Kathy Jill Reiter

Kathy Reiter, 77, of Sioux Falls passed away on Friday, November 22, 2024 at her home.  Her Memorial Service will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, December 13, 2024 at Miller Funeral Home Southside Chapel. Visitation with the family present will be on Thursday, December 12, 2024 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Miller Funeral Home Southside Chapel.

Kathy was born to Richard Wayne and Jean Elizabeth (Coley) Vanleuvan on May 10, 1947, in Denver, Colorado. The family moved to Wichita, Kansas, the East St. Louis area, Collinsville, Illinois and finally, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Kathy graduated from Washington High School in 1965 and went on to receive a Bachelor of Science in education from the University of South Dakota in 1969.

Kathy met Kenneth Edward Reiter at the University of South Dakota and they were married on June 28, 1969, in Sioux Falls, SD. Ken was assigned to Army Headquarters CENTAG NATO and the couple spent two years living in Seckenheim, Germany. After Ken's honorable discharge, they moved to Vermillion, SD, where Kathy worked in the School of Education as secretary to several professors and the Dean of Education while Ken completed his master’s degree.

Kathy and Ken spent one year in Bison, SD, where Kathy taught grades kindergarten through eighth grade at Brushy School in rural Perkins County. The couple then returned to Sioux Falls where Kathy worked as a certified classroom aide and substitute teacher at Laura Wider and Longfellow Elementary from 1973-1976. They were blessed with the births of their sons Aaron and Jared. In 1981, she was hired as a credit authorizer for Sears Dakota Credit Central and was employed throughout their buyouts and name changes until 2000. During her time there, she served in various positions always happy to learn new things and take on responsibilities. Kathy was also employed by Sioux Empire United Way as an administrative assistant, Total Card, Inc. to handle presidential correspondence and Dakota State Bank as credit card coordinator. She retired in 2009.

Kathy was a long time United Way volunteer and served as a campaign auditor for 29+ years. She enjoyed the friendships that she made volunteering. She was also the volunteer Spanish immersion guided reading librarian for over ten years at Rosa Parks, Robert Frost and Sonia Sotomayor Elementary. Her time spent at school working with the teachers, principals and interns was the highlight of her days. She spent hours at home creating materials for them and loved to be in the schools listening to the students in the hallways and library. Covid19 prevented her from continuing to volunteer.

More important than the work she did, was the love she gave to everyone. She gave warm hugs and never hesitated to tell you how much she loved you and how proud she was of you. She was creative and loved to design materials for classrooms, make homemade greeting cards, and celebrate every occasion with dinner at your favorite restaurant. She had a passion for genealogy and managed to collect birth and marriage certificates, photos and other mementos from many generations before her. Her organizational skills and attention to detail were unmatched. She enjoyed watching the Nebraska volleyball and football teams and any of the other sports and teams that were being watched by her sons and husband.

Kathy's true joy in life was her two sons, her daughters-in-law and her five remarkable grandchildren: Kai and partner Allie, Lakeland, FL, Jordan and Hailey, Wesley Chapel, NC, and Reagan and Camryn, Sioux Falls. She loved playing board and card games, reading, watching movies, supporting her kids and grandkids at their activities, and traveling with family.

Kathy is survived by her husband of 55 years Ken, her sons Aaron Reiter (Carly) and Jared Reiter (Christina), five grandchildren, her brother-in-law Robert E. Hicks and nephews Brian (Stacy) Hicks, Sioux Falls, Jason (Trista) Hicks, Henderson, Nevada, and Adam (Sara) Hicks, Sioux Falls along with a host of others she befriended during her volunteering and as a spectator at her grandchildren’s activities that she so enjoyed.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Bobby Jean (Vanleuvan) Hicks.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to Sanford Hospice Cottages.

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