Thelma M. Orton, 91, died on June 22, 2011, at Sun Dial Manor in Bristol, SD. Funeral services will be held at 10:00am on Monday, August 15, 2011, at Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home in Wagner, SD (www.crosbyjaegerfh.com). Visitation will be held at 9:00am prior to the service.

Thelma was born on October 2, 1919, her father's birthday, to Victor Maki and Ida Hovila Maki in Savo Township, Brown County, SD. She died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 91 years, 8 months and 20 days.

Thelma grew up on a farm, one of 5 daughters and 1 son, of Finnish immigrants. After graduating from high school in Frederick, SD, she journeyed to Chicago to find work. There she also found and married Allen D. Orton who had moved to Chicago from Volin, SD. They were married in Evanston, IL, on July 21, 1940. During World War II, Thelma and Allen resided in El Paso, TX, where her husband served in the U.S. Army.

After the war ended, Thelma and Allen made their home in Wagner, SD, and for a brief period in Mitchell, SD. Their union was blessed with four children. In 1960, Allen passed away suddenly, and Thelma raised her four children as a single mother. She worked for many years as the Office Manager for Abdouch TV in Wagner.

After all her children were married, Thelma moved to Yankton, SD, where she resided for many years. In her later years, she suffered from reduced vision due to advanced macular degeneration but managed to maintain her independence, living near her children for support. She resided in Britton, SD, for four years, subsequently moving to Sun Dial Manor in Bristol in 2008.

In her younger years, she and husband Allen enjoyed ballroom dancing at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. Throughout her life, she was devoted to her children, children-in-law, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She delighted in keeping track of the various activities of all of her family and would spend hours on the telephone every week updating various members of the family about the comings and goings of the other family members.

Thelma is survived by her four children: Don and wife Marian (Soukup) of Tucson, AZ; David and wife Phoebe (Ptak) of Eugene, OR; Della and husband Larry Nolan of Claremont, SD; and Daniel and wife Betty (Frager) of Denver, CO; 9 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; one sister Verna and husband Karl Lang, of Long Beach, CA; and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents Victor and Ida Maki; her husband Allen; her sisters Signe, Viola, and Norma; and her brother Alvar.