Mayme Ruth Johnson, 94, of Huron died Feb. 1, 2014 at Violet Tschetter Memorial Home, Huron.
Funeral services were 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5 at the United Methodist Church, Woonsocket. Burial was in Eventide Cemetery, Woonsocket, with Rev. Rhonda Wellsandt-Zell officiating. Visitation was from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday at Basham Funeral Home, Woonsocket.
Mayme Ruth Johnson was born July 14, 1919 in Woonsocket to Sarah (Peterson) and Peter John Berens, the youngest of 12 children. Mayme attended country school for two years until the family moved from a farm in rural Sanborn County to Woonsocket. She graduated from Woonsocket High School in 1938.
Mayme worked part-time for several years as a switchboard operator at Central Electric. On Aug. 17, 1942, she married Kenneth A. Johnson. They lived in Woonsocket until 1950. The marriage later ended in divorce.
Mayme then went to work at Montgomery Ward and Company, where she worked in the office and as a switchboard operator for 27 years. Upon her retirement from Montgomery Ward, she began employment at St. John’s Hospital (now Huron Regional Medical Center), where she was a switchboard operator for 21 years. She retired in 1986.
Her retirement consisted of “aquacizing” three times weekly, shooting pool at the Senior Center, as well as bowling and golfing. Her main love of life was dancing, which she and her special friend, Leon Baye, enjoyed together. They were members of the Belles and Beaus Square Dance Club, Mr. and Mrs. Dance Club and the Fun Steppers Dance Club.
Mayme entered Violet Tschetter Memorial Home on Nov. 3, 2009, where she resided until her death.
She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Preceding her in death was her best friend for over 30 years, Leon Baye, on Sept. 4, 2009; siblings, Kathryn Mae Berens, Margaret West, Mary Jane Berens, Clara Hice, Edward Berens, Stella Berens, Robert Berens, William Berens, Arthur Berens, Peter Gilbert Berens and Earl Berens; and several nieces and nephews.

Margaret Jane Friederich, 77, of Mitchell passed away Monday, Jan. 27, 2014 at Firesteel Healthcare Center, Mitchell.
Funeral services were Saturday, Feb. 1 at Frieden’s Reformed Church in Tripp. Visitation and a prayer service were held Friday, Jan. 31 at the Goglin Funeral Home, Tripp. Interment was in Frieden’s Reformed Cemetery, Tripp.
Margaret Jane Friederich was born on Nov. 17, 1936 to Arnold and Altha (Brenner) Semmler at Delmont. After graduating from Delmont High School she attended Springfield College and attained a teaching certificate in 1954.
On Jan. 14, 1955, she was united in marriage to Wallace Friederich at the First Lutheran Church in Mitchell. For four years, Margaret taught at a one-room country school. She later worked as a dietary aide at the Good Samaritan Center of Tripp for 22 years.
Margaret loved to write poetry and truly enjoyed preparing the Tripp GSC newsletter as the editor from 1993 to the present. She spent much of her time caring for her garden and yard and baking tasty treats, such as kuchen and peanut sticks, for her grandchildren. Throughout the years, she helped in many capacities in her church: as a Sunday school teacher, member of the church choir, and served as president, secretary, and committee member of the Women’s Guild over the past 56 years. She also served as a United Church of Christ delegate, as the Dean at Placerville Church Camp, and as a 14-year member of the West Unit Cancer Society.
Margaret is survived by her five children, Timothy Friederich, Terri (Rick) Mayer, Teresa (Aaron) Berndt, Thomas Friederich and James (Peggy) Lippert; 10 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; two brothers, Melvin (Lolly) Semmler and Clinton (Sherry) Semmler; two sisters, Sylvia (Dennis) Kunz and Sandra (Ron) Ruml; and one brother-in-law, Harold Bietz.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Arnold and Altha Semmler; a sister, Norma Bietz; and a daughter-in-law, Kathy Friederich.