Jean Wilmarth (Reynolds) Hirning, 90, passed away Dec. 14, 2015, at Rapid City Regional Hospital Auxiliary Hospice House. She was born Sept. 28, 1925, in Lead to Harry B. and Edna (Wilmarth) Reynolds. She was educated during her primary grades in a one-room school house in Terraville, and graduated from Lead High School in 1943. She attended Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, graduating in 1946 with Bachelor’s Degrees in English and Education.
On June 16, 1946, she was united in marriage to John Herbert Hirning at the Methodist Church in Lead. Following their marriage they made their home in Dell Rapids, until moving to Rapid City in 1953.
She is survived by her six children: two sons, John C. of Rapid City and David of Black Hawk; four daughters, Robin Peterson and her friend, Dan Gerg, of Eugene, OR, Bonnie Kroeger of Rapid City, Mary Taylor and her husband, Kim, of Black Hawk, and Sally Tate and her husband, Anthony, of Santa Ana, CA; nine grandchildren: Richard Kroeger, Kevin Peterson, Ryan Peterson, Christy Land, Kara Taylor, Christopher Taylor, Jonathan Tate, AnnMarie Tate, and Emily Tate; and six great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, John; her parents; two sisters, Helen Tysell and Ruth M. Reynolds; son-in-law, Daryl Peterson; and David’s longtime companion, Paula Kirchgasler.
Services were held on Saturday, Dec. 19, at the First United Methodist Church in Rapid City with the Rev. Greg Kroger officiating. Private inurnment services will be at a later date at Pine Lawn Memorial Park. On-Line Condolences may be left at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be designated for the First United Methodist Church, an endowed scholarship fund at Dakota Wesleyan University, or Hospice of the Hills.