Elvira V. Freeland

Elvira Viola Freeland, 86, Rapid City died Sunday July 13, 2008 at Westhills Village Health Care. Vi was born August 28, 1921 in Wessington, SD to Orla L. (Brummett) and Amos J Swaney who died before her third birthday. She attended elementary school in Wessington and Huron, SD and finished school in Austin, MN, graduating in 1939. Following a brief marriage to Norman Heise in 1941, she was married to Phillip M. Triem from 1945 until his death from polio in 1949. In 1955 she began a 42 year marriage to Francis A. Freeland which ended with his death in 1997. Over the years, Vi worked as a sales girl, dental assistant, and bank teller. For a time, she owned and operated a restaurant with her mother in Wolsey. SD. She was in her element, however, when she was working for her family. She was an accomplished seamstress and sewed extensively for her children and husband. Her brightest creations were often the matching square dance costumes she created for herself and Francis. They were members of the Gold Dusters Square Dance Club where they were active for many years. She canned fruits, vegetables, jams and jellies every year. Some of her children never tasted “store-bought” jams until they left home. Vi was preceded in death by her parents, two step-fathers, two brothers, a sister, and her second and third husbands. She is survived by her sons, Larry Triem and wife Karen of Mesa, AZ, and Ron Triem and wife Lucy of Arlington, SD; daughters Barbara (Freeland) Ott and husband Bill of Arvada, CO, and Patricia Freeland and husband Michael Mathews of Dimock, SD; and stepsons Donald Freeland and wife Rose of Dedham, MA, and Philip Freeland and wife Marlene of Hollister, CA. She is also survived by nine grand children eleven great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews and their families.