Oralee Kasa, age 81, of Huron, died Thursday, September 15, 2016, at the Huron Regional Medical Center. Her funeral service was held at 1:00 PM, Monday, September 19th at Our Savior's Lutheran Church. Burial was in the Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery. A memorial fund has been established at American Bank and Trust for an education scholarship in Oralee Kasa's honor
Oralee Ann McLane was born March 25, 1935, to Margaret (Vindahl) and Neil McLane at Hudson, South Dakota. She graduated from Akron High School at Akron, Iowa.
After graduation she attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls graduating with a teaching degree. She met the love of her life while at Augustana and was united in marriage to Roger Marvin Kasa on February 4, 1957, at Madison were they began their life.
She taught school in Madison until the birth of their first child, Melinda Ann. They then moved to Timberlake where she taught school, until their move to Lake Andes and the birth of their second child, Lisa Marie. They then moved to Pierre where their third child was born, Michael Roger. Then in 1964, they moved to Huron and made their home and Roger Marvin and John Farrel were born. Oralee subbed in the Huron Public school until the youngest John started school. She then worked at Helen Buchanan for many years and then she worked as a Title I aide at Jefferson Elementary where she retired after 30 years in the Public School. She received Employee of the Month twice and Employee of the Year and received her golden apple. She also worked many years managing the Education building during the South Dakota State Fair.
Grateful for sharing her life are her husband of 59 years, Roger of Huron; her daughters, Melinda Houghtaling of Wolsey and Lisa (Paul) Wolf of Huron; and her sons, Michael (Cindy) Kasa of Huron, Roger (Roxanne) Kasa of Sioux Falls, and John (Diana) Kasa of Dallas, Texas.
Oralee will also be missed by her grandchildren, Jeff (Debby) Houghtaling of Doland, Jody Houghtaling of Yale, Greg (Cami) Houghtaling of Yale, Bobbi (Skip) Schnathorst of Huron, Sarah Wolf (Rory Keating) of Huron, Ryan Kasa of Huron, Kyle (Samantha) Kasa of Huron, Melissa Kasa of Huron, McKennah Kasa of Sioux Falls, Kassidy Kasa of Sioux Falls and Kelli Jones of Chicago, Illinois.
She also shared her life with her great grandchildren, Valorie Houghtaling, Kylee Small, Ryder and Skyler Casper-Houghtaling, Lanna Houghtaling, Camille and Ophelia Houghtaling, Zander Wolf, June Grovenberg, Attila and Aurora Schnathorst, Olivia and Sami Schnathorst, and Ariana Kasa.
Her siblings will miss her as well, Neil (Rosemarie) McLane of Denver, Colorado, Pat (Richard) Olson of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mary Plender of Yukon, Oklahoma, Norma (Carl) Haan of Sioux Falls, and Linda Burris of Ruthven, Iowa.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Neil and Margaret McLane; one brother, Michael McLane; her nephew, Daniel Olson; and mother and father-in-law, Henry and Helen Kasa.