RAPID CITY--Maude Brockelsby, 95, died peacefully in her sleep at Rapid City Regional Hospital Auxiliary Hospice House on Dec. 11, 2011. Maude Millicent (Wagner) Brockelsby was born Nov. 2, 1916, in Lake Andes, S.D., the granddaughter of immigrants from Germany and Ireland. Her parents were Charles and Alice (Clark) Wagner. Her family lived on a farm near Lake Andes and in the town itself until 1929 when they moved to Wood, S.D. These were the dust-bowl days of the Great Depression, and times were hard for Maude and her family she didnt like to talk about the old days! After graduating from Wood High School in 1934, Maude moved to Rapid City where she worked at the Woolworths five-and-dime store and lived with her mother and sister. She soon met an ambitious young entrepreneur named Earl Brockelsby who had the crazy idea of starting a tourist attraction based on reptiles. Earl started Reptile Gardens in 1937, and Maude and Earl were married in 1940. In the early days of Reptile Gardens, Maude made rockwork souvenirs, but she played an important part in the success of the business in another way. After Earl returned from World War II, he was involved with several business enterprises, but Maude encouraged him to devote his energies to Reptile Gardens. Earl gave her credit for helping him to focus his efforts on that business which became one of the leading tourist attractions in the Midwest and still remains in the Brockelsby family. For many years, Maude served as the Good Will Ambassador for Reptile Gardens. Up until the end she was always interested in how things were going at Reptile Gardens and frequently asked how business was. Maude was active in First Presbyterian Church for more than 70 years. She taught Sunday School and participated in many church circles and led Bible studies. She loved playing bridge and was active in other civic organizations. A woman of deep faith, Maude devoted her life to serving others. She found great fulfillment in her roles as mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and aunt. By her example her children and later her grandchildren learned the values of generosity, kindness and helping those she called less fortunate. Her grandchildren knew she expected them to be good, kind people. Unable to further her own education because of the depression, she encouraged her children and grandchildren to do well in school and to work hard. She was interested in world affairs and independent in her views, not influenced by her more liberal children or more conservative friends. Her home was welcoming to all and there was always room for an extra chair at the table to share her delicious home cooked meals. She was most famous for her chocolate chip cookies. Maude took a genuine interest in others and made friends and relatives alike feel special. Into her 90s she visited her friends in retirement homes. Her life touched the lives of many, and she was universally loved by all who knew her. Although she was an elegant lady with the manners of a queen, she was also humble. She never took personal credit for her good works but always attributed her actions to her faith and the grace of God. Truly selfless, she served from her heart with no thought of recognition or praise. From Maude her family learned the importance of gratitude and looking on the bright side of things. Living a life of sincere Christian love, she embodied the virtues of devotion, forgiveness, gratitude, charity, honesty and compassion. Maude was predeceased by her husband, Earl, her sister Blanche Wild, her brothers Gerald Wagner and Bob Wagner, her sister-in-law Reta Mae Maierhauser and her son-in-law Jon Oldham. She is survived by four children, Judee Oldham and John Brockelsby, both of Rapid City, Janet Jacobs of Boulder, Colo. and Jeff Brockelsby of Columbia, S.C.; seven grandchildren, Jonathan Oldham, Jeff Oldham (Tanya), Suzy Kennedy (Jim), Jenna Brink (Jeff), Lani Jacobs-Banner (Matt), Joann Mueller (Dane) and Tim Jacobs; and eight great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Kitty DeCock, of Denver, Colo. Visitation will be from 4 until 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life will be at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16, at the First Presbyterian Church in Rapid City with the Rev. Howard Skip Smith officiating. A private family burial will be in Mountain View Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to First Presbyterian Church, Hospice of the Hills or Cornerstone Rescue Mission.