Ann Hardegger

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, February 20, 2015 at St. Matthew's Catholic Church in Gillette followed by cremation. Burial will be in the Eureka Cemetery at a later date. Ann Hardegger, 88, Gillette, WY, formerly of Eureka, SD, died Tuesday, February 17, 2015, at Close to Home Hospice in Gillette surrounded by family. Anna Rosa Helfenberger was born June 12, 1926 to Notker and Anna (Stieger) Helfenberger in Berg, St. Gallen, Switzerland. She was baptized on June 13, 1926 in St. Michael's Catholic Church in Berg. Ann attended public school in Berg and during those years already had a dream to see the world. After several years of working for the Lindt chocolate company and a textile company, Ann traveled to Dixon, IL, USA to visit relatives in 1956. She met, and on October 19, 1957 married, Josef (Joe) Hardegger in Dixon. Their life together started in Dubuque, Iowa. In May of 1961 they moved to Eureka, South Dakota where they established Eureka Cheese Factory, Inc. and worked together until retirement in 1985. Ann was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church and a frequent visitor of the nursing home residents in Eureka. She enjoyed her faith in God, travel, Mother Nature, and her family. Ann was proud of both her Swiss heritage and her U.S. citizenship. One of her favorite stories was receiving congratulations, instead of a ticket, from a highway patrolman who stopped her for speeding on South Dakota Highway 10 just after she received her U.S. citizenship on April 11, 1967. Ann taught her family by example. She lived her life with faith in God, simplicity in material things, hard work, and love for helping others. She will be dearly missed and remembered for how she lived the Word of God! In 2006 Ann and Joe moved to Gillette, WY to be closer to family. Ann enjoyed friendships at the Cottonwood Terrace senior housing complex and the Senior Center. She is survived by one brother, Walter Helfenberger, Berg, St.Gallen, Switzerland, her children, Richard (Kate) Hardegger, Calgary, Alberta, JoAnn (Darrin) Swanson, Somerset, WI, Irene (Dan) Knoepfle, Gillette, WY, David (Corinne) Hardegger, Gillette, WY, six grandchildren, Kyle (Carrie) Knoepfle, Amy Knoepfle, Jonathan Hardegger, Matthew Hardegger, Sepp Swanson, and Anya Swanson, three step grandchildren, Bobbi (Toby) Weishaar, Justin (Erika) Thorn, Jordan Thorn, two great granddaughters, Mickaela and Marchaesa Knoepfle, five step great grandchildren, Halei, Jilian, Aeshton, Audrey and Maggie. Ann was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Joe, her brothers Willie Helfenberger and Sepp Helfenberger, her sister Martha (Helfenberger) Mathies, and grandchildren Gabriel and Brighid. The family would like to thank the staffs at Campbell County Memorial Hospital and Close to Home Hospice for their wonderful care during Ann's final days. The family asks that memorials be made in Ann's name to Close to Home Hospice. Memorials and condolences may be sent in the families name in care of Gillette Memorial Chapel 210 West 5th Street, Gillette, WY 82716 or via our website: www.gillettememorialchapel.com Funeral Home:Gillette Memorial Chapel210 West Fifth Street Gillette, WYUS 82716