Luella D. Auch: 1927-2023
Luella D. Auch age 96 of Menno, S.D., passed away Sunday, March 5, 2023, at her son’s home. A funeral service will be held at 2 pm., Friday, March 10 at Salem Reformed Church, Menno, with Rev. Michael Hecht officiating. Burial will be in the Menno Cemetery. Visitations were schedule from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, March 9 at Salem Reformed Church, with a Scripture service at 7 p.m. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at church. The Aisenbrey-Opsahl-Kostel Memorial Chapel, Menno, is assisting with the service details. Online condolences may be shared at: www.opsahl-kostelfuneralchapel.com. Live streaming of Luella’s service can be found at: https://my.gather.app/remember/luella-auch.
Luella Auch was born at the Ludwig Oswald Sr homestead in Jamesville Township, Yankton County, S.D. to Otto and Lydia (Oswald) Schaeffer on Jan. 9, 1927. She attended grade school at the Klaudt #14 country school near Menno and graduated from Menno High School in 1944. She attended Freeman Junior College and received a teaching certificate.
She was confirmed at the Saron Reformed Church rural Menno in 1941 by Rev Erich Kaempchen. She married Eugene P. Auch on June 22, 1947, at Saron Reformed Church by Rev Kaempchen.
Luella was a faithful homemaker and farmwife to her husband at their farm north of Lesterville, S.D. Before marriage she taught for three years at the Bender country school near Menno. After she raised her family she worked at the Menno Livestock Auction café.
Luella was active in her church, serving as a teacher and sang in the choir. She sewed many clothes for her family and did gardening. Eugene and her were able to see many parts of the U.S. and traveled twice to Germany and once to India and Bangladesh to see their son Duane. She was active in the Menno Pioneer Show, SoDak Stamm, and Menno Baseball Association.
She was preceded in death by her husband Eugene, parents Otto and Lydia Schaeffer, sisters Idella and Delores Schaeffer, sister Marie Woehl, parents-in-law Emmanuel and Salamina Auch, grandsons Peter and Michael Auch as well as nine brother-in-laws and eight sister-in-laws.
Luella is survived by her sons: Steven (Anita) Auch of Yankton, Duane (Mary) Auch of Centerville, S.D. and Dennis (Joann) Auch of Menno; grandchildren: Suzanne (John) Wentz, Stefanie (Chris) Hooley, Ashley (Andrew) Schrank, Kyle Auch, Jonathan Auch, Matthew (Erica) Auch and Julia Auch; great-grandchildren: Madison Schrank, Sophia Auch, Levi, Ava and Josiah Wentz, Hudson, Jaydon and Isaiah Hooley; six step grandchildren and their spouses and 20 step great-grandchildren. She is survived by one sister-in-law, Alvina Auch.
