Tyyne Tilus, 98, of Buffalo, SD, died on July 21, 2012 at the Southwest Healthcare Hospital in Bowman.

Funeral Services for Tyyne will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 28, 2012 at the Harding County Rec Center in Buffalo. Reverend Allen Worlin will officiate with burial to follow in the Cave Hills Cemetery. Visitation will begin on Friday, from 9-9 at the Krebsbach/Kulseth Funeral Home Chapel.

Tyyne was born on September 18, 1913, to Kusti and Saimi (Wigren) Tilus of South Cave Hills. Her parents were born in Finland and came to the Black Hills to work. They moved to their homestead in the spring of 1910. She had four siblings, Niilo, Anna Mary, Karlo and Helen. All her siblings have passed away, leaving her the oldest living member of the Tilus family – almost 99. After the death of her father in a wagon accident in 1916 at the age of 35, Saimi raised the five children from the ages of 2 months to 7 years old on the homestead with the help of neighbors, until the children were old enough to help.

Tyyne attended eight years at Penttila School. She began working at a young age to help the family. In 1936 she left home to work in Lead, SD, for a short while; then went on to Minnesota, Illinois, California and Washington, DC. From 1943-47 she worked in a hospital in Portland, OR. She came back home every two years. She has traveled extensively to all but two of the states. She made two trips to Finland, one in 1949, and one with brother Niilo in 1971. She came home in the middle 1950's to care for her mother, who passed away in 1960. She went to work as a personal cook for Bruce Norris in Illinois. He was the owner of the Norris Ranches. With two other employers in later years, she had the opportunity to go to Florida in the winter months.

She retired in 1978 to return to the family homestead to be with her brother Niilo. She took care of him during his illness before his death in 1987.

She was well known for the woven rugs she made in her retirement years. Many of us have them on our floors. She was also a great hostess to everyone that stopped by to see her. She always took the opportunity to give you a cup of coffee, along with her wonderful baked treats. If you could stay to eat, you were blessed with a wonderful meal that she would prepare.

She went on several trips across the county with the Elite Club.

In 2005 she moved into an apartment in town.

Tyyne has been an active member in the HC Seniors Citizens. She was a faithful member of the Buffalo Gospel Tabernacle Church and served on the Advisory Board for several years. She played piano for many years for the church.

She was preceded in death by her dad Kusti (1916); mom Saimi (1960); her brothers Karlo (1966) and Niilo (1987); sisters Anna Mary Tilus (2000) and Helen Worlin (2005); first cousin John Niemi (2011); a grand-nephew and a great-grand-nephew.

She is survived by three nieces and four nephews: Ruth Worlin of Saxon, WI; Donald Tilus of Buffalo, MN; David Tilus of Buffalo, SD; Darrell Tilus of Gold Canyon, AZ; Rhea Glasson of Stitzer, WI; Allen Worlin of Merrill, WI; and Priscilla Cook of Wadsworth, IL. Also surviving are 20 grand, 37 great-grand, and 11 great-great-grand-nephews and nieces, as well as first cousin's families Betty Niemi, David Niemi, Diane Johnson, Dorene Lorge and Debra Niemi.

Needless to say, we will miss her, but are happy she went home to her reward. She is loved and revered very much by her family. We all thank God for Tyyne's life, for all her love and prayers for us and everyone around her. Her prayers have made a difference in many lives. THANK YOU, Aunt Tyyne