Bernice Alice Churchill, 98, of Fairburn, South Dakota passed peacefully Sunday evening May 24, 2025. while napping in the last rays of sunshine. She was a special lady and will be greatly missed.

Bernice was born January 25th, 1928 to Permelia and George Hedlun. She was the oldest of five children and grew up on a ranch east of Fairburn. She attended school at Bower (French Creek), Fairburn, and graduated from Rapid City High School in 1945. Despite never being on a plane, Bernice would watch them fly overhead and developed an interest in becoming a flight attendant. In those days, the first job requirement was a nursing degree, so Bernice completed nursing training at St. John’s Hospital in Rapid City. With her nursing degree, and a new-found love of coffee, Bernice decided it was time to get to work. She started her nursing career and worked for about ten years before marrying and returning to ranch life.

Bernice married Ralph Churchill ‘Junior’ at her folks’ place on January 25th, 1958. Junior worked for Western Cattle Company for a few years before the couple decided to buy a ranch near Fairburn and raise their own cattle. It wasn’t an easy life, but Bernice was quite content. She had a kind, loyal husband and three wonderful children, Robin, Connie, and Clyde. She continued to live at the ranch until January of this year when a heart condition caused her to relocate to Seven Sisters Living Center in Hot Springs.

Bernice loved to go! If there was a church event, a dance, a game night, a grandkids’ sporting event, she had her coat on and was walking out the door. One of her favorite memories was her trip to Hawaii in 1954 to visit her sister and newborn niece. She always enjoyed visiting whenever she went out and never had a harsh word to give or say about anyone.

She also loved her quiet home life - the sounds of the calves bawling for their next meal, the morning pot of coffee that got microwaved all day, an hour in the sunshine mowing the yard or just petting the cat, a quiet rest in the recliner as the afternoon sun brightens and warms the living room, the nightly news blaring from the TV.

Bernice had a generous heart; her home was always open for company. It didn’t matter if you were stopping by for coffee and a slice of chocolate cake or needed a place to stay for the summer, she would welcome you with open arms.

Bernice was an active member of the community, entering baked goods in the Custer County Fair well into her eighties. She only stopped when it became too hard to see if there were eggshells in the cookies! She was a member of the Rebekah Lodge and subsequently an Odd Fellow. She was a member of the Ladies U&I Club during its existence. She was proudly Democrat in a highly red state and a life-long member of the Fairburn Church.

She is survived by her daughter, Robin Gorsuch; son-in-law, Mell Steen; sister, June Denevan; seven grandchildren: Kane (Amber) Steen, Matt (Jamie) Steen, Chelsea (Jay) Steen-Schwalbe, Ryan Gorsuch, Sarah (Scott) Miller, Adriel (Seth) Gorsuch, Kayla (Bobby) Spencer; six great grandchildren: Ella, Dexter, and Brixton Steen, Dmitrii Gorsuch, Frankie and Reed Hartman-Gorsuch; multiple nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents; siblings Dorothy, Mariann, Ernest; children Connie and Clyde; grandson Jonathan Gorsuch.

In her words, “Don’t grieve for me…it’s time…I’m ready…I’ve lived a good life.”