STURGIS | Mary Jean Arehart, 85, died Sunday, June 1, 2014, at Regional Senior Care in Sturgis. Jean was born April 30, 1929, in Granite City, IL. Most of her childhood was spent in Illinois. She graduated high school in Sidney, NE, after which, she met and married Harold D. Arehart. Together in Whitewood, they raised five children and numerous foster children. In December 1978, Jean graduated from Black Hills State College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in music. Music was Jean's first love and during her lifetime she played piano, organ, autoharp, and guitar, as well as sang in choirs, even onstage choruses in operas. She spent 17 years in Anchorage, AK, loving music, reading books, sewing, knitting, crocheting, quilting, traveling, fishing and all else that goes into adventures in Alaska. She is survived by four of her children, Ruth Arehart of Idaho City, ID, Cindy Rigsby (Russ) of Sturgis, Kathy Arehart of Spearfish, and Dave Arehart (Janelle) of Whitewood; 11 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Black Hills Funeral Home in Sturgis. Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday, June 6, at Black Hills Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Whitewood Cemetery.