Carol J. Gildemaster, age 78, of Virgil, passed away on Sunday, April 3, 2022 at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls surrounded by her family. Her funeral service will be held on Friday, April 8, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Welter Funeral Home with burial to follow at Virgil Cemetery in Virgil. Visitation, with her family present, will be from 5-7 PM on Thursday, April 7, 2022 at Welter Funeral Home; or one hour prior to the service on Friday morning. A prayer service will begin at 6:30 PM on Thursday evening at the funeral home.

Her funeral service will be live-streamed through the Welter Funeral Home Facebook Page .

Carol Joanne was born on June 2, 1943 to parents Frank and Hazel (Aldrich) Curtis, Jr. in Huron, South Dakota. Carol grew up on the family farm near Virgil, graduating from Wolsey High School in 1961 as valedictorian. Carol attended Northern State College for one year before attending Huron College. She graduated in 1965, receiving the top honor of Huronian which was given to a student with scholastic and character excellence.

Carol married Larry Gildemaster at the Methodist church in Huron on June 4, 1965. While Larry finished college, Carol taught math and German at Howard schools for one year. The couple then moved to Le Sueur, MN for eight years. In 1974, the family moved back to Virgil to her parent's family farm where they raised Polled Hereford cattle.

Making memories with her six grandchildren were very important to Carol. Each of them has a special memory of their Grandma Carol. Ashley's best memories were of times she had with grandma on the farm and that she gave her a special kind of love that only a grandma can give. Jordan remembers the summer he watched Yankee games with grandma and she taught him how to keep scorebook, and while watching the game they had popcorn. Carol and her grandson Austin loved to keep scorebooks of baseball games together. She also loved to play board games which is a great memory for her grandson Seth. Jenna's favorite memories are Christmases and grandma coming to basketball games in Huron. Joslyn remembers picking buckets of dandelions in grandma's yard.

Carol was a member of the American Hereford Association, South Dakota Hereford Association, Neighborly Get-Together Club, and served on the Beadle County Extension Board. She loved to garden, especially vegetables and flowers. Cheering on the New York Yankees was a favorite pastime of Carol's. Attending Wolsey-Wessington Warbird sporting events meant so much to Carol, she loved to cheer them on!

She is survived by her husband, Larry of Virgil; her daughter, Michele (Jeff) Bush of Pierre, and their children, Ashley (Jordan Venner) Smith of Littleton, CO, Jordan (Brooke Read) Smith of Mesa, AZ, Jenna Bush and Joslyn Bush of Pierre; her son, Mark (Tyann) Gildemaster of Pierre, and their children, Austin (Sarah Randall) Gildemaster of West Fargo, ND and Seth Gildemaster of Pierre; her brother-in-law, Ron Gildemaster of Artesian and her sister-in-law Debbie Travis of Plattsmouth, NE; her special aunt Dorothy Clouser; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Hazel Curtis, Jr.; her sister Joyce (Donald) DuBois; her in-laws, Max and June Gildemaster; brothers-in-law, Alan Gildemaster and Randy Travis; and her sister-in-law, Judy Gildemaster.