Roberta Schulte, age 96, a resident of Huron, SD, for 58 years, died Wednesday, May 12, 2010, at her daughters home. She had been living in Raleigh, NC, with her daughter and son-in-law, Drs. Barbara and Charles Helton, since October 2008.

Her funeral service will be 11:00 a.m. Monday, May 17, 2010, at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish in Huron with burial at St. Martin Cemetery.

Visitation will be 3-8 p.m. Sunday, May 16, at Welter Funeral Home with her family present from 6-8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 that evening. Visitation will continue one hour prior to her service at the church on Monday.

Roberta was born and raised in Aberdeen, South Dakota. She was the youngest and last of six daughters born to Johanna Reetz and Richard Robert Busse. Richard Busse, the father, was a master carpenter and home builder in Aberdeen.

Roberta graduated from Aberdeen High School and briefly attended Northern Normal and Industrial School (now Northern State University). She left the School to become a secretary in the offices of the Northwestern Public Service Company (NWPS). There she met Herbert Joseph Schulte of Frankfort, SD who was then a serviceman and meter reader for the same firm.

Herb and Roberta were married in San Marino, California in 1939 with her mother, Johanna, in attendance. Johanna lived the rest of her life in California. Herb and Roberta returned to and made their first home in Aberdeen. The Schultes later had other homes in Wagner, Clark and Huron. Herb and Roberta were married for almost 50 years when he died suddenly in 1989.

Roberta attended St. Martin and Holy Trinity churches in Huron. She served as a member and chairwoman of the Huron School Board, and as a board member for the Huron Regional Medical Center. She will be remembered as a loving wife, caring mother, aggressive card player, voracious reader, gourmet cook and dependable letter writer.

Roberta is survived by her five children; Robert (Molly) Gilbertson Schulte of Eden Prairie, MN, Mary (Gail) VanDerWerff of Armour, SD, John (Rita) Schulte of Huron, SD, Barbara (Charles) Helton of Raleigh, NC, Richard (ReJean) Schulte of Northfield, MN; 13 grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; sister in law, Agnes Blageo of St. Paul, MN; nephew, Robert Groves of Lockport, NY; nieces, Stephanie Umbach of Valparaiso, IN, and JoAnn Bobo of St Marys, GA.

Roberta was preceded in death by; her parents; husband Herbert; 5 sisters, Ellen Luedke, Alvina Rouse, Alma Umbach, Edna Groves, Martha Busse; and an infant brother, Richard Busse.

Memorials may be directed to St. Martin Cemetery, % Holy Trinity Catholic Parish, and Huron Regional Medical Center Foundation.