"God bless Joe, Jeanne, Jan, Joan, Jay, Julie, Jeff, and all our relatives and friends. Amen."

Jeanne Louise Vavra Bride taught her little kids to speak this prayer every night. Her faith in God was unwavering, and she loved receiving the holy Eucharist. While we are devastated to lose this lady of light on Earth, we are picturing our sweet mom in a happy place celebrating with family and friends who have passed.

Born to Dorothy Cahoy Vavra and Frank Vavra in Winner, SD, Jeanne attended the Viaduct Country School and Colome High School. She received a two-year certificate from Southern State Teachers College, graduated Summa Cum Laude with an education degree at Augustana College, and earned her Master's Degree at the University of Nebraska Omaha. Jeanne used these degrees to educate elementary students in SD, IA, and WY in various capacities, classroom educator, special education teacher, and consultant.

While registering for classes at SSTC, Jeanne saw a handsome athlete and declared to a friend, "I'm going to marry that guy." That guy, of course, was Joe Bride, and their union lasted sixty-seven years. In the first seven and a half years of marriage they produced five children and did a hell of a job rearing them. The rest is history.

Our mom could do just about anything! She was famous for remembering to send birthday, wedding, anniversary, get well, condolence, and thank you cards to family and friends and friends of friends. She started the grandchild text stream to let them know whose birthday we were celebrating each month.

If she knew you were stopping by you could expect to sample her wonderful baking treats; banana cream pie, No Bowl Cake, cookies, banana bread, Scotcharoos, caramel rolls, and, especially, kolace. Jeanne was a consummate hostess and delightful entertainer. Mom knew how to make a guest feel welcome and special.

Whether she was a young mother or a grandma, Mom had a creative style. She had a special touch in the way she decorated her homes, dressed in her red shiny pumps with a streamlined dress, matched her jewelry to her outfits, or created her grandkids' birth-through-high school photo albums.

Other talents Jeanne possessed were the abilities to sew, garden, and preserve fruits and vegetables. She taught herself to knit and crochet. With her engineer's mind our mom could cut through the chafe and problem solve for just about any challenge. What a blessing she was to the world with the amazing gifts she shared during her lifetime.

Jeanne is survived by her husband, Joseph; children, Jan Reed (Michael), Joan Jensen (Dave), Jay Bride (Julie Ellis), Julie Foley (Brad), and Jeff Bride; siblings, Claudia Opbroek (Ed), and Robert Vavra (Merrilee); grandchildren, Jesse Reed (Luisa), Christopher Wren (Ashley), Kelli Reed, Jarrid, and Kurt Bride, Jake Jensen (Ashley), Joe Jensen (Tia), Jason, and Emma Bride (Chet), Aric, Adanna, and Cicely Foley; and great grandchildren, Donovan Reed, Ava Reed, and Conrad Jensen; and sisters-in-law, Rochelle Bride, and Doris (Bride) Wellman; brother-in-law, Jim Schwartz; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Peggy Schwartz, brother, Ken Vavra, in-laws, Helen (Joe) Bride, brothers-in-law, Larry Bride, Dave Bride, and Jim Kreber; and sisters-in-law, Pat Kreber, and Kathie Bride.

Jeanne loved to read and taught many children to learn to read and love reading. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in honor of Jeanne, to the Lead-Deadwood School Library system in Deadwood, SD (716 Main St., Deadwood SD  57732.)

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