Mabel Parker, age 96, of Huron, South Dakota, and formerly of Cooperstown, North Dakota, died Sunday, March 1, 2009, at her home in Huron. Her funeral service will be at 10:30 AM Tuesday, March 10th at the Cooperstown Funeral Chapel at Cooperstown. Visitation will be from 12 noon to 7 PM Monday at Cooperstown Funeral Chapel with a prayer service at 7 PM Monday evening. Spring interment will be in the Cooperstown Cemetery. Officiating will be Reverend Jessica Merchant. Organist will be Kathy Soma-Gawronski. Soloist will be George Vigesaa. Casketbearers will be Bob Parker, Casey Retzlaff, Levi Fettig, Kerry Fettig, Kevin Hundstad & Clifford Calheim. Hororary casketbearers are Cindy Becker, Heidi Hagen, Megan Ripplinger, Chelsea Fettig, Amy Elhard, Crystal Becker, Jonathan Parker, Lexi Hagen, Alex Gums, Preston Hagen, Owen Parker, Jett Retlzaff, Casey Hundstad, McKinna Becker, Cole Elhard, Cody Elhard, Dominic Elhard, Briana Sokoloski & Tyler Sokoloski.

Mabel Nelson was born September 30, 1912, to Peter and Anna Nelson. She was raised in the Motley, Minnesota area. In 1940, Mabel married Gilbert Parker. They farmed at Aneta, North Dakota. They then moved to Wichita, Kansas where she worked as “Rosie the Riveter” at Boeing on the first B-52 bomber. In 1957, they moved to Cooperstown, North Dakota. Mabel worked as a nurses aide at the Cooperstown Hospital from 1957 until retiring in 1982. In 2006, Mabel moved to Huron, South Dakota, to be with her daughter.

Mabel loved playing dice, bingo and cards. She also enjoyed fishing. Mabel crocheted and made baby blankets for all of her grandchildren. She cherished the time she spent with family, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, her cat, Cocoa and her dog, Tia.

She was preceded in death by her parents; grandparents; husband, Gilbert; and grandson-in-law, Kevin Becker; 2 sisters; 2 brothers; one niece and one nephew.

Grateful for having shared in her life are her daughter, Twila Parker of Huron, South Dakota; four grandchildren, Bob (Susan) Parker of Oak Harbor, Washington, Cindy Becker of Jamestown, North Dakota, Casey (Kim) Retzlaff of Argusville, North Dakota, and Heidi Hagen of Huron, South Dakota; fifteen great-grandchildren; and four great great-grandchildren.

Arrangements with the Cooperstown Funeral Chapel.