Malinda M. Lenz, age 93, of Pierre, SD formerly of Wolsey, SD, passed away on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 at Avera Maryhouse in Pierre, SD.

Her funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, December 7, 2015 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Wolsey, with burial at St. John's Lutheran Cemetery in Wolsey.

Her visitation with the family present will be from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, December 6 at Welter Funeral Home in Huron; or one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday.

Malinda Martha Liebnow (Lenz), the daughter of William Herman and Augusta Emilia Anna (Eichstadt) Liebnow, was born on June 1, 1922 in rural Wolsey, SD. Malinda and her sister, Edna (Overbay), grew up on the family farm nine miles west of Wolsey. Her favorite memory was helping her dad by bringing  fresh teams of horses out to the field while he was working. Malinda's favorite pastime was riding her horse, Dan.

Malinda attended Updike School (grades 1-6), Parochial German School in Wolsey (Grades 6-7), and Sand Creek School (grades 9-12). Malinda often talked about how her dad would bundle her and her sister up in the winter and they would ride in the back of a wagon pulled by a team of horses nine miles into Wolsey on Mondays and Fridays to attend school.

After Malinda graduated from Sand Creek, she went to Omaha, NE for five months to learn teletype communication. From there she went to Dayton, OH to work at the Wright Field Airforce Base.

Malinda married DeWitt Ellsworth Nickle in early 1947 in Dayton. Edna Liebnow and Harold Overbay stood up for them. Later that year, Edna and Harold married. From Malinda's and Dewitt's union were born Duane Allen and Shirley Anne Nickle. They lived in Brookville until the fall of 1955 where Malinda worked for the McCalls Corporation.

Malinda returned to South Dakota in 1955 and worked at the NE National Bank in Huron for 2 years. She and John H. H. Lenz married in1957 and lived in Wolsey, SD for 5 years. John and Duane built the family home nine miles west of Wolsey. They were blessed with three children: Kenneth John, LaVern William, and Mary Alice Lenz.

Malinda enjoyed collecting recipes (everyone had to be quiet when the Neighbor Lady was on the radio so Mom could write down the recipes!), baking (she always had cookies hidden somewhere), sewing, quilting, gardening, and painting ceramics. She sewed clothes and quilts for her children, as well as quilts for the Lutheran World Relief. Her days were filled with taking care of her children. She was so happy to have her grandsons, Doug and Dustin live with them while they attended high school in Wessington.

Malinda was a lifelong member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Wolsey, SD, LWML, American Legion Auxillary, and Wolsey Senior Center.

Grateful for having shared in Malinda's life were her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren: son Duane (Susan) Nickle of Deadwood, SD  his children: Doug (Cary) Nickle and their children, Danielle and Seth Nickle and Dustin (Jessica) Nickle;  daughter, Shirley Bernie of Pierre, SD and her children, MaLita Bernie and Dorothy Kiyukan and family, and Shirley's granddaughter, Atana Bernie-Blue;  son, Kenneth Lenz of Huron, SD;  son, LaVern Lenz of Pierre and his children: Arthur (Kendra) Lenz and their children, Aspen and Mayzie, daughters, Jennifer Lenz and Jessica (Shane) Miller and their son David; and Logan Lenz;  daughter, Mary (Jay) Till of Pierre, SD, their children, Cody Nilson and his children, Kaylee and Brody Nilson;  daughter Julie Nilson and sons, Angelo Roubideaux and Travis Till. Malinda's niece and nephews: Russell, Robert, Phyllis, David, Michael, Glenn Overbay and famlies ; and her many relatives and friends.

Malinda was preceded in death by her husband, John (1995); parents, Anna and William Liebnow; John's parents, Martha and John P. Lenz; sister and brother-in-law, Edna and Harold Overbay; granddaughter, MaLita Bernie; and nephew, Michael Overbay.