Rapid City – Ethel May (Sunny) MacPhail Adair died Monday, March 27, 2017 at the Bella Vista Care and Rehabilitation Center in Rapid City, SD.

Ethel May (Sunny) MacPhail Adair was born July 3, 1925 in St. Lawrence, SD to James and Vivian MacPhail. She was the third born of four daughters. When she was six her mother was diagnosed and sent to a Sanitarium for TB. It was thought that by shipping the girls off to different relatives that they would be safe, but alas, Sunny also would come down with it in her late teens.   She was sent to the Custer Sanitarium and the family chose to move to West River to be near her, settling in Rapid City.

Finally released in her early twenties, she went to work for Thorpe Jewelers in Deadwood, SD.

Although her first two marriages didn't work out, they did provide many learning experiences and helped hone her as a very talented and hard working person. Sunny became an excellent caregiver to live-ins from the VA, a niece and two nephews, and later on her mother. She was very accomplished at sewing, crocheting, gardening and cooking. While living in Spearfish, she had a little butter and egg business as well as sewing gowns for the Passion Play. It was also in Spearfish where she went to college at Black Hills State University, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Library Science.

In the early seventies she moved to Denver, CO where she continued her education while working for Union Pacific Railroads as a Research Librarian and attaining her Master's Degree.

In 1981 Sunny and Robert (Bob) Adair married and shared much love and adventures together and with their dog, Star. They enjoyed traveling in their Blue Bird all over the west, especially Arizona, with the trips centering around seeing family and friends. She loved to fish, cross-country ski and play the slots. She had friends from every walk of life and liked nothing more than celebrating life with them.

Sunny adored her church, Holy Shepard Lutheran Church, singing in the choir, bible study, and all the friends she made there. When Bob died in 2005 the church became her rock. Being saddled with severe rheumatoid arthritis, though rarely complaining, and life was getting hard to manage alone. Encouraged to move back to Rapid City, SD she chose to do so and settled into the Good Samaritan facility, where family and friends often visited. Sunny suffered from dementia which gradually got worse over the years. And although having to change facilities two more times she never lost her sense of humor or spunk. Everyone from the cooks, cleaners, and caregivers came to love and enjoy her.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Sue and (Ben) Ennenga and Mary Jean and (Willard) Roberts and her husband Robert Adair.

She will be lovingly remembered by her sister, Fairy (Gene) Bentz, many nieces and nephews, cousins and dear friends, Heidi, Jan, Clare and Emily, and no doubt many more.

A memorial service will be held July 3 at 10:00 at the Holy Shepard Lutheran Church in Lakewood, CO with internment at 1:30 pm at the Ft. Logan National Cemetery in Denver, CO. Luncheon will be held at the church after the service.

Arrangements are being directed by Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home.