Louise Burns

Louise Elizabeth Burns died September 29th, 2026, at the Bethesda Home in Webster, SD.

She was born on October 28th, 1927, in Webster to Alfred Erdmann Jr. and Elizabeth (Glassmaker) Erdmann. She grew up on the farm that her grandfather Erdmann had homesteaded when he immigrated from West Prussia in 1882. Louise attended grade school at St. Otto’s in Webster, boarding in town during the week, then Webster High School, where she graduated in 1945. While in High School she was part of the Rose Riveter women and candled eggs at the local creamery.

Following high school, she roomed in Webster and worked at the ASCS office and as a telephone operator until a position opened up at the Peabody Hospital as a nurses’ aide. During this time, she was being courted by Donald Burns, a man certain of his heart’s desire. Donald proposed to Louise daily for a year. Louise, however, was a woman who pondered her decisions carefully before taking a leap. After a year of responding “maybe yes, maybe no”, she surprised him with an adamant “yes”. She later recalled to her grandchildren that she had prayed daily about it until she was certain that it was the right choice.

On April 12, 1948, a Thursday morning, she married Donald at St. Otto’s Church in Webster in front of her immediate family and the entire student body of St. Otto’s School. Donald and Louise enjoyed 62 years of married life together, beginning their lives together in Clark, SD, where Donald was working for the telephone company. With all of the soldiers returning from World War II and marrying, there was a severe housing shortage, and Don and Louise’s first marital home was a boxcar, making their daughter Mary an original boxcar child. Louise became a stay-at-home wife and mother, during this time, married women were not allowed to work in nursing.

After several moves around South Dakota, they returned to Webster in the early 50s and remained there for the rest of their lives together, raising a family of eleven children. Louise finally fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse, returning to college at age 55, and working evenings and nights at Day County Hospital until age 79. Donald passed away in 2010, and in retirement, Louise made the decision to move closer to a daughter in Chamberlain, remaining there until 2023, when she returned to her hometown of Webster, moving into Bethesda Home.

Louise was active in the Altar Society, the Blue Army, and Catholic Daughters, teaching CCD classes for many, many years. When her children were young, she was an active member of Sit and Sew Extension Club, a club devoted to one of her great passions, sewing. Louise was an amazing seamstress, producing dresses and coats, and producing all her babies’ layettes. Many nights the light of her sewing machine was the only light that burned long after the rest of the family had gone to bed.

Don and Louise could always be found in the bleachers at one of their children or grandchildren’s many sporting events.

She was a passionate, but not fancy cook. No one ever walked away from her table either hungry or without the pure enjoyment of a delicious meal. She enjoyed baking, whist (she was very good at whist, and very competitive), and when her children were young, square dancing on Saturday night with Don.

She was very fond of traveling, traveling the US from San Diego to Maryland, and from the headwaters of the Mississippi to New Orleans, and many spots in between; as well as the Netherlands, South Africa, and London. Above all else she loved being with her family, because at the end, all that mattered to Louise was God and her family.

Left to cherish her memory are ten children: Mary (Gordy) Klomps, Rochester, MN; Lunette (Royce) Grimsrud, Veblen, SD; Linda (Nathaniel) Karlins, Fargo, ND; Mike (Candace) Burns, Rapid City, SD; Tom (Mary) Burns, Woodbury, MN; Ann (Mark) Mueller, Oacoma, SD; Theresa (Arlyn) Wilke, Albion, NE; Jim (Martha) Burns, Fargo, ND; Jerry (Holly) Burns, Sioux Falls, SD; Paul Burns, Memphis, TN. 40 grandchildren, 74 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

Louise is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Donald, her son David, her mother and father-in-law, two brothers, a sister, two grandsons, and three great-grandchildren.

Louise’s family would like to give special thanks to the staff at Bethesda Home for the care and kindness shown to Louise while she lived there.

Condolences can be sent to: Lunette Grimsrud, 43741 106th St., Veblen, SD 57270.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers that masses be said for Louise.