Ramona Lou Koenig Tennill was born September 14,1928 to Herbert Koenig and Paulina Weber Koenig in Wessington Springs (Jerauld County), South Dakota. She attended a country school (Barber School) through the eight grade and graduated from Wessington Springs High School in 1946.
She worked as a pool stenographer in the Department of Social Security in Pierre, SD for nearly a year then moved to Mitchell, SD in the fall of 1947 to become the office secretary for the Mitchell Credit Bureau.
On April 9, 1949 she married Ronald V Tennill of Roodhouse, Illinois in Wessington Springs. That fall they moved to Redfield, SD where she worked until 1968 in several businesses, including her parent’s Community Grocery store and the Carnegie Library, on a part time basis while raising her children – Melissa Ann born September 12, 1952 and Kevin Scott born October 13, 1954. Her husband of 44 years died of cancer on October 30, 1992.
Her favorite charities were the Lions/Lioness clubs and her work at the local UCC Church where she was a member for over 50 years. She spent several years as a board member of the Peterson, Bahde, Coleman Homes, Inc.
She enjoyed participating in the Friendship Club and joining her “lunch bunch” for hamburgers and chats. She was known for her fine crocheting, large vegetable gardens, and love for her friends. She had a life-long enjoyment of reading historical novels of the Old West. Ramona loved to drive and traveled to visit family and friends often. She prayed constantly for her children and grandchildren through the years and could never seem to spend enough time with them, even after moving to join them in Kansas when she was 90 years old. Her love for them was always on her mind.
Ramona suffered a series of cerebral strokes and died in her home in hospice care with her family attending.
Preceding her in death were her parents Herbert and Paulina, husband Ron, son Scott in June 2012, brother Donald John Koenig in 1996, an infant grandson Jehrett Bryce Randolph in 1982, and special friend Lavern “Lovey” Hasz.
Surviving are her sister Lila Wuertz of Laurel, Montana, daughter Melissa Randolph of Mission, KS, two grandsons – Jehsen Bruce Randolph of Mission, KS and Jehmes Bradley Randolph of Turner, KS and his spouse Crystal Drake as well as her g reat-g randchildren Jordan Bradley Randolph, Joseph Braden Randolph, Gabreial Lawrence Drake, Xavier Vincent Drake, and twins Kamara Marie and Jada Lynn Drake.
