Lois Strand

Dates

Obituary

Lois Strand, 98, of Mitchell, SD, passed away Monday, March 16, 2026, at Edgewood Memory Care in Mitchell. Funeral services will be at 1:00 PM Saturday, March 28, at RiverTree Church in Mitchell. Burial will be at Graceland Cemetery in Mitchell. Visitation will be Friday from 5-7:00 PM at RiverTree Church with a 6:30 PM prayer service. Arrangements by Bittner Funeral Chapel.

Lois Mae (Aarnes) Strand was born on October 7, 1927, to Severin and Cora (Thorson) Aarnes in Plaza, ND. Her father was a minister in the Holiness Methodist Church, so they moved several times in her childhood. She attended 1st grade in Plaza. She attended grades 2-8 in Granville, ND, and grades 9-11 in Bristol, SD. She graduated from Edison High School in Minneapolis in 1945. Her father moved to Minneapolis for one year to work so he could afford dentures for himself and his wife.

After graduation, she attended Northern State University in Aberdeen for one year, earning her teaching certificate. She moved to Bridgewater, SD, where she lived with her sister and brother-in-law, Glady and Bob Trosen, and taught at the Hofer School. In the summers, she worked at United Auto Parts in Mitchell.

On August 22, 1950, she married Edward Strand in Mitchell. They resided in Loomis for 4 months, during which she taught at Loomis School, and he worked for his brother-in-law, Don Stehly.

Ed was drafted into the US Army in January of 1951, and they lived in Sparta, WI, while he was stationed at Camp McCoy. In 1952, Ed was sent to Germany, and she moved to Colbert, WA, and lived with her parents while he was there. While she lived in Colbert, she worked at an auto parts dealer.

After Ed's discharge from the army, they settled on a farm SW of Mitchell, where they resided for 22 years before building a whole new farm 1 mile east and residing there until 1991. In 1991, they semi-retired and settled on an acreage 2 miles south of Mitchell. In 2017, they moved into Countryside Living. They lived there for a couple of years and then moved to Edgewood South. In 2022, her mind began to fail, and they moved into Edgewood Memory Care, where she remained until her death.

In the 1960's, she spent several summers running fireworks stands for Cam Starr in Mitchell. She was very involved in the Mitchell Wesleyan (Methodist) Church, now Rivertree, where she sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, and VBS.

She loved her ceramics, knitting, and quilting. She was a member of a knitting group called the "knitwits" and a quilting group called the "sew and sews." She made several quilts for her family. All of her grandchildren received one of her quilts, and some of her great-grandchildren.
She was also a Sweet Adeline, a member of Round Table, Easter Seals, and donated blood.

She worked on the farm and did quite a bit of cultivating. She also milked when they had the dairy.

Ed and Lois loved to travel. They were lucky enough to visit all 50 states. They spent about 6 weeks in Sun City, AZ, each winter for several years.

Lois is survived by her daughters: Sherry Jo (Bill) Nebelsick of Mitchell, SD and Ramona (Mark) Hirsch of Rapid City, SD; 6 grandchildren: Chis (Aimee) Nebelsick of Mitchell, Nikki (Anthony) Hobbie of Mitchell, Matthew (Katie) Nebelsick of Lead, SD, Kimberli (Brady) Hastings of Tea, SD, Brittany (Adam Murray) Hirsch of Centennial, CO and Ryan (Jordan) Hirsch of Rapid City, SD;15 great grandchildren; Braedon, Madelyn, Grason, Henley and Christopher Nebelsick; Haley, Natali, Alexa and Amara Hobbie; August and Charlie Nebelsick and Tucker, Harleigh, Briar and Sadie Hastings; brother, Donald (Deb) Aarnes of Pueblo, CO; sister-in-laws, Bobbie and Kandee Strand; along with several nieces, nephews, and extended family.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ed, in 2024; son, Barry; sister and brother-in-law, Gladys and Robert Trosen; brother, Richard; in-laws, Carl and Sadie Strand; Margaret Shonley; Leona (Don) Stehly; and Duane and Julius Strand.

Memorials may be given to RiverTree Church or the Easter Seals.

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