Coral Etta ("Co") Stevens, 76, of Rapid City, died Monday, November 12, 2018, at Morningstar Assisted Living surrounded by her family and friends.

Coral Etta Todd was born in Inglewood, CA, on February 3, 1942, to Vivian (Patterson) and Carl Todd. Not long after her birth, Coral Etta, her mother, and her two older brothers Robert and Richard moved back to South Dakota. Coral Etta had fond memories of spending time at her grandparents' Grade A dairy farm near Whitewood, SD. As a young child she lived at Fort Meade when it was a German POW camp and was doted on by many of the prisoners who were missing their families back home. It was during this time that Coral Etta's mother met and married Roy Hardy who always took very good care of Co. After graduating from Sturgis Brown High School in 1959, Coral Etta became one of the first six girls to ever attend South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. While attending SDSM&T she saw a fellow cruising around campus in a 1953 Cadillac Coupe Deville. When she let it be known she was interested in meeting the Cadillac's owner, she was surprisingly introduced to Lavern Stevens—the roommate of the fellow who was driving the Cadillac. They were married in Sturgis on March 6, 1960, and moved to East Hartford, Connecticut, where Lavern was employed as a mechanical engineer at Pratt-Whitney Aircraft Company. Three of the couple's four children were born in Connecticut. In 1965 the young family moved back to South Dakota where Lavern began a 31-year teaching career at SDSM&T.

A fourth child was born on March 6, 1969, in Rapid City before the family moved to Boulder, Colorado, for two years while Lavern worked on his doctorate degree. Out of necessity, Co embarked on a working career that ended up being long and diverse. In Colorado, she was employed as a secretary at a title company and when the family returned to South Dakota she continued working as a secretary for the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association. Later, Co became an engineering draftsperson. She spent several years at Francis-Meador-Gellhaus, Inc., and did stints at several local engineering firms before creating her own freelance drafting company—TechniCo.

Co was a fantastic cook and baker (more about that later). When she gave up drafting, she went to work in the food industry. First, in food services at SDSM&T where she enjoyed working with students and quickly rose to become a manager. Next, she spent time working as a server at Horse Creek Inn and in the Grill Room at Arrowhead County Club. Co closed out her working career at Riddle's Jewelry, where she enjoyed giving factory tours and meeting people from across the nation, in addition to collecting gemstone jewelry (and a couple dozen watches).

There wasn't anything Co couldn't do. She worked full-time and had a meal on the table every night. She baked quadruple batches of chocolate chip cookies every weekend, handled everything during the summer months when Lavern was back in Colorado, and completed several home projects—like making the gravel pile beside the driveway disappear and installing slate on the front of the house—one piece of slate at a time. Co had a can-do attitude that got things done and inspired her children to tackle jobs that other people find intimidating. She held board positions and/or was involved with several organizations, including Black Hills Pony League, duplicate bridge club at SDSM&T, Whispering Pines Water Association, Historical Auto Club of the Black Hills, and Fairway Hills Homeowner's Association.

In addition to working, Co was a committed volunteer—a trait passed down from her mother and grandmothers. Co volunteered with Hospice of the Black Hills, Meals on Wheels, Cornerstone Mission, First United Methodist Church, and most significantly Canyon Lake United Methodist Church where she served in many capacities—from stuffing bulletins to organizing the annual rummage sale. She was devoted to her church and ministered to everyone. On Sunday mornings Co was often seen flitting around the church in one of her trademark multi-colored caftans.

Co was a very creative and talented craftsperson. She produced many beautiful cross stitch pieces, baby blankets, homemade Christmas ornaments and decorations, and crocheted countless "ripple stitch" Afghans. She was a gifted card writer. Who can forget her wonderful rhyming Christmas letters!

And now about that cooking and baking. Co loved sharing her talents and connecting with people through food. Her grandchildren have fond memories of making delicious homemade cinnamon/caramel rolls with their grandmother. At large Thanksgiving gatherings, she would bake enough pies so that everyone could take one home with them after dinner. She provided the food at family reunions. At Canyon Lake United Methodist Church she helped with the annual pie auction and spring salad luncheon. She cooked meals for Wonderful Wednesdays and almost every church function or committee meeting that required food. During her time at SDSM&T she was proud to prepare and serve the food at many parties hosted by President Gowan and his wife.

Co was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. Co is survived by her children; Sandra (Paul) Thielen, Rapid City, Todd (Martha) Stevens, Rochester, MN, and Stephanie Stevens (Kerry Barker), Edgemont; seven grandchildren, Trevor Thielen, Troy (Sara) Thielen, Samuel Stevens, Zachary (Brittany) Stevens, Elizabeth Stevens, Breahna Barker, and Sarah Kate Barker; great granddaughter Sylvia Thielen; "little brother" Richard (Marjorie) Todd, Rapid City; and sister-in-law Dorothy Todd, Ashland, NE.

She was preceded in death by her parents, daughter Sarah Louise in 1987, husband Lavern in 2001, "big brother" Robert Todd in 2010, and grandson Cody Barker in 2017.

A visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, November 16, 2018, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home. A funeral service, with an opportunity to reminisce, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday , November 17, 2018, at Canyon Lake United Methodist Church. A luncheon will follow the service. Interment will be at Mountain View Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Stevens Family Scholarship Fund at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology or to the Canyon Lake United Methodist Church. The family would like to especially thank her doctors; Dr. Eaton and Dr. May and the staff at Morningstar Assisted Living for their loving care of Co a/k/a Coco.