Obituary of Dawne Hartmann

Hartmann Dawne

Dawne Marie Jepsen Hartmann, 81, of Yankton, passed away Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at her home. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM, Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at Christ the King Lutheran Church, Yankton, SD with Rev. Dani Jo Bierwagen officiating.  Burial will be in the Hansen Cemetery, rural Irene, SD at approximately 2:00 PM Tuesday afternoon.  Visitations will be 5 to 7 PM, Monday, September 30, 2024 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home and Onsite Crematory, Yankton, SD with a Scripture service and memory sharing at 7:00 PM.  Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church.  Online condolences may be sent at www.opsahl-kostelfuneralhome.com.

Dawne Marie Jepsen Hartmann went home to be with Jesus, September 25, 2024 at her home in Yankton, SD. Dawne was born October 9, 1942 on a farm near Center Point, SD.  Dawne was the first-born child of Clarence Alvin and Babe Ruth Gladys Person Jepsen. She was born at dawn on the family farm. Her sister, Sherry Dee, was born August 6, 1945.

Dawne grew up on the farm. There she milked cows, did chicken and pig chores. She helped with the garden and canning. All the laundry was done in a wringer washer and hung on a line. The family raised, butchered, and canned virtually all the food needed for the year.

When she was about 10 and her family lived on a farm North of the rural Spring Valley Lutheran Church, Jesus appeared to her in the sky above the church beckoning her. She started walking up the hill to church on Sunday to attend Sunday School. She gave her heart to the Lord Jesus, and followed Him all her life. Dawne valued God’s word and was a part of several Bible study groups over the years.

Dawne attended two country schools near Center Point. She attended Viborg Public High School and graduated with the class of 1960.

After high school, Dawne worked in Yankton as a telephone operator for the Graham Bell company.

While working in Yankton, Dawne met Gordon Clark. They were married at Spring Valley Lutheran Church, rural Viborg on Oct 8, 1961.

The couple lived in Tulsa, OK; Greeley, CO; Longmont, CO; Viborg, SD; and Yankton, SD.  The couple was blessed with three children: Lori Rene, Terri Lynn, and Kevin Lee.

Dawne raised her three children as a stay-at-home mom. She continued on her family gardening tradition by always having a big garden. She planted fruit trees, bushes, asparagus, and flowers. She raised dairy goats.  Homemade bread and homemade cottage cheese were a regular part of the family meals. Dawne always put special effort into providing delicious and nutritious meals for her family.

Dawne was a girl scout leader for the Longmont, CO Girl Scout Troup 221 for many years.

After her divorce in 1992, Dawne moved to Yankton. There she met Dennis Hartmann. They were married June 9, 1995 at Trinity Lutheran with the Rev. OK Anderson officiating. After their marriage, Dennis and Dawne lived on a cute, little acreage covered with huge cottonwood trees on East Highway 50, Yankton. Soon after their marriage, they became members of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Yankton.

Dawne worked for many years at Gurney’s Nursery, Dale Electronics, and Applied Engineering in Yankton. She retired in 2007.

Dawne, spent her retirement years planting a garden, fruit bushes, and asparagus on the acreage to fill the acreage with food producing plants.

Dennis retired from his long-time job at Kohlberg’s and began his own machinist shop, D&D Machine Works in 2008.

Dennis and Dawne loved to attend the annual Thresher’s Bee in Rollag, MN. They fished and traveled until Dawne had health issues that limited travel.

Dawne’s grandchildren have special memories of baking cookies several times every year  with their grandma. Dawne also loved to play board games and cards with her family. So much laughter was shared during these times!

Dawne was treated for breast cancer. In 2016, Dawne experienced an Aortal Dissection, a 95% fatal event. Dawne had several surgeries on the aorta over the following years. At least 7 times, Dawne experienced miracles that gave her a total of 8 extra years to spend with her family.

Dawne is survived by: her husband of 29 years; Dennis Hartmann, Yankton, SD: her children; Lori (Rodney) Sletten, Viborg, SD; Terri Clark (Anthony DiMichele), Wakonda, SD; Kevin (Julie) Clark, Manhattan, KS: 4 grandchildren; Christopher Sletten, Culbertson, MT; Adam (Kate) Sletten, Culbertson, MT; Isaac (Becky) Sletten, Harrisburg, SD; Jemima (Bret) VanderZee, Viborg, SD; Samuel Clark, Lawrence KA;  4 great grandchildren; Zadock, Theodore, and Dagmar Sletten, Culbertson, MT; and Erick Sletten, Harrisburg, SD: her sister; Sherry (Dale) Olson, Sioux Falls, SD; 2 step children:  April Hagen (Paul), Tea, SD; Jason Hartmann, Sioux Falls: 5 step grandchildren: Gregory McKay; Aubrey, Anna-Kate, and Garrett Hagin; and Gweneth Hartmann: 2 sisters in law: Linda Johnson, Sioux Falls: Mary Fuller, Fulda, MN: and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Ruth Jepsen, Viborg.