Wanda Guptill
Wanda Guptill of Interior, South Dakota, died on Tuesday, July 3, 2018 at the Philip Nursing Home at the age of 93.
Wanda Henrietta Gropper was born to William and Rose (Glanzman) Gropper in Platte, South Dakota, on January 28, 1925. She moved with her family to Washabaugh County east of LongValley, South Dakota, when she was one year old. Wanda attended grade school at the Harding School and graduated from Wanblee High School in 1942. After high school she taught two years of grade school at GreenValley Elementary School. Then she attended summer school in Springfield Teacher’s College in Springfield, South Dakota. She earned a teacher’s permit from that college and later taught one semester at LongValley Grade School.
Wanda was united in marriage to Navy Ens. Francis Guptill on January 18, 1945 in Chicago, Illinois. After his honorable discharge from the Navy they moved to Brookings in 1946 and later to Hot Springs in 1948.
The Guptill family returned to a farm in the GreenValley community in 1950 where Wanda raised a big garden, milked cows, taught school part-time, and raised four wonderful children. In 1982 Francis and Wanda moved to Interior where they continued to farm and ranch for many years.
Wanda was an active member of the Interior Presbyterian Church, held office with the Presbyterian Women, hosted local Senior Citizen meetings, Sunday morning coffee gatherings, and helped to raise the nearby grandkids and great-grandkids.
Survivors include her children: Perry and Caroline Guptill, Sheryl Trohkimoinen, Dale and Valerie Guptill, and Alice and Dave Jones; 12 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and 3 step-great-great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law Virginia Guptill and Jean Cutler; numerous nieces and nephews; and a host of other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband Francis; her parents; one sister Doloris Sharp; two brothers Clayton and Lawrence Gropper; and a son-in-law Bob Trohkimoinen.
A memorial is established to the Interior Presbyterian Church.
A visitation was held one hour preceding the funeral service.
Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 7, at the Interior Fire Hall in Interior with Pastor Kathy Chesney officiating.
Interment was at the Interior-Fairview Cemetery.
Arrangements were with Rush Funeral Home of Kadoka.
