Pearl Gall

Pearl “Dolly” (Peschong) Gall, 88, of Milbank died Saturday, November 28, 2020, in the Milbank hospital. She and her late husband, George “Roger” Peschong, farmed in the LaBolt area for many years. Later in life, Dolly married Wilbert Gall.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted Thursday, December 3, at 1 p.m. in St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Milbank with Father Gary DeRouchey officiating. Out of concern for the safety of others during the coronavirus pandemic, Dolly requested that only immediate family members attend the service. The Mass will be livestreamed and recorded and viewable on this website, below the obituary.

Burial will be in the LaBolt Cemetery. Pallbearers will be her six sons. Honorary pallbearers will be grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Pearl LaVonne was born April 21, 1932, to Marie (Varnberg) and Alfred Lundborg of LaBolt. She attended grade school in LaBolt and graduated from Strandburg High School in 1950. The summers after her junior and senior years, Dolly worked as a waitress at the Brite Spot Cafe in Milbank.

Dolly married George “Roger” Peschong on September 4, 1950, in the St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Milbank. They lived in LaBolt until Roger entered the service. The couple resided in Washington several months before Roger left for overseas duty and Dolly returned to LaBolt. After Roger’s discharge from the army, they continued to live in LaBolt until they moved to the family farm southwest of LaBolt in 1953. They operated the dairy and grain farm while raising their nine children. Roger and Dolly moved to Harlem, MT, in 1979 where Roger was employed on a ranch.

The couple returned to South Dakota in 1981, living in Watertown until they moved to Strandburg. Roger died on October 31, 1983. After returning to this state, Dolly worked for the Halajian Janitorial Service in Watertown and the Grant County Visiting Neighbor program.

Dolly married Wilbert Gall on October 3, 1992, at the Annunciation Church in Revillo. The couple lived in Milbank. Wilbert died June 16, 2009. Dolly continued to live in her home until her death.

Dolly was baptized and confirmed at Grace Lutheran Church in LaBolt. She converted to Catholicism after her marriage to Roger and was a member of the Annunciation Church where she was active in the Altar Society. She later became a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Milbank.

Dolly was an avid reader, and enjoyed crossword puzzles, Scrabble and playing cards. She and Roger were members of a mixed bowling league and enjoyed attending dances at Tunerville and Revillo with friends and family. Dolly took up bowling again in her retirement years. After her marriage to Wilbert, they enjoyed dancing, traveling and trips to the casino.

Dolly is survived by her children: David (Milly) of Paynesville, MN, Danny (Dolly) of St. Louis Park, MN, Dwight of LaBolt, Dean (Marie) of Flandreau, DaLinda (Dick) Lounsbery of Revillo, Debra (Warren) Hemmer of Milbank, Donald of LaBolt, Duane (Karen) of Strandburg and Dawn (Kevin) Dahlgren of Strandburg; 23 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; step-children: Linda (Joel) Gutensohn and Dennis (Heidi) Gall and their families, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands; siblings: Lillian, Doris, Joyce, Glen, Roy, Wilfred, John  and Calvin; one infant grandchild; step-daughter, Nancy Haarstad, and several brothers- and sisters-in law.

The family prefers donations to local food pantries.