Las Vegas: Rosemary Becker Wilder passed away on Monday, October 24, 2011 peacefully in the home of her daughter, Susan in Las Vegas, NV with family by her side.


Rosemary was born January 12, 1924 in White River South Dakota to Susanna and Garhart Becker. She graduated from White River High School. During her school years she was very active in the 4-H program of Mellette County. An achievement of which she was very proud was being selected to represent Mellette County at the National Club Congress in Chicago, Ill at age of 16 and stated it was an awe-inspiring and a little bit frightening experience for a country bumpkin. Her area of interest and expertise was cooking and sewing which benefited her family throughout their lives. She attended Business School in Rapid City and worked for the Rapid City Journal after graduation in circulation. She moved to CA with her friend, Lillian Coyle, to work in the shipyards in 1944.


When she returned to South Dakota, Lillian "set her up" with her cousin James Wilder, Jr and they started dating. Jim proposed to Rosemary on the 4th of July 1946 and they wed in Rapid City in September of that year. They lived in Hot Springs for a short time and moved to the Tri-Cities area of Washington State for work where their first son, James III was born. Deciding that South Dakota was where they wanted to raise their family, they returned to Norris and opened a grocery store. During their years there, the family grew by leaps and bounds, adding Susie, Kathy, Dave, Dan, Mike and Mary Anne. As the economy weakened, Jim and Rosemary moved the clan to Rapid City and started building a homestead outside Hot Springs. Once on the Wilder's Farm, Stephen (deceased at one day old), Pat and Betty added to the group.


The Wilder's garden was well-known throughout the area and was the main livelihood with the family augmenting it with seining minnows and digging worms for the fishermen of Angustora Dam. Jim also painted buildings and Rosemary made fancy cakes for weddings and all occasions. She was quite talented at this art. The Wilder family also sold fireworks for many years. Rosemary was always busy and volunteered with the Catholic Daughters of St. Anthony's Catholic Church. Many family reunions were held at Uncle Jimmy's and Aunt Rosie's home. Jim and Rosemary were married for over 58 years at the time of his death.


In November of 2008, Rosemary decided she needed warmer weather for her old bones and moved to Las Vegas, NV to "take care of her daughter". It was a mutual caring arrangement and she loved to go to Mass at her new parish, also St. Anthony of Padua. She was amazed by the U-turns made everywhere, and loved going to the casinos with Susie. She enjoyed life in "the big city" but not the traffic.


Rosemary was preceded in death by her parents, sister Ruth, brother Garhart, husband James, sons Stephen and Jim. She is survived by 8 children: Susie, Kathy (Steve) Jensen, Sturgis SD, Dave (family friend Jim) Tampa FL, Dan (Tami) Roy UT, Mike, Las Vegas, NV, Mary Anne (Bob) Lux, Sioux Falls, SD, Pat (Sandy) Gillette, WY, and Betty Schumacher, Hot Springs, SD, 20 grandchildren, 2 step-grandchildren, 15 3/4 great grandchildren and 5 step-great grandchildren and many other family members including nieces and nephews, in-laws and out-laws.


Services will be held at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Hot Springs, SD on November 7, 2011 at 10 a.m.; interment at Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis SD at 2:30 p.m.

Arrangements have been placed in the care of McColley's Chapel of the Hills in Hot Springs. Written condolences may be made at www.mccolleyschapels.com.