Jackie was born at Leslie, SD, on June 16, 1918,
to Vincent W. and Minnie Ruth (Cunningham)
Jeffries. She was the fourth of their nine children.
She spent her early childhood on a ranch near
Cherry Creek, SD. She loved riding and breaking
horses with her dad. When Jackie was to enter
seventh grade, the family moved to Dupree, SD.
She continued on to graduate from Dupree High
School in 1936. On August 8th of that year, she
married Leonard Birkeland of Dupree. They
traveled briefly to Washington to pick fruit and then
returned to the Birkeland homestead south of
Dupree when Leonard's parents divided the house in half and took their part of it
into town.
Jackie was best known by everyone as a nurturer. Her
children all attest to her skill at teaching them how to care
for animals that were injured, needed warming up, or were
sick. A favorite memory of the Birkeland children is of the
many evenings they spent being entertained by Leonard
playing the accordion while Jackie danced a lively
Charleston.
Florence Ethel "Jackie" Birkeland passed away on
October 2, 2011, at the Sturgis Regional Senior Care
Center.
Preceding her in death was her husband, Leonard; her brothers, Vincent C.,
Robert "Bud", and Kenneth "Kay" Jeffries; her sisters,
Marjorie Nesheim, Eileen Garrett Thayer, Doris Pitsor
Teall, Fay Peterson Harrold, and Betty Fay in infancy;
son, Bruce; and special friend, Jack Pollard.
She is survived by her children, Betty Lawrence of
Mobridge, Nancy (Billy) Fields of Sturgis, Neil (Vicki)
Birkeland of Dupree, and Bart (Karen) Birkeland of
Gregory. She is also survived by three sisters-in-law,
Susan Birkeland, Inga Birkeland, and Cora Jeffries; 16
grandchildren; and 34 great-grandchildren.
Condolences may be sent to the family at
www.kinkadefunerals.com .

Click on link to view service folder