100 years by faith in the Black Hills

“You know, in 100 years, you ought to see what you can collect,” said lifelong Custer resident Lois Larson the morning after her 100th birthday.
In the last 100 years, Lois has collected an abundance of memories, built relationships with friends and relatives and developed a deep faith in God. Those are the things that have sustained her. 
Lois was born to Edward and Ada Pischke Jan. 4, 1926, in Hot Springs. As the first baby born that year, her birth was announced in the local newspaper. The article said, “According to her father, Lois Ellanora looks like her mother and already sings high soprano. This fact is also vouched for by the nurses at the Lutheran Hospital where the young lady is present.”
The Pischkes moved to the area three months prior from Leola, leaving their farm behind in search of pure air and better health for Edward, who was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Thus, Lois grew up at Santator five miles south of Custer in a little one-room tar-paper shack. She was the third of four children, including her brother Eddie and her sisters Arlene and Ione.
“We lived there, and our home was there until 1965 when I came to Custer,” said Lois. “We were like a little town. We had a dairy and a smoke stack. We had a laundry and a barn.”
Lois went to the Sanator school through eighth grade. During that time, Edward built the family a new house with electricity, and her mother planted beautiful gardens around it. Edward eventually recovered from his tuberculosis as well.
“That’s why I believe. We prayed for him many years,” said Lois. “It was a happy day.”
Growing up, one of the Pischke family’s favorite pastimes was listening to radio programs. They had one radio and only listened to certain programs like Will Rogers and other old-time shows.
“We would hurry to get the dishes done or something so we could be quiet and listen,” said Lois.
Other sources of entertainment for the family included hiking and ice skating, which Lois loved. Lois’ family even took her ice skating for her 70th birthday.
Lois also recalled a time when there were fireworks at Sanator and a famous band came to play.
“Oh, we were happy,” said Lois.
After grade school, Lois attended Custer High School. That’s where she met her soon-to-be husband, Virgil. Lois graduated in 1944 and went to work at the Sanator Post Office for two hours a day under the supervision of her father, who was the postmaster. The post office was always bursting with mail at Christmas. When the mail came, they had to sort it for the four different wards—two for women and two for men.
“I had to memorize where this person was located,” said Lois.
Meanwhile, Virgil had gone overseas to serve in World War II.
“He was in Japan right after the bombing, and then it was over, and he came home,” said Lois.
Lois said the end of the war was the best day. The worst day was Dec. 7, 1941, when the Pearl Harbor attack occurred.
“We were going to go ice skating that day, and we did go out for a while, but we weren’t having any fun,” said Lois.
Upon his return from war, Virgil and Lois were married June 7, 1948, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church by R.W. Uecker. Their daughter, Leanne, was born in February of 1952, and their son, David, was born in May of 1954. Her children grew up at Sanator as well, until the family moved east of Custer in 1965 after the tuberculosis epidemic passed and Sanator became the Custer State Hospital.
After the post office, Lois worked at Scott’s Rock Shop, Tennyson’s Pharmacy and the State Highway Department, where she retired after 20 years.
“I got to meet all these people,” Lois said with a smile. “I worked over 40 years.”
From her time at the State Highway Department, Lois became well known for her Rice Krispie bars that she would bring to meetings to go over plans.
“They would generally be in the basement, and I’d bring some coffee. These people maybe have never met each other, but it seemed like if I served something, it gave it a different feeling,” said Lois. “Before a project, the project has a title, and they bring these great big plans, and the contractors bid and worked with heavy equipment. Well, it was my job to do the time sheets and send it to Pierre and answer the phone.”
Lois said working at the highway department required learning a different way of talking, like whether to say soil or dirt. She also had to manage snowstorms and organize getting the signs repaired when they were blown over.
One time it snowed so much that the plow drifts blocked a customer’s driveway when they had a doctor appointment. Lois wasn’t sure what to do, but she didn’t want to be mean because the people couldn’t help it.
While her children were growing up, Lois said her favorite memories were of going to Virgil’s brother’s farm in Highmore.
“When we went there, our relatives would make homemade bread, we got to watch cows and the neighbors would bring a horse and the kids could ride,” said Lois.
They always had a dog and a cat, too.
“In the summer, when it’s hot, I’d have my relatives from Hot Springs, and we’d have a picnic,” said Lois. “They had two picnic tables. That was Sunday afternoons.”
Lois’ family would also introduce their relatives to the Black Hills by showing them Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Harney Peak, Hot Springs and more.
“When they had the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps, my sister (Arlene) met one of them and married him,” said Lois. “He (John Alter) helped build Harney Peak.”
Lois has also been an active member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. She was in the Walther League, choir, a Dorcas ladies group and bible studies. She helped with funerals and craft sales, too.
“That way we raised money, and we got a carpet for the church,” said Lois.
She was also a Sunday school teacher, and Lois still has students stop her to say she was their teacher and made a difference in their lives.
On the topic of her faith, Lois said, “It has to do with love. We were created, every one of us, so very special, and that’s the way it’s going to be at the end too, but we’re going to have to account for what we did. What I did or what I didn’t do, that’s what is going to count. Life is so special and so complicated. You’ve got to know what’s right. To me, it’s my God. He gave us the Bible. It’s got instruction, and it tells what to do.”
Lois said the instructions, like the 10 Commandments, still apply today, adding that the Bible is both interesting and complicated.
“If you talk against it, did you try it? Find out if it’s true. I found out it’s true,” said Lois.
In 1982, Virgil passed away of cancer, and their daughter, Leanne, joined him in 2018.
Alone at home, Lois decided to move into an apartment at Landover Estates Oct. 1, 2000. Lois continues to live there on her own, and her relatives are always helping her and bringing her the things she needs.
Today, Lois is called the Purple Lady. She likes going to church, parties, hearing from relatives, lilacs, jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, making May baskets, trying new recipes and has a ladybug collection. She also likes good food, with some of her favorites being pineapple upside-down cake and tater tot casserole.
When asked what helped her get to 100-years-old, Lois said it was her faith in the Lord.
“He’s my Shepherd. He’s my way,” said Lois.
Living at Sanator also taught her to always wash her hands, and her doctors have helped her over the years.
One time, Lois asked her doctor what she thought she should do differently. The doctor said, “You’re going to be 100 years old. I think you’ve done everything.”
“I try and learn the new stuff, but these computers really have me sunk. But each day, I say something nice, or smile or try to enjoy something,” said Lois.
As for her advice for young people, Lois said, “If you want to do something that’s kind of a dream but you’d like to do, do it. Do it now, because later your body won’t listen. But take care of your health.”
Lois considers arriving at 100 years, still being able to walk and living on her own as one of her greatest accomplishments. It has been hard the last year, and she said the weather keeps playing tricks on her between the recent windstorm and the warm winter weather. However, Lois could never leave the Black Hills. 
“I’ve had chances to move away, but not my beautiful Black Hills. It’s home,” said Lois.
Some of her favorite sights are Spearfish Canyon and the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in autumn.
“It is so gorgeous,” said Lois. “I don’t have to take a vacation. I love it.”
To celebrate her 100th birthday, Lois’ family threw her a party Jan. 3 with 85-90 people attending. The next day, Lois’ church had another party for her to celebrate.
In the end, Lois said, “My goal in life is to serve the Lord. We are his workmanship. I am so thankful for all the people, especially my Christian friends that pray for me and help me. I’ve had so many experiences, and God was my strength. God will help you if you call on Him. Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God.”