Charlotte Backes chose her time to be with loving husband, mother, father, and sister. The day was March 18, 2007. Her family extended their hands to bring her home to be with them and our Lord. Charlotte passed due to surgical complications.

Charlotte lived and ran a cattle ranch for 30 years at Opal, SD with her husband, Tias. She moved to Sturgis in 1991, a year after Tias passed. She was a member of the Farmers Union and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Charlotte loved her family. She leaves behind her Aunt Shirley Olsen Dovell, Belle Fourche, SD; her oldest sister, Jeanette Jordan, Casper, WY; her baby brother, Willard Wood, Belle Fourche, SD; and four daughters and two sons-in-law, Sandra Roselles, Chicago, IL, Christine and Wayne Haskell, Sturgis, SD, Donnela Arnold, Asheville, NC, Patricia and Ken Sharp-Cross, Asheville, NC. She will be missed by her seven grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Sandra remembers her Mom: "She was someone I looked up to for the unconditional love, she readily shared with everyone she met. She wanted everyone to honor and respect each other." Chris adds, "She really loved her family … you better not mess with her kids - she'd come after you like a mother bear!" Donna remembers Mom's saying that she just wanted all her girls to get along. Patti says, "She made me feel loved."

Mom left a special diary about her thoughts and life. Her family shares her own words: About being human: "Living, loving, children, dogs, cats, my family. The universe, the sunrise, sunset, and everything in-between. Spring-time, new life everywhere you look. Sweet sparkly eyes, mischievousness, green grass, blue skies, flowers, daisies. Just life. Living loving husband. Work, animals, horses, baby calves, baby pigs. Lots of family - Mom, Dad, Aunts, Uncles. Earth, seasons, the smell of dirt, wet rainy days, planting flowers, homemade bread, dancing, singing, Sisters, Brother, and my sweet babies growing into womanhood. Everything!"

About things that made her laugh: "A little kid playing and saying funny things; a good story is fun too, but it has to be one that doesn't make fun of anyone or hurt anyone. Birds playing in the water, and the sunshine in the morning."

About the beliefs she would go "out-on-a-limb" for: "Every person has a right to their own opinions; don't close your mind to others; education instead of ignorance."

About when she used the phone and was put on hold: "Please don't put me on hold … oh, shoot.' Now days I say, 'I guess I've got time.'"

About her daydreams: "When I was younger, I dreamed about having my kids back and having a nice home to come home to. I left my babies with my Mom and Dad… I thought they would be safe, protected from my life style. Sometimes a person doesn't know which way to turn."

The words that touched her soul: "I love you." Mom wrote, "I hope my kids really love me for who I really am."

Don't worry Mom, we ALL do!

Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 21, 2007, from 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Kinkade Funeral Chapel and on Thursday from 8:00 a.m. until service at the chapel.

Funeral services will be Thursday, March 22, 2007, at 2:00 p.m. at the Kinkade Funeral Chapel with Pastor Harold Delbridge officiating. Burial will follow at a later date.

A memorial has been established to the American Lung Association of South Dakota, 1212 W. Elkhorn St STE 1, Sioux Falls, SD 57104-9905.