Phyllis A. (Ferguson) Holben, age 75, of Spearfish, went to be with the Lord on June 30, 2012. She was surrounded by loving family at the time of her passing. She had been at Rapid City Regional Hospital since June 4, 2012 and fought a courageous battle with many odds against her.
Phyllis was born to Melvin and Hazel (Joenks) Ferguson on September 6, 1936. She attended school in Primghar, Iowa before the family moved to the family farm in Laurens, Iowa. She graduated from Laurens High School in 1954. While attending LHS, she was the president of the youth group of the YWCA club and an excellent student, graduating third in her class.
Valuing education highly, she decided to attend Iowa Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa) in Cedar Falls and received her Associates Degree in Education in 1956. She then taught school in Battlecreek, Iowa and Laverne, Minnesota.
On June 16, 1963, she married the love of her life, Lester W. Holben, in Laurens, Iowa. They moved to a ranch north of Spearfish and began a life together of ranching and operating a trucking business. She taught one year at West Elementary in Spearfish, before their first son, Jim, was born. A year and a half later, their second son, Dan, joined the family. She then attended and graudated from Black Hills State College with a BA in Education.
For the next 20 years, she raised her family and helped Lester with his different agricultural businesses. As her own children grew, her never ending love for children continued as she watched children for several families around town. None were more special than Rachel and Dan Brady, daughter and son of Forest and Sharon Brady. She also worked at Lookout Memorial Hospital as a nurse's assistant for newborns.
Her love of the classroom never left her and in 1989, she decided to return to teaching by accepting a position with the Harding County School District. For the next 13 years, she taught students in Camp Crook, SD. Primarily, she taught grades K-2, but being a rural school, at times she had students ranging from K-4.
In 1990, Lester retired which gave him the opportunity to be with Phyllis in Camp Crook. Summers and weekends were spent in Spearfish, but when school was in session, they both were in Camp Crook. During this time, they made many friendships that they both treasured. In 2002, she retired from teaching and they began living in Spearfish full time.
During this phase of her life, she enjoyed being a grandmother. Whenever possible, they attended grandchildren's activities. The both enjoyed the Butte-Lawrence County Fair, 4-H, horse shows, rodeos and other sporting events. She took pride in listening to the kids play the piano and following the sports teams of Harding County, seeing the successes of her former students, both athletically and academically. She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Spearfish.
On May 10, 2011, Lester passed on to Heaven. Phyllis continued to live in their home and enjoyed many wonderful friends visiting her after his passing.
She is survived by sons, Jim (Geni) Holben and their children, Nicholas and Zachary, Jamestown, ND; Dan (Marcie) Holben and their children, Stran and Shaylie, Spearfish; brothers Claire (Jean) Ferguson, Sioux Rapids, IA and Marvin Ferguson, Laurens, IA; sister Darlene (Jerry) Parr, Highlands Ranch, CO; brother/sister-in-law Marston and Marian Holben, Scottsdale, AZ, and numerous nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Lester, her parents, sister Mavis Ferguson and sister-in-law Sal Ferguson.
A Celebration of Life will be at 1:30 P.M., Friday, July 6, at the United Methodist Church, Spearfish, with Pastor Scott McKirdy officiating. Private family burial will take place at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. A memorial has been established.
Arrangements are pending under the care of Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapels & Crematory Services, Spearfish. Online condolences may be written to www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com.