School District 111, which was located a half a mile from her parent's home. She graduated from Volga High School in 1936. She attended college at Wheaton College in Chicago, Illinois, and graduated from Eastern Normal School in Madison South Dakota in 1938 with a degree in teaching. After graduation, she taught school in Dempster, South Dakota for three years. She was united in marriage to Medford Kinney on June 4, 1941 at her parent's home near Bruce, South Dakota. Medford died on December 7, 1986 in Estelline, South Dakota. Letha continued to live on the family farm where she and Medford had lived all of their married life. In 1993, she moved to Estelline, South Dakota. In 2015, she moved to Huron, South Dakota.
Letha was a member of the Preston Christian Church in Preston Township, Brookings County, South Dakota, and was active in teaching Sunday School and Bible Studies for many years. She served as secretary and treasurer for the church for 60 years. She was a member of 4-H, winning many awards and trips on the local and state level with her sewing and demonstrations. She was a long-time member of the Brookings County Extension Club. Letha was also a member of the Prestonite Club for many years. She was employed as a secretary for the Saga Food Service at South Dakota State University for 15 years.
She enjoyed entertaining family and friends in her home. She also enjoyed playing cards often with her friends.
Letha is survived by four sons: Russell (Rebecca) , Ladysmith, Wisconsin, Robert (Janene), Cavour, South Dakota, Doyle (Terri), Clinton Oklahoma, and Kurt (Karen) of San Diego, California, and one daughter-in-law, Renee Kinney Metcalf (Doug), Brookings, South Dakota; two daughters, Colleen (Lyle) Dietz, Eyota, Minnesota and Claudeen Kinney, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; 17 grandchildren, and 36 great-grandchildren, and 2 great great grandchildren, and one sister-in-law, Mary Lou Goodfellow, Bruce, South Dakota.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Medford, one son, Dwight; two brothers, Horace Goodfellow and his wife, Irene, and Frank Goodfellow; and two sisters, Blanche DeBoer and her husband Earl, and Ellen Klinsky, and her husband, Milo.
Condolences may be sent to the family through www.geisefuneralhome.com