Mardella Ann Uken, age 96, passed away on Sunday February 9, 2025 at Sandford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday February 15, 2025 at Peace Lutheran Church (5509 W. 41st St., Sioux Falls, SD 57106) with refreshments and fellowship to follow. A private interment will be held at a later date at Spencer Cemetery, Spencer, South Dakota. Mardella's service will be livestreamed at: https://peacelutheran.online.church/

Mardella Laufman was born on December 13, 1928 to Elmer and Nora (Wiese) Laufman in Farmer, South Dakota. She graduated from Farmer High School in 1947 and went on to earn her teaching certificate at General Beadle State College. She returned to Farmer to teach and there she met her future husband, Leo Uken. Leo and Mardella were joined in marriage on August 21, 1949 at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in Spencer, South Dakota. Leo and Mardella had four children, Glen, Gloria, Greg and Gina. Family was a priority for Mardella. She was a devoted mother to her children and a proud grandmother and great-grandmother. As a daughter, she was devoted to her parents and cared for her mother in her home for many years. She was a role model for how to walk humbly, act justly and love mercy. She was gentle and kind to all who knew her.

Mardella was an excellent baker and was especially gifted at making cinnamon and caramel rolls. Many a parishioner enjoyed her rolls with coffee after church on Sundays. She tried tirelessly to pass this skill onto her two daughters with very limited success.

Mardella was always active in her church congregations and enjoyed membership in the American Legion Auxiliary and Eastern Star. She was especially grateful for the spiritual care that she received from the Stephen Ministry at Peace Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls.

Grateful to have shared Mardella's life with her are her children, Glen (Beth) Uken of Brandon, SD, Gloria (Roger) Damgaard, Sioux Falls, SD, and Gina (Larry Rains) Trebilcock of Casa Grande, AZ; her grandchildren Stuart (Tashia) Uken, Mike (Cara) Uken, Andy (Natalie) Damgaard, Dan (Paige) Damgaard, Anna (Mathias Preisler) Trebilcock, and Karalyn (Nolan Desmond) Trebilcock; her great-grandchildren, Cade, Hawkins, Connors, and Logan Damgaard, and Abigail, Isaiah, Brayden, and Avery Uken; her sisters Viola Vermilyea of Ft. Collins, CO and Beverly Bovingdon of Pasco, WA; and many nieces, nephews, and extended family.

She is preceded in death by her husband Leo Uken; her son Greg "Ace" Uken; her great-grandchildren Anthony and James Uken; her parents Elmer and Nora Laufman; and her brother Loren Laufman.