Carole Ann VanHecke, age 81, passed away on Thursday, January 11, 2024, at home under family and hospice care.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 A.M. on Thursday, January 18, 2024, at St. Peter Catholic Church in Colman.  Burial will be at 1:00 P.M.  at the South Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Sioux Falls.  Visitation will be from 5-7 P.M. on Wednesday, January 17th with a Wake Service at 7:00 P.M. at Skroch Funeral Chapel in Colman.
Carole Ann McGrath was born on June 18, 1942, to Merle and Donna (Woldt) McGrath.  She grew up in rural Rutland, SD, and graduated from Rutland High School in 1960.  After graduation, Carole married James VanHecke on April 15, 1961, at St. Thomas Catholic Parish in Madison, SD.  After their marriage, the couple moved south while James was honorably serving his country.  After his honorable discharge, they moved back to South Dakota and raised their family on a farm outside of Colman.  Once her children were in school, Carole worked at Jerry’s Electric for the next 30 years. Carole and Jim moved into Colman in the early 1990s.
Carole was a member of St. Peter Catholic Church in Colman, where she served on the Altar Society and was a member of the Catholic Daughters.  Carole also served as a school board member for the Colman School District.  She loved to follow her children and grandchildren in all of their sporting events. Carole will be remembered for delicious cooking including her scalloped potatoes, potato salad, and pie baking. Carole was also known to have a bit of a lead foot, but she was only escorted or followed home by the highway patrol on occasion. She enjoyed playing cards, chess, watching the squirrels, going to craft shows, watching NASCAR, and spending time with her beloved cats Big Kitty and Little Kitty and her grandchildren.  She also loved her weekly hair appointments, and never let her hair get gray.
Survivors include her husband of 62 years, James of Colman; children: Lori, Dan, Greg and Kaye; her beloved cats Big Kitty and Little Kitty; her sisters Mary Lou, Jean (Ted), Teresa (Roch) and Patti (Jay); eight Grandchildren and eight Great Grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents Merle and Donna, her brother Bill, and brother-in-law Dallas.