Pearl “Tootie” Kittelson, 84, of Spirit Lake, passed away August 24 at Accura HealthCare in Spirit Lake, surrounded by loved ones.
Pearl “Tootie” Irene Dierkson Kittelson was born May 11, 1942, to Herman and Irene (Stonefield) Dierkson at Lake Preston, SD. She attended county schools her first four years around Lake Preston and De Smet area. In 1952 the family moved to St. Lawrence, SD, where she attended school until she transferred to Miller in her sophomore year. Tootie graduated from Miller High School in 1960.
Tootie was united in marriage to Jerry Kittelson in 1960. Sherry Kay was born in Rapid City, SD.
In 1961, Sherry, Jerry and Tootie moved to Roswell, N.M. where in 1964 Janet Lynn was born.
After six years in New Mexico the family returned to Rapid City. In 1969 they moved to Aberdeen where she worked at Gibson. In 1971 they moved to Milbank where Tootie was employed by the school system as a teacher’s assistant. In 1979 they moved to Spirit Lake. Tootie went back to school in 1982 and earned her real-estate license. She sold real estate for the next 19 years, retiring in 2001. Jerry and Tootie did a lot of traveling, some of the places were Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, Hawaii, Philadelphia, Florida, Key West, and California. They really enjoyed their lives. In 2007 they purchased a retirement home in Mesa, AZ. They spent Dec. 1 to April 1 in Mesa where they made some valued friends and renewed some old friendships.
Tootie is survived by her husband Jerry of 66 years; daughters Sherry and Jan; son-in-law Mike Caviness; granddaughters Laura Moser, Martina Riggin, and Angela Broughton; grandsons William Kittelson and Jeremy Wittrock; grandsons-in-law Matt Moser and Darin Broughton; granddaughter-in-law Becky Wittrock; great grandchildren Benson Michael Kittelson, Brooks and Maisie Broughton, Aaden and Ava Wittrock; sisters-in-law Bonnie Kittelson, Sandy Kittelson; and several nieces and nephews.
Tootie is preceeded in death by her parents Herman and Irene Dierkson; sisters Marvel Wilson and Jean Hohm; brothers Gordon Dierkson and Dayton Dierkson; sisters-in-law Mona Sue Dierkson, Doris Batch, Marion Anderson, Dorothy (aka JoAnne Dierkson) Perkins, JoAnne Dierkson; brothers-in-law Don Wilson, Eddie Hohm and LeRoy Anderson; nieces and nephews; a great niece and a great nephew.
A memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, August 28, 2026, at the Robinson Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Visitation will take place from 1:00 p.m. until the time of the memorial service at the funeral home. Arrangements are under the direction of the Robinson Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Online condolences may be left at www.spiritlakefuneralhome.com