Agnes Cecelia Mayer, 101, Sturgis, died at the Sturgis Community Health Center, Berry Unit, on Tuesday, February 22, 2011.

Visitation will be Sunday, February 27th from noon to 9:00 p.m. with a rosary and Christian prayer service beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Kinkade Funeral Chapel.

Mass of Christian burial will be held on Monday, February 28, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church with Father Arnold Kari officiating. Burial will follow at St. Aloysius Catholic Cemetery in Sturgis.

Agnes Mayer was born near Volunteer in rural Meade County, SD, on April 27, 1909, to Anton and Mary Ann (Fuetsche) Meyer. She grew up on a farm located on lower Bear Butte Valley. She attended country school and Sturgis Public school. Agnes spent her childhood working with her dad in the fields and for a time, transported seven children to schools where there was an available teacher.

Agnes married Chester Swain in 1931 and the following year their daughter, Norma Jean was born. This began the 68-year span of loving devotion and sacrifice of a mother for a daughter whom she cared for until 1999 when Norma Jean moved to the Massa Unit of Sturgis Community Health Care Center.

In 1950, Agnes married John O. Mayer and in 1959 the couple and Norma Jean moved to Whitewood where she resided until 2002. She lived in Sturgis until 2004 when she moved to Tender Care in Spearfish.

Agnes enjoyed gardening, fishing, and crocheting and later in life enjoyed weekly trips to Deadwood for a fun day of playing the machines. She was a driving force in the Whitewood Senior Citizens Center and belonged to the St. Francis of Assisi Church in Sturgis as well as the Altar Society.

Survivors include her daughter, Norma Jean Swain of Sturgis; sister-in-law Ruth Sheen, Billings, MT; nephews Duane E. (Mary Ellen) Hoover, Newbury Park, CA; Chris P. Doran, O'Fallon, IL; Anthony McNeill, Livingston, MT; and niece Mary Katherine (Bob) Garness, Rapid City, SD. Also surviving her are special nieces and nephew Carrie and Doug Hoover of California and Harriet Young of Rapid City, SD as well as numerous other nieces and nephews.

Agnes is preceded in death by her parents and both husbands. Also preceding her in death are her four sisters Theresa Doran, Mary McNeill, Leona Hudson, Regina Meyer and her brother Otto "Bud" Meyer.

A memorial has been established to the St. Aloysius Cemetery.