Waneta Rose Ortbahn

Waneta was born on July 22, 1949, to Leonard and Fern Pollman. She grew up on the family farm in rural Sully County. Her sister, Darla, was born a few years later, completing the happy family. With her grandparents living on the same farm, she treasured the memories from her childhood.

Waneta attended Blunt Elementary School and graduated from Onida High School in 1967. She pursued a degree in business at Bob Jones University. She married and moved to rural Beadle County and to this union two children were born, Wyatt and Daneta.

Waneta had many careers over the years: bank teller, school bus driver, bookkeeper at Magness Livestock and Wheat Growers, and business manager at Iroquois Public School. However, the job she cherished the most was being a mother. One of her great joys in life was being able to tell people that she raised a doctor and a lawyer.

Waneta moved to Huron and met Michael Ortbahn. Mike and Waneta were married a few years later. They spent the next couple of decades completing home improvement projects, working together in Mike’s land surveying business, and supporting Wyatt and Daneta as they pursued careers and established families.

Waneta was a talented seamstress. She sewed her own clothes; made numerous costumes for school and church plays; and sewed dresses for Kota Kids - her mother’s children’s clothing line. Waneta was fiercely independent, capable and didn’t like asking for help from anyone. In 2010, she was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease, which she fought with unparalleled strength and without complaint. In 2015, before losing her mobility, Waneta and Mike adventured on a five week RV trip to Alaska with dear friends, Ken and Sharla Mees.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Leonard and Fern Pollman and sister-in-law, Linda Liedtke of Huron, SD. She is survived by her husband, Michael Ortbahn of Huron; son, Joseph (Rachel) Wyatt of Pierre, SD and their children, Draix, Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, Zinnia, and Ragnar; daughter, Daneta (Troy Ward) Wollmann of Rapid City, SD; sister, Darla (Don) Pollman Rogers of Ft. Pierre, niece Cassidy (Adam) Kulesa, nephew Cameron (Melody) Rogers, sister-in-law, Nancy Wheeler of Huron, and her daughter, Shantel Tschetter, and brother-in-law Dennis Liedtke of Huron and his children Brad (Marty) Liedtke and Dawn (Eric) Dillon.

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