Kirstin Lebert

Kirstin Lebert, 79, of rural Waubay, passed away Friday September 8, 2023, after a brief illness.

A Memorial Service, celebrating Kirstin's life will be 10:30 A.M. Saturday, September 23, 2023 at Fiksdal Funeral Service in Webster, Nicole Phillips will officiate. Inurnment will be at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

A luncheon and time of fellowship will be held at the Egeland Lutheran Church immediately following the service.

Kirstin Ethelyn Lefholz was born July 27, 1944, to Charles and Ethelyn Lefholz at Santa Monica, California. In 1948, the family migrated to a farm near Webster, South Dakota. She was baptized at Egeland Lutheran Church, graduated from Webster High School, and went on to receive her teaching degree in 1966 at Northern State College in Aberdeen, South Dakota. (Years later, she went on to obtain her master’s degree in School Administration.) On September 3, 1966, she married Ronald Lebert at Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento, California. Unfortunately, within a short time, she was destined to endure six years of troubling uncertainty when Ron became a POW in North Vietnam. Kristin was proud to have traveled to Paris, France to successfully meet with the Vietnamese negotiators in October 1969 to obtain information on Ron’s status. Upon their reunion in 1973, Kirstin adapted to military life and gathered a loyal circle of friends at each assigned location. Most loved by Kirstin, were the California, Germany, and Washington locations. The couple’s family grew with the arrival of Ingrid in 1975 and Loren in 1977. When possible, Kirstin’s interests in science and education led her to take additional courses at Auburn University, Stanford University, as well as other institutions. Her other interest was to explore and travel in other cultures. Many trips involved riding horses. She rode Spanish horses on the beaches of Spain, Warm Blooded Cuban horses near Havana, Lipizzaners in then “Yugoslavia” and attended a military horse academy in Mexico. In South Dakota she again returned to the joy of owning her own horse. Always active and full of energy, she became a dedicated gardener, a conservationist, a tree planter, and a great fan and supporter of PBS/WETA. It was her idea to open her home as a delightful country restaurant (Willow Place) for three years. Many more friends were made during it’s operation. Her time spent in Washington DC was also valued. There, she taught school, attended classical concerts, volunteered at the Kennedy Center, was a docent at Washington Cathedral, a member of the DC Kiwanis Club, and a real estate broker. As a member of the AAAS, a connoisseur of good wine and an avid bridge player, she naturally gathered many likeminded friends and was loved by all. Kirstin is survived by her husband Ron of Waubay, South Dakota, daughter Ingrid (Dylan Parsons) Lebert of Washington DC, son Loren (Jodi) Lebert and grandson Parker all of Ashburn, Virginia, sister Karen (Don) Frieberg of Portland, Oregon, and brother Rodney (Judy) Lefholz of Rapid City, South Dakota. She was preceded in death by her parents.