Grace Schoenwald, 96

Grace Schoenwald, age 96, passed away peacefully on June 25, 2025 at Ava’s Hospice House in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Grace Mae was born on Sept. 29, 1928 to Alfred and Vina Hoffman in Kadoka, S.D. Grace’s father died in a car accident and a month later her mother passed away mysteriously, leaving behind Grace and three other siblings. They were placed in the Children’s Home Society in Sioux Falls. Dan and Olive (VanWoert) Allard went to the Children’s Home Society and adopted Grace when she was 4 years old. A week later they went back and adopted another baby named Paul.

Grace grew up on a farm four miles south of Salem, S.D., where she would eventually marry her husband, Hank Schoenwald on Jan. 23, 1949, and raised their eight children.

There, she was the happiest helping her husband and raising their children. She helped milk cows, raised hogs, geese, chickens and had a very large garden. Grace was an extraordinary cook and baker; she could cook anything out of nothing and never used measuring utensils. Her talent was passed on to her children. There would be numerous wild animals that would appear on the farm where she made pets out of them. Peacocks were the most unusual ones. She would pick up feathers and decorate our house with peacock feathers and lilacs from our large grove of lilacs. She also raised Golden Pheasants.

Her children had very fond memories of the exposure of different animals and the farm life. The farm life was hard, but Hank and Grace eventually made their homestead farm a success. Raising eight children was a blessing to them. Grace’s greatest love was her children and grandchildren.

She was introduced to Belgian Draft horses where she showed them and received many trophies and ribbons. Grace and Hank loved taking a once-a-year trip with their camper to either the Black Hills or down south to Texas hitting all the states.

Grace also was attracted to a German Shepard and ended up raising and breeding AKC Registered German Shepards. At one time she had 63 puppies and was honored that two of them went to Germany. Grace got very attached to her puppies and was very heart broken when selling them. She eventually downsized.

Hank and Grace ventured out to find Grace’s biological siblings. She had a sister, Betty in Texas, sister Donna in California, and a brother Bill in Sturgis, S.D. They spent many times with all of them, and Grace was so happy to find a connection to her biological siblings.

They sold their farm after a hard decision in 1982. They traveled the United States in their motorhome until they made their way back to the Sioux Falls area and purchased an acreage in Brandon and then moved to Sioux Falls and then eventually put a home on their land near the interstate at Salem and built a pond with a nature spring running through. Hank stocked it with variety of fish for their grandkids could come out and fish and spend time with them.

They also purchased a home in Arizona during the cold winters, spending six months there and enjoying their best life ever.

They celebrated their 50th anniversary in January 1999 in Arizona with friends and a few family members. A month later, in February 1999, Hank passed away. Grace came back to Salem where she spent the rest of her life on the acreage across from the homestead where she grew up on and raised her children. She lived there with her son, Steven, who was her caregiver for 24 years until her passing.

Grace passed away from a fall that she could not recover. At 96 years old, she had seen and experienced so much in her lifetime. She was a true believer that God has a plan.

Leaving behind are eight of her children: Larry (Ginny), Harvey, Linda (Bill) Burger, Daniel (Vicki), Leslie (Marnie), Steven, Nancy Hrdlicka and Jeanie (Rick), and their spouses; 14 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Henry; parents Dan and Olive Allard; brother, Paul; daughter-in-law, Sandy; biological parents and siblings and multiple extended family.

A funeral service was held Monday, June 30 at 11 a.m. at the Kinzley Funeral Home with a burial at the Wildwood Cemetery, Salem.

Condolence cards may be sent to 730 Pacific Circle, Harrisburg, SD 57032.