Virginia Ida Rath, 83, was born December 11, 1929, to Fred C. and Elizabeth (Hoffman) Fischer on her family's farm one mile north of Longlake, S.D.

She grew up on that farm, and she and her six siblings went to school in Longlake.

After the sudden death of her mother in 1941, her father married Christina (Kaul) Sandmeier in 1944, uniting two families. They moved from the farm into Longlake in 1946.

Virginia graduated from Leola High School in 1947. She earned a teaching certificate from Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen that same year and taught in one-room schools for several years.

Virginia had a deep Christian faith and devotion to her Lord. She was baptized into Christ February 9, 1930, and confirmed her faith July 2, 1944, at Salem-Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Longlake. She was very involved in the life of that congregation for 57 years.

Virginia married her lifetime friend and high school sweetheart, Clarence Rath, on June 26, 1949, at Salem-Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Longlake. The couple raised five sons and two daughters. Music and sports were a large part of their lives.

Virginia was a devoted wife and partner for Clarence throughout their marriage: managing the home, working as office manager for their family business, Rath and Sons Electric, and substituting as a mail carrier on Clarence's rural mail route.

She was very dedicated to her family, always putting their needs ahead of her own. Her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren brought her great joy. She followed her husband and boys to many baseball, softball, and football games. Her skill for arranging earned her the loving title, "The Lone Arranger."

She was very active in the community life of Longlake. She was a member of the Lutheran Church Women, American Legion Auxiliary, and Rural Letter Carriers Association Auxiliary.

Clarence and Virginia lived in Longlake until retiring to Whitewood, S.D., in 1987, where they had purchased land and were a part of the Whitewood Forest Acres Development.

Upon moving to Whitewood, she joined Immanuel Lutheran Church where she was very involved for 26 years. She was also a part of The 8-10 Club in Whitewood and the Black Hills Chapter of the Germans from Russia Heritage Society.

She loved dancing, playing pinochle and bridge, and working crossword puzzles.

Clarence and Virginia celebrated their 60th anniversary with family and friends in 2009. Clarence died the following February.

Virginia died November 18, 2013, at Sturgis Regional Hospital following a long illness.

Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Tuesday at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, November 27, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Whitewood with the Rev. David Baer officiating. Burial will follow at the Whitewood Cemetery.

Survivors include her two daughters: Joanne (David) Baer, Whitewood; and Jeanne (Dugan) Petersen, Fort Pierre; four of her five sons: Tony (Brenda) Rath, Whitewood; Toby (Lois) Rath, Whitewood; Eric Rath, Aurora, Colo.; and Tim (Jamie) Rath, Whitewood; daughter-in-law Anne Rath, Brookings; 12 grandchildren: Cory (Kelly) Rath; Erin Rath; Russell (Katie) Petersen; Amy (Kevin) Dix; Jessica (Chris) Jasso; Brad Gilchrist; Jason (Sally) Rath; Alex Rath; Kiley Rath; David Jeremiah Baer; Jordan Porter; and Jaselyn Schultes; nine great-grandchildren: Emmalyn and Lance Gilchrist; Olivia and Ericka Dix; Lily and Carver Rath; Auston, Levi and Madison Magelky; her sister, Darlene Sandmeier, Huron; step-sisters: Elsie Geffre, Aberdeen; and Olivia Schock, Aberdeen; sister-in-law, Genevieve Hueseman, Lodi, Calif.; brother-in-law, Jim Rath, Eureka; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence; son, Conroy; her parents; her sisters, Frieda and Viola Fischer; Eleanora Walz; Huldina Klipfel; and Anne Pearson; and brothers, Frederick, Harold, and Henry; and step-brother, Ruben Sandmeier.

Memorials have been established to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Whitewood or to Hospice of the Northern Hills.

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