Lillian Leitheiser age 103 of Sioux Falls, passed away Sunday, December 27, 2020 at Ava's Hospice House. Family will greet friends from 5:00-7:00 PM Tuesday December 29, at Miller Funeral Home, 507 S. Main Avenue. A funeral Mass will begin at 10:00 AM Wednesday, December 30 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, 521 N. Duluth Ave., Sioux Falls, SD with burial to follow at St. Michael Cemetery. MASKS ARE REQUIRED AT BOTH EVENTS.

Lillian Hilda Seivers was born June 19, 1917, in Emery, SD. She grew up in the Emery / Bridgewater area, where she met and married Wilfred (Bill) Leitheiser on 2-14-38. During their 41 years of marriage, they raised six children. She spent 23 years at NW Bell Company as the cafeteria cook. After retiring, she wintered in California and spent summers at her home at Big Stone Lake.

In 1993, Lillian survived a gas explosion, which she overcame to relish 27 more years of quilting, traveling, volunteering, 'Big Birthday' parties at the barn, and countless other gatherings of family and friends.

During her life, she also was honored as 'Mother of the Year' from St. Joseph's Cathedral; In her 80's, she had outlived all of the members of her first Cathedral quilting group, so she joined a new younger group of ladies, who became treasured friends.

Lillian is survived by her children; Denny (Renner), Diane Gunderson, Bonnie Dewar (Both of Sioux Falls), and Dorothy (Jim) Koska (Vancouver, WA), 20 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren, and 11 great-great-grandchildren, her sister and best friend Janet Schetnan (Sioux Falls) and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband Bill Leitheiser, her brothers Orville and Harley Seivers, and her sister Clara Warwick; her son Jerry Leitheiser, her daughter Debbie Martell, and two grandchildren, Ron and Kelly Gunderson.