Kristy Lynn (Turman) Carter, age 79, of Hermosa, SD passed away peacefully in her beautiful room at the Monument Health Hospice House in Rapid City, SD on February 27, 2023.

She was born on August 25, 1943 in Riverside, CA to her proud parents Gordon Turman and Shirley Maxine (Spencer) Turman. She spent her early years in California and then moved with her family to Fort Pierre, South Dakota, graduating from Fort Pierre High School in 1961.

She married her high school sweetheart, Art Carter, and together they had three children: Todd, Kevin, & Kari who they raised in Rapid City, South Dakota.

She worked for the Douglas School System where she was a Chapter One diagnostician, started the cross-age tutoring program and was pivotal in establishing the kindergarten screening process. She then became the school secretary at E.B. Bergquist Elementary School before returning to college in 1993 to earn her Bachelor of Science degree in Tourism at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD.

With her new degree she moved to Las Vegas landing a job at Circus Circus in their Guest Relations Department.  Her caring personality and hard work ethic earned her a promotion as head of the department at their Reno location a few years later.  It was there in 2002 that she was the recipient of the "Simply the Best" Employee of the Year award, earning her a bonus of one year's salary.

She later moved back to South Dakota and became an assistant manager for Custer State Park Resorts where she loved working among nature and wildlife, especially her beloved buffaloes.  While there she earned commendations attesting to her exceptional ability to provide hospitality and customer service to South Dakota visitors.

She was an avid sports fan having served as President of Rushmore Little League for many years and was honored with a caricature drawn by Rapid City Journal's sports cartoonist, the late Vern Anthony.  She played in a woman's softball league and was also the head of Monday Night Rapid City Recreational Volleyball.  She could often be found cheering on her two favorite sports teams: the Minnesota Vikings and the Golden State Warriors.  She was well known (and heard) for ringing her cowbell while watching her children and grandchildren participate in their many sporting activities.

She is survived by her children Todd (Denise) Carter of El Dorado, KS; Kevin (Sarah) Carter of Fort Pierre, SD; and Kari (Brian) Lund of Hermosa, SD; her sister, Janice Yee of Rapid City, SD; her brother Vance (Zuzana) Turman of Rapid City, SD; Grandchildren Callie, Camden, and Carly Carter of El Dorado, KS; Shae (Jeff) Potts of Mankato, MN; Cooper (Abby) Carter of Alvord, Iowa; JD Carter of Brookings, SD; Dalton (Mikaya) Lund of Ithaca, NY; and Spencer Lund of Hermosa, SD.

She was preceded in death by her parents Gordon and Shirley Turman, her brother and sister-in-law Terry and Mary Turman, and her brother-in-law Michael Yee.

She is with them now in heaven, most likely enjoying an Elvis Concert.

In lieu of flowers Kristy had requested donations be sent to Diabetes Incorporated, a local organization that was near and dear to her heart. The link for donations is https://diabetesincorporated.org/donations/ .  You may also call/text Erin Bachi, Executive Director, at 605-423-1561.

Funeral Service to be held at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home, 2700 Jackson Blvd, Rapid City, SD on Monday, March 6, 2023 at 2:00pm.

A private burial service for her immediate family is to be held at Scotty Philip Cemetery in Fort Pierre, SD.