Cora Verhulst, 74, of Spearfish, SD passed away on Friday, February 27, 2015 at her home.

Cora Amy Stringham Kerwin Verhulst was born on June 12, 1940, in St. George, Utah to George Ammon and Vilate (Eddards) Stringham. She was the youngest of six children of a sheep herder/shearer/fence builder.

Her family moved to Casper, Wyoming when she was a teenager, where she met and married the first love of her life, Martin Kerwin. They married on Friday, May 13, 1960, and moved to Spearfish to help on the Kerwin family ranch. This marriage blessed them with eight children. Martin passed away January 9, 1983. In 1987, Cora met Peter Verhulst at the Spearfish All School Reunion and they were married on December 18, 1988. Pete passed away on November 29, 2009.

Cora's love of flowers, butterflies, birds, and the color pink lead her to attend floral school in Denver, CO in 1972. In 1979, Cora opened Cora's Creations in a remodeled garage on Evans Lane, eventually moving uptown. She was active in the floral business, still putting smiles on people's faces, until December of 2014 when her illness got the best of her.

Cora not only was mother to the Kerwin and Verhulst kids, but many, many others that are our brothers and sisters of the heart. Her heart, and her door, was always open to anyone.

She is survived by her children, Jeannette (Kerwin) Flager, Pomona, KS, Patrick Kerwin, Pacific, MO, May Lynn (Howard) Hall, Baker Montana, Janet Kerwin, Spearfish, SD, Kellie Kerwin, Spearfish, SD, Kim Kerwin (Mark) Ginsbach, Spearfish, SD; her daughters-in-law, Dorothy Kerwin, Lander, WY, Patty Kerwin, Powell, WY; one sister, Beverly Valdes, Casper, WY; four sisters-in-law; her stepchildren, LaVea Verhulst, Whitewood, SD, Paul (Laura) Verhulst, Rifle, CO, Clark (Cindy) Verhulst, Longmont, CO, Zane (Janet) Verhulst, Reva, SD, Harley (Ronda) Verhulst, Spearfish, SD, Lance (Daina) Verhulst, Hot Springs; 23 grandchildren, and 43 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews and extended family members. She is preceded in death by her parents; the best husbands anyone could have-Martin Kerwin and Peter Verhulst; sons, Tony Kerwin and Nick Kerwin; four siblings; a granddaughter; two great-grandchildren; son-in-law, Max Flager; and daughter-in-law Isabel Kerwin.

Visitation will be 3 PM – 6 PM on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel in Spearfish. A Celebration of Cora's Life will be at 2 PM on Thursday, March 5 at the Spearfish Park Pavilion. Interment will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Spearfish. A memorial has been established to Hospice of the Northern Hills and a beautification project for the City of Spearfish. Please honor Cora's wishes by wearing pink to the service.
We are honoring our mom's wishes by celebrating all aspects of her heritage-Native American, Irish, English and Welch.

Da 'Sah Kolah – a Lakota term for there are no words for good-bye only.

Arrangements are under the care of Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapels and Crematory Service of Spearfish.