Obituary

Funeral services for Dianne Beth Nielsen, age 53, of Watertown, SD will be at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, June 24, 2011 at Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer in Watertown, SD.  Rev. Christina Matson and Rev. Justin Neugebauer will officiate.  Music will be provided by A. J. Sherrill as organist and Darla Anderson as soloist. Dianne passed away on Monday, June 20, 2011 at her residence after a two year battle with cancer.

     Burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Watertown.  Honorary pallbearers will be the employees of Cashway Lumber, Inc.  Active pallbearers will be:  Mark Reishus, Jason Meester, Wayne Meester, Scott Campbell, Dean Raabe, and Lynn Forde. 

     Visitation will be at Crawford Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Thursday from 4-7 p.m. and will continue at the church on Friday prior to the services.  The family is requested to meet at the church on Friday by 1:30 p.m. for a prayer service.

     Dianne was born on June 13, 1958 in Watertown, SD to Adolph N. and Colleen M. (Ward) Nielsen.  She graduated from Summit High School in 1976.

     On July 23, 1977, Dianne married David Kneeland in Summit, SD.  She lived on a farm near Summit where she raised her children.  Dianne moved to Watertown, SD and later worked for Cashway Lumber, Inc. for seventeen years. 

     She was a member of Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer.  Dianne enjoyed golfing, fishing with friends, and especially spending time with her family.

     Dianne is survived by one son, Tony (Julie) Kneeland of Watertown, SD;  two daughters:  Shannon Dorsett of Watertown, SD and Abby (Eric) Ronnebeck of Seattle, WA; four grandchildren:  Erica Rae Dorsett and Carter, Troy and Kyle Kneeland; her mother, Colleen Nielsen of Watertown, SD; one brother, Greg (Tina) Nielsen of South Shore, SD; two sisters:  Brenda (Mylo) Grabow of Rapid City, SD and Kathy (Todd) Brink of Watertown, SD; and several nieces and nephews. 

     She was preceded in death by her father; a brother-in-law, Kevin Bronson; and a nephew, Kerry Bronson.