Pauline Ovitz Holsti, Ladner, SD, passed away peacefully, Saturday, March
19, 2011 at her home surrounded by her loving family. A family and friend
service will be held Wednesday, March 23, at the Ladner Church at 7 pm.
Funeral services for Pauline will be 1:00 pm, Thursday, March 24, 2011, at
the Ladner Lutheran Church. Pastor Susan Fox will officiate. Pauline will
be buried at the Cave Hills Church Cemetery alongside her husband, Calvin
J. Holsti.

Pauline Ovitz was born July 9, 1931 to Otto and Ruth (Hamilton) Ovitz in
Bowman, ND. The family started out on the Alden Hamilton ranch just north
of the South Dakota line. They moved to the Padgett place south of Bowman
and then to the Armstrong place south of Rhame. In 1936, August 6, (her
brother John's first birthday), the family moved to Milton, WI where they
eventually lived on 5 different dairy farms in the Janesville, WI area. In
1945, the family moved back to a ranch north of Highmore, SD. In 1946
there was a huge prairie fire that burned right through the ranch, taking
all the grass and fences, forcing them to move in 1947. They moved to the
Bill Burk farm NE of Bowman, ND. The spring of 1949, Pauline graduated
high school in Bowman, valedictorian of her class. Her family had moved to
the Salmen Ranch at Ladner, SD, and she and Lois had stayed with Mrs.
McManus to finish their schooling. Pauline attended summer school at Black
Hills State College in Spearfish and taught at the Painter School that
year of 1949-50. She married Calvin J. Holsti October 8, 1950 at the Cave
Hills Church by Pastor Elmo Agrimson. Calvin and Pauline began their life
on the Heikkala place situated along the Little Missouri River. They had
five daughters. After Calvin died January 5, 1970, Pauline and her
daughters continued to operate the ranch, suffering through many trials.
Good neighbors and friends were very supportive and helpful. She and Becky
continued running the ranch until Pauline's death.

Pauline was featured in several publications and received awards for her
achievements. She was active in the Ladner/Bullock community, supporting
the church and the Bullock Community Center. She was also a member of the
Order of the Eastern Star, The Harding County EMT Association, Northwest
Regional Library, LCW, Treasurer of the Ladner Lutheran Church for a
number of years, was Sunday School Superintendent for a number of years
and director of the Ladner choir, 30 year member of the Bowman Community
Chorus, performed in various plays, Bullock and Tri-State Area Theatre, a
member of the Extension Club, and news writer for the North Camp Crook
News (after Marge Catron).

A woman of high principles, she was known to throw wedding punch over the
fence of the Ladner Lutheran Church when it was found to have been
contaminated with liquor! She kept strict records of her cattle, improving
the herd immensely. Her ranch records were impeccable. Pauline's home was
open to friends near and far and she valued highly her friends and family.
She will be missed.

She is survived by: her daughters, Paula (Greg) Richter, Rebecca "Becky"
Holsti, Ann Marie (Lane) Dingfelder, Mary (Russell) Cramer, and Helen
Wichman; her siblings, John (Kay) Ovitz, David (Keiko) Ovitz, Bruce
(Karen) Ovitz, and Jean Tennant; her brother-in-law, Gordon (Martha)
Holsti; her grandchildren; beloved great
grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband, Calvin, her
sister, Lois Steen, her brother-in-law Gary Tennant and her son-in-law
Mike Wichman.