Memorial Service for Ralph A. Hemmah, 83, of Veblen, South Dakota will be on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 2:00 PM at Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Veblen, South Dakota with Pastor Karie Deyer officiating. Organist will be Karen Hornseth.  Inurnment will be in the spring at Trondhjem Cemetery, Veblen, SD.  There will be visitation one hour prior to the Memorial Service at the Church.

Ralph Allen Hemmah was born in Marshall County, SD on January 10, 1935 to Rudolph and Bertha (Loberg) Hemmah. He graduated from Veblen School in 1953.  He married Darlene Stabnow in Britton, SD in 1954. Together they had eight children.  Ralph and Darlene lived in Lead, SD where he worked in the Homestead Gold Mine until 1957. They moved to the Britton area and worked on the Ken Mackley farm.  In 1960 they moved into the town of Britton and he worked at the elevator.  He moved to a farm by Newark, SD for 8 years and owned the Dew Drop Inn in Britton until 1969 when they moved to the Lake City area and owned the Flamingo. Later he worked for the Bobcat Company in Gwinner, ND as a welder,  until 1975.  He worked for Dakota Incorporated until they closed.  His hobbies were fishing, hunting and trapping.  He loved to play Whist, Hearts, and Cribbage.  Ralph suffered a stroke on July 12, 1999 and was a resident of Tekakwitha Living Center for nineteen years. Ralph passed away quietly on November 24, 2018 at the Tekakwitha Living Center with his family present.

Ralph is survived by his children: Ronald Hemmah of Wahpeton, ND, Doreen (Terry) Weidenbach of Sisseton, SD, Richard Hemmah of Great Falls, MT, Becky (Don) Fritz of Rosemont, MN, Ralph (Rose)  Hemmah Jr. of Casa Grande, AZ, Rodney Hemmah of Veblen, SD, Cindy (Erwin) Moore of Apple Valley, MN and David (Jackie) Hemmah of Harbor City, CA.  one brother Ray Hemmah of Kalispell, MT and one sister Gayle (LeRoy) Aadland of Veblen, SD, 30 grandchildren,  55 great grandchildren and 7 great-great grandchildren.

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents Rudolph and Bertha Hemmah, four brothers Rolland Hemmah, Merle Hemmah, Dean Hemmah and Carmen Hemmah.