Helen Muriel R. Kjos, 93 of Spearfish, passed away on Monday, June 17, 2013 at the Hospice House of Campbell County in Gillette, WY.

Graveside services will be at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, June 20, 2013 at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. Memorials may be directed to the Close to Home Hospice House in Gillette.

Helen was born on February 12, 1920 in Rapid City, SD to Ned & Lera (Young) Ronning. Her father Ned Ronning, was born in Bergen, Norway and she was proud of her Norwegian heritage. She was raised with her three siblings in the "Green" house on the hill in Philip, South Dakota. As a young girl she enjoyed working with her father, Ned in the family grocery store & meat market. Her father Ned raised & bought cattle for use in the meat market and as such they always had horses and animals at the place. She and her siblings spent much time riding the country side with their favorite ponies.

Muriel attended school in Philip graduating high school in 1938. She attended Business School in Omaha, NE receiving a business certificate. As a requirement in business school she learned short hand which she remembered all of her life. Even in her late years of life she would write herself notes in short hand, unfortunately, she was the only one who could read them. She began her working career in Mitchell, SD as assistant to a Group of Attorney's. During World War II she moved to Washington, DC where she worked for the US Navy in the War Department. She along with two of her cousins lived with 5 other young women in an apartment. They traveled extensively up and down the Atlantic Coast while there. As the family will remember she was never without a camera as the boxes of pictures remaining are a testament. She married Charles Dail Lobdell in 1943, to this union were born two boys. They divorced in 1953. As a single mother Muriel raised her two boys with help from Grandpa Ned. She worked hard so the boys would have the necessities and she was an excellent example of an honest hard working mother. The boys do not recall her ever missing a day of work due to sickness, even walking to work when the weather would not permit the rear wheel drive '50 Chevy to go. She began working at the First National Bank in Philip in 1954 retiring in 1985.

While in Philip she made many close friends and enjoyed a life time of attending many types of clubs and parties always willing to help with what needed done. She and her close friend Carol, attended school together in their early years and remained the dearest of friends their entire life even able to have a brief phone conversation less than a day prior to Muriel's passing. She spent countless hours with her "craft projects." She enjoyed many many hours with two of her granddaughters teaching them to make stationary with hot glue and decorating them as well as her "beading" projects many of which are still in existence. She married Lester Kjos in Wall, SD in 1967 they enjoyed 40 years together. After both retired, they traveled extensively in the Western US along with Canada, Mexico & Hawaii. She also traveled to Europe twice and the United Kingdom twice to visit her son Bryan who was in the military. She was a lifetime member of the Order of the Eastern Star holding many positions, she traveled to Nova Scotia as member of the Eastern Star as a cultural exchange delegate, she made friends there that lasted a lifetime. She was also a lifetime member of the American Legion Auxiliary.

Muriel is survived by two sons Bryan (Susan) Lobdell Pickerington, OH and Barry (Gayle) Lobdell, Gillette WY; five grandchildren, Jared Lobdell and partner Jennifer Williams, Amarillo, TX, Ashley (Dr. John) Tilley Columbus, OH, Adam Lobdell Pickerington, OH, Amber (Ben) Burns Salina, KS, and Monica Montgomery Gillette, WY; eight great-grandchildren, Blake Lobdell, J'Nai Lobdell, Tru Williams-Lobdell, Ella Rider, Eden Tilley, Travis Tilley, Maya and Natalia Burns, and Samantha Montgomery. She was preceded in death by her husband Lester, parents, two sisters, a brother and a granddaughter.

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