Mary Ellice Rucastle, 90, Spearfish and formerly of Whitewood, died Monday, December 12, 2011 at the Spearfish Regional Hospital.

Memorial services will be 10 a.m. Friday, December 16, 2011 at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Whitewood with Pastor David Baer officiating. Inurnment follows at the Whitewood Cemetery.

Memorials have been established to the Whitewood and Spearfish Senior Centers and the Whitewood Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Mary was born October 20, 1921 at Strool, SD, to Ivan and Laura (Dutton) Seymour. She grew up on the ranch and was educated at a country school. She graduated from Hettinger High School and attended one year of college at Black Hills Normal in Spearfish. Mary taught country school in Sorum, Reva and north of Reva for several years. She moved to Sturgis where she worked at the Ben Franklin Store, Lunds Bakery and Haley's Grocery Store before working at Fort Meade in the Laundry Department. She retired from Fort Meade and lived in Whitewood for 43 years before moving to Spearfish.

Mary married John Rucastle in Sturgis on June 12, 1958.

Mary was a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Whitewood and the Whitewood and Spearfish Senior Centers.

Survivors include her children, Carol Gritts, Spearfish, Donald (Donna) Lee, Rapid City, Barbara Lee-Bachand, Sturgis; grandchildren, Brian Winner, Sioux Falls, Jeromie and Carleton Gritts, Spearfish, Cheyenne (Brandon) Battson, Justin, TX, Nadine Lee, Eagle Butte, Danielle and Jordan Cass, Eagle Butte; great grandchildren, Abby Winner, Sioux Falls, MacKenzie and Michaeli Cass, Eagle Butte, Ma'Leah Lee, Eagle Butte, Bella Battson, Justin, TX, Haidien Joe-Ann Gritts, Ronan, MT; sister, Dorothy (Bill) Young, Lincoln, NE; sisters-in-law, Rosemary Seymour, Spearfish, Marjorie Seymour, Anchorage, AK; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ivan and Laura Seymour; first husband, Walter Lee; husband and soul mate for 53 years, John Rucastle; son Sherrill Lee; daughter, Rose Lee; grandson, Trevour Gritts; sisters, Hazel (Joe) Manning, Evelyn (Bill) Hill; and brothers, Coral and Melvin Seymour.

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