Vesta Mae (Blair) Cha was born on September 28, 1925, at Tilford, South Dakota to John and Lois (Lamberton) Blair. She grew up on a ranch near Tilford with her older brother, Calvin, and her older sister, Lucile. Vesta graduated from Sturgis High School in 1943, and then attended a business college in Rapid City. She was baptized and became a member of First Presbyterian Church in Sturgis o June 13, 1945, the same day Linda Blair was baptized.

She worked for the First Federal Savings and Loan for two years, and then went to Oakland, California where she worked for thirteen years for Colgate Palmolive Company. After serving in the Army, Frederick Cha was honorably discharged, he moved to California to work for the military base in Alameda, where he was trained and worked as a jet engine mechanic. The job he absolutely loved, showing up early every day. He also enjoyed the weather, riding his motorcycle to work almost every day. He enjoyed going to dances after work, and that is where he met the love of his life, Vesta Blair. They dated for a year before they were married on June 14, 1950, in Oakland, California.

Together they bought and ran three apartment buildings in California at different times, and Fred would do maintenance on them in his spare time. After several years, he and Vesta retired, and they later moved to Sturgis in 2004. Fred wanted to get away from traffic and enjoy the small town atmosphere, and they wintered in Chandler, Arizona for five years. Fred and Vesta moved to Berry unit at Sturgis Regional Long Term Care in 2011, due to health reasons.

Vesta Mae (Blair) Cha, 92, Sturgis, died Friday, January 5, 2018, at the Sturgis Regional Senior Care Center.

Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis.

Committal services will be 10 a.m. Thursday, January 11, 2018, at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

Memorial has been established to Sturgis Regional Senior Care activities fund.

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