Vivian Violet Sladek

Vivian Violet Vermilyea Sladek passed away February 20, 2007, at the Life Care Center of Longmont (Colorado).She was born in 1916 to Ethel Clark Vermilyea and Lelande Proctor Vermilyea on their ranch near Faulkton, South Dakota. She grew up in Mitchell, South Dakota, and graduated from Mitchell High School. She attended Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, then earned a degree in English from Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, South Dakota. She taught high school English, French, and music in Hill City and Hartford, South Dakota.In 1941 she married Vernon Arthur Sladek of Pukwana, South Dakota, at her family?s home in Mitchell. During World War Two, she was the timekeeper in a factory producing the B-25 bomber, then accompanied her husband as the Navy stationed him around the US. Later they lived in North and South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, and Colorado. In Colorado, she lived in Colorado Springs, Montrose, and Longmont. She was a substitute teacher, worked for the Educational Testing Service in Illinois, and shared her love of reading by teaching adults to read.An accomplished poet, she had many poems published, including in ?Pasque Petals? magazines and ?Prairie Poets, Volumes 1 and 3.? She exhibited some of her beautiful oil paintings and watercolors. She also enjoyed singing and playing the piano and organ. Her skills in tailoring and cooking were well-known and even more well-appreciated. She was an active leader in Bluebirds, Brownies, Girl Scouts, and 4-H and held many positions in the PTA, Methodist church groups, the Bardic Round Table, and Eastern Star. Her other interests included nature, photography, history, genealogy, antiques, bridge, and travel. She will be remembered for her great sense of humor and her kindness toward other people. As alumni of Dakota Wesleyan University, Vivian Vermilyea Sladek ?38 and Vernon Sladek ?39 established the Vermilyea-Sladek Endowment Scholarship Fund to honor their parents, Ethel Clark Vermilyea, Lelande Proctor Vermilyea, Emma Swanson Sladek, and Charles Frank Sladek. Contributions may be made to DWU for this fund, which provides scholarships primarily for Native American students and/or students from small, rural South Dakota communities. She was preceded in death by her husband, Vernon Arthur Sladek, and her brother, Lelande Kent Vermilyea. She is survived by three daughters, Carol Sladek Lam, Linda Sladek, and Betty Sladek, son-in-law David Lam, four grandchildren, Rachel Lam Anderson, Amy Carter Barnes, Benjamin Lam, and Laura Carter, grandson-in-law, Scott Barnes, granddaughter-in-law, Jennifer Menders Lam, grandson-in-law, Morgan Anderson, four great-grandchildren, Grant and Logan Barnes and Catherine and William Lam, and many sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, and nephews. A memorial open house to celebrate her life will be held in the Howe Mortuary Community Room on Saturday, April 7, 2007 from 1-3 p.m.Please share thoughts, memories and condolences with the family at www.howemortuary.com