Adeline Merkwan

Adeline Merkwan, age 98, formerly of Tabor, passed away Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at the Good Samaritan Society in Tyndall. Funeral Mass will be 11:00 am, Monday December 29, 2025 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Tabor with Fr. Darin Schmidt officiating. Visitation will be from 9:30-11:00 am, Monday, December 29 at the church. Burial will follow at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Cemetery in Tabor. Online condolences may be sent at www.okfhc.com. Livestreaming of Adeline’s services may be viewed at: https://server.attend.live/static/event/gJ7kZ. Opsahl-Kostel Memorial Chapel of Tabor is assisting the family with arrangements.

Adeline Merkwan was born on November 11, 1927, to James and Anna (Hnilo) Carda on the family farm one mile east of Tabor. Adeline attended Tabor Elementary and graduated from Tabor High School in 1945. She went on to attend Yankton College and Southern State at Springfield, SD, became a country school teacher, and taught for six years.

Adeline married Edward Merkwan on January 31, 1950, at St. Wenceslaus Church in Tabor. They lived on a farm NW of Tabor for 52 years. Together they had 5 children: Jan, Garry, Joe, Jean, and Julie.

Adeline and Ed loved to travel and enjoyed many bus trips and overseas vacations. Together they were in a card club and enjoyed Friday night card parties playing Svick. Adeline was an excellent cook and enjoyed baking all her family’s favorites, including kolaches and cakes.

Adeline was active in church where she taught CCD, was a member of the choir, and held offices in the Altar Society and Parish Council. She was a member of the Czech Heritage Society and taught Czech classes as part of the gifted program at Tabor Elementary. She also took part in the adult Czech plays, writing two plays.

Adeline was a substitute teacher’s aide for over twenty years at Tabor Elementary and the Bon Homme Colony. She was a member of the Retired Teachers groups in Bon Homme and Yankton counties.

After Ed passed away Adeline moved to Tabor in 2003. She then began enjoying town life, including going out for lunch, coffee parties, and social outings with her friends.

Adeline passed away on December 16, 2025, at the Good Samaritan Society, Tyndall, SD, at the age of 98.

She will be remembered by her five children: Jan (Mark) Smit of Platte, Garry of Sioux Falls, Joe of Tabor, Jean (Rod) DeLange of Corsica, and Julie (Dave) Kriz of Tyndall. Seven grandchildren: Justin Smit of Platte, Ryan Smit of Valentine, NE, Johnathan Merkwan of Harrisburg, SD, Kori DeLange of Yankton, Mitch DeLange of Corsica, Darren (Janelle) Kriz of Tyndall, and Danielle (Wes) Kloucek of Tabor. Seven great-grandchildren: Boady Smit, Briggs, Nash, Jax, and Emersyn Kriz, Ravenna and Rayna Kloucek, and two step-granddaughters, Grace and Emma Espechia. One sister, Elizabeth Trchka of Fairfield, OH, and many nieces and nephews.

Those preceding her in death are her husband Ed (2002), parents (1993), sister Delores (1930), brother Larry (2016), sister-in-law Darlene Carda (2009), brother-in-law Joseph Trchka (1973), and granddaughter Kelli DeLange (1984).