Marie M. Mannisto, age 97, of Volga, South Dakota, died Sunday, August 12, 2018, at the Brookings Hospital.  A celebration of Marie's life will be held on Saturday, August 18, 2018, at 2:00 p.m., at the Eidsness Funeral Chapel in Brookings, South Dakota.  Interment will be at the Elmwood Cemetery at Bruce, South Dakota.  Visitation will be one hour prior to service.

Marie Mildred (Thoms) Mannisto was born on September 23, 1920, in Kingsley, Iowa, to John and Myrtle (Bogardus) Thoms.  At a young age her family moved to a farm south of Bruce, South Dakota; later moving to a farm north of White, South Dakota, where her grandparents had homesteaded.  She attended White High School and finished the 9th grade.

Marie was working as an egg candler at Marshall, Minnesota at the time the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.  She and another girl she worked with enlisted in the WAAC (Women's Auxiliary Army Corp).  She completed basic training at Ft. Des Moines, Iowa.  She was in the first European Theatre.  The U.S. Government reorganized the WAAC, and it became the WAC (Women's Army Corp).  She was discharged from the WAAC, and assigned to the WAC on the same day.  Her duty was as a postal clerk and general clerk.  She was honorably discharged from the Women's Army Corp in December of 1945, with the rank of Sergeant.

Marie met Elmer Mannisto on a bowling league in Chicago, Illinois, and they were married on October 28, 1950.  Interesting that Marie and Elmer share the same birthday, (although Elmer is older by two hours).  They lived in Chicago, Waukegan, Greys Lake, and Wildwood, Illinois.  Following retirement in 1980, they lived in Arkansas, San Diego, California, Mesa, Arizona, and Volga, South Dakota.

Marie enjoyed walking, traveling, active involvement in square dance clubs, and RV clubs, and helping friends in need.  She spent countless hours volunteering at the local Veteran's Hospital where they lived.  She especially enjoyed and appreciated joining the South Dakota Veteran's Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. in 2011.  She was a lifetime member of the American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Marie is survived by her husband, Elmer, of Brookings, South Dakota; nieces: Carolyn Malone Satter, of San Diego, California, and Marlys (Ray) Vander Wal of Volga, South Dakota; nephews: Gene (Carol) Derdall of Kimball, South Dakota, Ron (Ann) Mattson, of Wisconsin, and Kurt (Mary Beth) Korevan of Arkansas.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, John Albert; sisters: Agnes Holler, Florence Malone, Georgiaetta Derdall, Mabel Yurgaitis, and Myrtle Sterud.

To Marie:

When the call to arms was sounded, you went and gave your best.

Now our Heavenly Father has called you for eternal peace and rest.

We will meet up yonder and walk hand-in-hand again.

Love, Elmer