Delores Ann Bouza Hakl, age 82, of Lake Andes, SD passed away on Friday, April 4, 2014 surrounded by family at Campbell County Memorial Hospital in Gillette, WY.

Funeral Mass will be 2 PM, Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at St. Mark Catholic Church in Lake Andes. Visitation will be at the church on Tuesday from 5 to 7 PM, followed by a 7 PM Rosary Service. Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home in Wagner is in charge of arrangements.

Delores was born at the hospital in Lake Andes on July 16, 1931 to Gordon and Anna Bouza of rural Geddes, SD. She attended country school in Moore Township and graduated from Geddes High School, where she participated in the marching band that performed throughout South Dakota. After graduation she attended South Dakota State Teachers College in Springfield, obtained her degree and taught in several country schools in Charles Mix County.

On April, 12, 1956, Delores married Richard Hakl of Lake Andes, SD, where they raised a family of 5 children. Delores worked as a bookkeeper for their company, Hakl Trucking from 1959 to 1984 and their family farm from 1975 to 2006.

Delores started as a clerk at the Lake Andes Post Office on February 6, 1971. She served as OIC in Pickstown, SD before being chosen as Postmaster of Geddes, SD in 1988. During that time she became a member of the 573 Postmasters of South Dakota, received Postmaster of the Year in 1993, participated in the Centennial and stamp cancellations, and started a stamp club at the Geddes school before retiring on February 3, 2000.

Delores proudly served her community by sitting on the election board, working with the Cub Scouts and Brownies and was a member of St. Marks Altar Society. Her interests included bird watching, reading, writing to send a smile your way, playing bridge with the ladies, dancing, Wheel of Fortune, Antique Road Show, Nebraska Football, puzzling, and was starting to teach the next generation of pitch players.

Delores was preceded in death by her son, Mark Hakl, husband of 53 years Richard Hakl, her parents and 2 brothers.

Grateful for having shared her life, Delores is survived by her children: Kim of Tripp, SD, Mary Beth of Mesa, AZ, Robert (Marilyn) and Judy of Gillette, WY; 7 grandchildren; 7 great grandchildren; brothers: Gordon (Phyllis) of Meridian, ID, Larry (Arlene) of Omaha, NE and Sue Bouza of Ralston, NE.