Emma M. Waddle

Emma Waddle, 99, of Webster, passed away peacefully, Sunday, November 17, 2024, at Bethesda Home in Webster.

Funeral services will be 2:00 pm Friday, November 22, 2024, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Webster and will be livestreamed via Fiksdal Funeral Service Facebook page. Interment will follow at the Webster Cemetery.

Visitation will be 5-7 pm Thursday at the funeral home.

Emma Marie Holland was born on March 1, 1925, to Jacob and Isabelle (Sampson) Holland in Day County, South Dakota. She was one of ten children. She was baptized at Falnes Lutheran Church and confirmed at Tabor Lutheran Church. She attended country school near the family home north of Webster. After her education, Emma worked for local families caring for children, cooking, baking, and cleaning. 

On November 11, 1943, she married Leslie “Bud” Waddle at Waubay, South Dakota. The couple made their home on a farm near Webster. To this union five children were born. Emma was a dedicated farmwife, helping in all areas of the farming operation. She cared for her family, making sure that they attended Sunday School, Confirmation, piano lessons, 4-H, where she served as a leader, and so much more through the years. After her children were grown, she took a position at the Day County Hospital in Webster, where she worked as a cook, until her retirement after 23 years of service. 

Later, with the help of their sons, Emma and Bud physically built their new home just down the road from the Waddle family farm. They were known to be quite crafty. Bud would build little bird houses and Emma would delicately paint them. Bud passed away in 2003. Emma continued to live on their hobby farm until moving into Webster. In 2017 she moved to Bethesda Home in Webster. 

 Emma loved her Lord and her family. She was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church where she was active in Circle. She enjoyed gardening, embroidering, quilting, and crafting. She embroidered hundreds of dishtowels, continuing even after her stroke in 2017. She enjoyed showing her work to family and friends and then gifting them with a dishtowel. 

Emma will be greatly missed by her children, Sharon (Terry) McBroom of Webster, SD, Darrel (Judy) Waddle of Webster, SD, Anita (Jerome) Stulen of Spicer, MN, and Dan (Kim) Waddle of Webster, SD. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, two sisters, Selma Evenson of Sioux Falls, SD, and Helen Nelson of Webster, SD, one sister-in-law, Elaine Holland of Webster, SD, one brother-in-law, Earl Althoff, as well as many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Bud, infant son Leslie Jr, grandson Trent Iverson, and infant great granddaughter, Kyla Joy Stulen. She was also predeceased by her siblings, Edwin Holland, Lorraine Peterson, Sherman Holland, Irene Tvinnereim, Harriet Evenson, Judith Barber, and Serine Althoff.