Violetta May "Dolly" Mitchell, 92, of Buffalo, SD, died Monday, February 21, 2011.

Visitation will be Thursday from noon to 9:00 p.m. at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis.

Funeral services will be held Friday, February 25, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. at the UCC Congregational Church in Buffalo with Pastor Tom Martin officiating. Burial will follow at the Buffalo Cemetery.

Dolly was born June 7, 1918, to Harry and Jessie Henderson on their ranch near Harding, SD. She attended country school until going to Buffalo where she graduated High School in 1937.

Dolly married Darrell W. Mitchell November 18, 1938. They lived and worked on the Vroman Ranch until they moved to Buffalo in the fall of 1942 where they lived and raised their family.

She took in teacher and student borders from the area while they attended school. She also was the City Treasurer, worked at the hardware store numerous times through the years, owned a dress shop, was a seamstress, worked at The Oasis Café, Clanton's OK Corral, and worked with her daughter, Pennee, at her store, Material Things. Dolly was known for her great cooking, serving many lunches to her daughter, grandkids, and many friends.

Dolly was an active member of the community, the UCC Congregational Church, a 60-year member of the Eastern Star, the study club, and a birthday club. She enjoyed attending sports events and rodeos with her kids and grandkids. Many knew her as "Grandma Dolly," and was a friend to everyone she met. She was a loving wife and a wonderful mother.

Thankful to have shared her life are her sons, C.D. (Lavonne) Mitchell, Rapid City, and Mike (Bertha) Mitchell, Yuacaipa, CA; her daughters, Pennee (Bret) Clanton, Buffalo, and Kellee (Gary) Cordingly, Nisland; seven grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren with two on the way; and six nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her step-father, Carl Heairet; one sister, Willo Heairet; one brother, Jack Henderson; brother-in-law, Bud Heairet; niece, Nikki Ann Heairet Bogard; nephew, Jeff Henderson; and uncle, Jim Henderson.

Memorials have been established to the Congregational Church and to community organizations.