Alpha (Baltzell) Thorson, age 92, of Miller, SD passed away on February 11, 2022, at the Good Samaritan Society in Miller.  Born May 1, 1929, she was the only daughter and second child to Nolan and Alvida Baltzell.

Alpha was baptized and confirmed at Bethesda Lutheran Church in Bristol.  She graduated from Bristol High School in 1947.  Alpha attended 1 semester at Northern State College (then) in Aberdeen.  She moved back to Bristol and was bookkeeper at various car agencies.  Alpha returned to Northern for 1 year of summer school in 1950.  She then returned to Bristol and worked at First National Bank.

On November 10, 1950, she was united in marriage to Curtis Thorson.  Following their marriage, Curtis left for the service in January of 1951.  In August of 1951, Alpha moved to Fort Riley, Kansas, while Curtis served in the military.  During this time, their first son Calvin (Cal) was born on October 29, 1951.  She returned to Bristol in March of 1952, due to Curtis' father's farm accident.  Curtis received an early discharge from the service and returned home from Kansas in April of 1952.

The couple lived on a farm southwest of Bristol for about a year, as this was Alpha's only experience at farm life.  In the spring of 1953, they moved back into Bristol, where Curtis worked for the South Dakota Wheat Growers.  Their second son Glenn was born on October 31, 1954, and their third son Roger was born on December 13, 1957, both in Webster, SD.  At this time, Alpha was able to work at home as the clerk/treasurer of the Bristol School District for a few years until they reorganized.

In July of 1959, the family moved to Oldham.  Their daughter Louise was born in Lake Preston, SD on August 16, 1960.  During this time Alpha was a stay-at-home mom.  In the spring of 1965 Alpha returned to work at the Oldham School as Business Manager until they moved to Miller, SD in 1971.  She worked at Miller Livestock and the Ben Franklin store briefly.  She then returned to work doing what she loved at the St. Lawrence and Miller school districts.  Working in various capacities as secretary, teachers aid, special education teacher's assistant, and art teacher.  She eventually retired from the Miller school district in 1992.

Alpha is survived by her children Calvin (Kathy) of Indianapolis, IN, Glenn (Jeri) of Brookings, SD, Roger (Bonnie) of Willmar, MN, and Louise (Jerry) Wangsness, of Rapid City, SD; three grandchildren: Amanda (Adam) Nash, of Elkton, SD, Curtis (Lindsey) Thorson, of Sioux Falls, SD, and Jason (Megan) Thorson, of White, SD; two great-grandsons: Cameron and Tyler; three great-granddaughters: Breanna, Kennedy, and Alaina; three sisters-in-law; one brother-in-law; and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents; father-in-law Clarence; mother-in-law Mathilda; granddaughter Karrie; husband Curtis; and her brothers Eudean, Neil, and Lowell.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 19, 2022, at 2:00 PM at the Bethesda Lutheran Church in Bristol, SD.  Burial will take place at a future date at Bristol Cemetery.  There will be a time of visitation one hour prior to the service, beginning at 1:00 PM at the church. To view Alpha's funeral, please click on the video player below.