Viola Feistner

Viola Feistner, age 92, of Madison, died Tuesday, January 26, 2021, at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls. Private family funeral services will be 11:00 AM, Saturday, January 30, 2021, at St. John Lutheran Church in Madison. Burial will follow at the Oldham Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation open to the public will be 1 hour prior to the funeral service. Masks will be required.

Viola May Taylor was born January 2, 1929, to Carlus and Minnie (Burki) Taylor at Harrold, SD. She was baptized January 11, 1929, in Harrold, SD and confirmed on July 25, 1943, at Oldham Lutheran Church by Pastor Clarence Johnson. She attended various country schools and graduated from Eastern High School in Madison, SD on May 27, 1947.

She moved from Harrold, SD to Lake County, SD in 1936. She and her family farmed and ranched there until 1952 when she married.

On June 27, 1952, she married Paul Theodore Feistner at St. John Lutheran Church of rural Ramona, SD. To this marriage two sons were born, Craig and Ronald.

In 1953, they moved to Cambridge, Minnesota, where they farmed for several years. In 1961, they moved to Detroit Lakes, MN. In 1972, they made their final move to Madison, SD to be closer to family.  

Viola was a long-time member of St. John Lutheran Church (1972). She enjoyed supporting her church and donated many hours to various activities, including the Young at Heart Ministry. In her younger years, she took pride in working with and breaking horses. She enjoyed quilting, playing cards, gardening, traveling, and baking. She loved her granddaughters and great-grandchildren very much. She looked forward to family gatherings and updated pictures of the kids.

She was preceded in death by her husband Paul, brother Art Taylor, sisters Florence Taylor, Morene Seely, and Fairola Horton. She is survived by her sons Craig Feistner (Dorothy) of Spearfish, SD and Ronald Feistner (Colleen) of Baltic, SD, sisters Charrold Marshall of Fort Worth, TX, and Violet Karst (twin sister) of Aberdeen, SD, grandchildren Kailey Mikkelson (Travis) of Brookings, SD, and Kara Feistner of Sioux Falls, SD, great-grandchildren Laken and Lennon Mikkelson.