Mary Carol Boetel, age 75, joined her Lord and Savior Thursday evening, September 11, 2025. A Memorial Service will be held on September 27, 2025, at 10am at Peace Lutheran Church in Brookings, SD. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Mary's life.

Mary Carol Boetel was born on February 11, 1950, in Huron, SD to Robert and Mildred Eichstadt. She attended school in Wolsey, SD and graduated from Wolsey High School in 1968.

Mary will be remembered for her sense of humor, her kindness, and the spirited way she approached life. She could talk with anyone about anything, and you always left a conversation with her feeling lighter. One of her greatest joys was creating with her hands, and she filled her home—and the homes of so many others—with treasures she lovingly made. Over the years, she sewed doll clothes and prom dresses, pieced together Afghan blankets and quilts, and completed hundreds of counted-cross-stitch designs, each one carrying a part of her heart. She loved to give, and if you knew her well, chances are you have one of her handcrafted creations to remember her by.

Mary worked in many roles throughout her life, including caregiver as a nurse's aide, farm wife, and stay-at-home mom when her children were young. After moving to Brookings, she worked at Red Owl and Whistling Wheels and concluded her career as a Quality Inspector at Falcon Plastics in Brookings, where she worked for 25 years.

Outside of her work, what Mary treasured most was time with her children and grandchildren. She poured her heart into making their lives warm, fun, and full of love. Some of her happiest moments were spent gathering the family at her home—baking together, doing crafts, and simply enjoying each other's company. She also had a gift for nurturing life, whether it was through the plants she tended or the way she filled her home and yard with beauty and care.

Mary adored her husband, Bruce. They were united in marriage on September 27, 1970, and would have celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary this year. Their many years together were filled with happiness, and the strength of their bond was evident to all who knew them.

Mary is survived by her loving and devoted husband, Bruce Boetel; her children, Crystal (Brock) Teske of Volga, SD, Jon (Jessica) Boetel of Glencoe, MN; and her grandchildren, Ben Boetel of St. Paul, MN, Abigale Boetel of Madison, WI, Broden Teske of Volga, SD, Amelia Boetel of Glencoe, MN, and Cooper Teske of Volga, SD.

She is also survived by her siblings, Bruce Eichstadt of Huron, SD, Delores Chapman of Huron, SD, Dennis Eichstadt of Sioux Falls, Timothy (Diane) Eichstadt of Norfolk, NE, and Merle (Pam) Eichstadt of Huron, SD, along with many other family members and friends who will miss her dearly.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Mildred (Moller) Eichstadt, her brother, Thomas Eichstadt, her sister-in-law Irene (Bruce's wife) Eichstadt, and her brother-in-law Robert (Delores' husband) Chapman.