Dorothy Schooley

Dorothy Schooley, age 85, of Castlewood, SD, passed away on Tuesday, October 17, 2023 at the Village in Watertown.  Funeral Services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 20, 2023 at Grace Lutheran Church in Watertown. Rev. Cheryl Rondeau-Bassett will officiate.  Special music will be provided by Marcia Jelsma as organist. The funeral service will be livestreamed via our website.

Visitation will be at the Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Thursday from 5-7 p.m. and prior to service at the church on Friday. There will be a Nightingale Tribute at 7:00 p.m.

Burial will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Watertown. Honorary pallbearers will be the Staff at the Village, Prairie Lakes Hospice Team, and the Castlewood Warriors. Active pallbearers will be Brian Schooley, Doug Schooley, Alex Holzwarth, Bob Kasten and Chad Schooley.

Dorothy was born on February 11, 1938, in Watertown, SD, to Elmer and Lillian (Antonen) Seppala.  She attended Castlewood High School and received her Nursing degree at Augustana University.

On September 1, 1959, Dorothy married Charles “Chas” Schooley in Lake Norden, SD.  She was working in Clear Lake, SD until 1968 when she started the LPN program at LATC where she was the director and assisted bringing in the RN program. 

She was an avid Vikings fan her whole life and loved to attend Castlewood sporting events. Dorothy lived all her life on the family farm.

She was a member of Grace Lutheran, SD Board of  Nursing, where she served as past president, SD Steering Committee for Nursing Ed, member of Nursing Ed Dean’s & Directors, served as Board of Director for Jenkins Living Center, served as Board of Director and past president of LATC Association. Dorothy enjoyed anything with Castlewood Warriors, playing cards, doing cross word puzzles and spending time with her grandchildren which were her pride and joy.

Dorothy is survived by two daughters, Beth (Bob) Holzwarth, Hazel, SD, Kay Ward, Castlewood, SD; one brother, Lynn (Joan) Seppala, Livermore, CA; one sister, Pat (Mel) Wild, Prescott, AZ; four  grandchildren, Alex Holzwarth, Molli Ward, Madison Ward, and Maci Ward.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Lillian Seppala; husband, Charles Schooley; one Son, Scott Schooley; one son-in-law, Mark Ward; one brother, Dean Seppala.

Arrangements by Crawford Osthus Funeral Chapel www.crawfordosthus.com Watertown, Hayti, De Smet, Bryant

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