Kayleen Mary Kaiser

FORDYCE — Kayleen Mary Kaiser, 55, Fordyce, died April 20, 2021, at her residence in Fordyce after a courageous battle with cancer.

Mass of Christian Burial was April 24 at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Menominee, with Rev. Jim Keiter officiating.

Burial was at St. John the Baptist Cemetery, Fordyce.

Pallbearers were her six brothers, Harold, Duane, Steve, Mark, Gary and Philip Zimmerman.

Honorary pallbearers were Mary Jean Zavadil, Patty Zavadil, Jeani Zavadil, Tracy Mueller, Rita Mueller, Dianne Becker, Lonna Lange, Sheryl Grone, Cheryl Schulte, Vicki Whitehead, Nancy DeBlauw, Dr. Jon Baumann and Donald Zimmerman.

Visitation and a vigil service were at St. Boniface Catholic Church Friday. Visitation continued one hour prior to services Saturday.

Arrangements were under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home, Hartington.

Kayleen Mary was born Feb. 27, 1966, in Yankton, S.D., to Henry Harold and Jeanette Veronica (Kleinschmit) Zimmerman. She grew up six miles west of Yankton, on a farm and graduated from Yankton High School in 1985. Kayleen then attended Watertown Lake Area Technical College and received her dental assistant degree. She worked for a dentist office in Vermillion, S.D., and then went back to school at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, to be a dental hygienist, graduating in 1989. Kayleen married Kelly Joseph Kaiser April 20, 1991, in Tabor, S.D. She worked in Norfolk for several years, then for Jon Baumann DDS in Yankton, from 1991 – 2020.

Kayleen was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Fordyce; the Ladies Guild, and Christian Mothers. She taught CCD in Menominee from 2002 – 2020. She decorated cakes, loved to cook, bake, garden, and can food she raised. Kayleen repaired and painted statues, and loved to paint in general. She was a very spiritual person and her prayer life was of upmost importance to her. Kayleen especially loved all of her family and being with them.

Kayleen is survived by her husband, Kelly, Fordyce; her four children, Angela Kaiser, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Jacob (Tracy) Kaiser, Crofton; Valerie Kaiser, Fordyce; Sabrina Kaiser, Fordyce; her parents, Henry and Jeanette Zimmerman, Yankton, S.D.; six brothers, Harold (Rhonda) Zimmerman, St. Helena; Duane (Nancy) Zimmerman, Yankton, S.D.; Steve Zimmerman, Yankton, S.D.; Mark (Kristi) Zimmerman of Yankton, S.D.; Gary (Grace) Zimmerman, Tabor, S.D.; Philip (Ann) Zimmerman, Norfolk; and many nieces and nephews.

Kayleen was preceded in death by her grandparents, Louis and Cresentia Zimmerman, and Peter and Monica Kleinschmit; sister-in-law, Sheila Zimmerman; brother-in-law, Korry Kaiser.