Margit Kvernan was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, her parents were Gullik Kvernan and Hanna (Johansen) Kvernan, both of whom were born in Norway. Margit had a younger sister, Dagny. 

The family moved to Chicago where Margit attended kindergarten and first grade.  They were living in Chicago at the time of the St. Valentine’s Day massacre when Al Capone and his gangsters were at the height of their career. When the stock market crashed in 1929 Gullik lost his job so he decided to take his family back to Norway where he was still part owner of a farm. Margit and Dagny went to school in Norway for a short time, but Gullik and Hanna decided to return to the United States so he sold his interest in the farm to his brother. Hanna, Margit and Dagny stayed with relatives in Minneapolis while Gullik worked on the homestead near Fairpoint. Margit attended school at Fairpoint and then at Stoneville. Dagny and Margit often rode horseback to school. The horses they rode were the same ones their dad used for farming.  She went to 2 years of high school at Stoneville and then went to Minneapolis her junior year and went to Sturgis for her last year of high school.

Margit attended Spearfish Normal School (later BHSU) and got a 1-year certificate. In 1939 she began teaching at South Pleasant View School in Meade County. Her father died in an accident with horses pulling farm equipment so she had to quit teaching and come home to take care of the farm and the cattle.

 Margit always enjoyed social activities and especially the country dances. One young fellow she knew was Lloyd Wilcox. After Pearl Harbor was attacked Lloyd and his good friend Francis Haley enlisted in the navy. Lloyd served in the Pacific on the US Louisville After the war ended Lloyd was discharged from the navy and in September of 1946 Lloyd and Margit got married.  In 1948 they moved to the home place that is located near Highway 34 and the New Underwood Road. Lloyd and Margit lived and ranched there and raised their 7 children there. They raised cattle, sheep and horses. Margit kept tally books with records of all of the cows.  Lloyd and Margit were very supportive of their children’s activities and kept busy going to wrestling, tournaments, baseball games, 4-H, horse shows and rodeos with the kids. Margit and Lloyd welcomed her sister’s children into their home frequently so there was always a house full of people. She was definitely a “Good Hearted Woman”

Margit taught in rural Meade County schools for 25 years and worked as an aid at other schools for another 12 years after she quit teaching. She fondly remembered many of the students that she had in school and many of them remembered her by attending her birthday parties and visiting with her.

Lloyd passed away in 2004 and Margit continued living at her home until 2018 when she moved to Edgewood Vista assisted living in Spearfish. She made new friends and enjoyed playing card games and bingo. She was a long-term resident there and Edgewood arranged for her to be featured on television, newspaper and SDPB in honor of her 104^th birthday. Margit started keeping a diary as a little girl so she had years and years of notes which came in handy for the publicity. The staff at Edgewood and the hospice staff were wonderful in the care and help they provided during her final days.

Margit is survived by her children: Delores Johnston, Butch (Lisa) Wilcox, Darrel (Monica) Wilcox, Donna (Craig) Gewecke, Lyle (Deb) Wilcox, Dee (Robin) Wilcox and Brian (Laura) Wilcox. She is also survived by her grandchildren and their spouses: Kyle (Natalie), Tyrel and Eric (Laura) Gewecke, Brett (Melissa) and Troy (Amy) Wilcox, Tel (Tish), Tyrel (Liz)  and Tycie Kinsella, Lonnie (Chandra)  Johnston, John Colin (Elizabeth) Wilcox and Jeremy (Maija) Janes, Brant (Candy)  and Jamie Wilcox, John (Becky) Egger and Lindsey (James) Marshall, Stacy (Shawn) Kistler, Heidi (Wesley) Keller and Cassie (Kenny) Rhoden. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Cora Rottenbucher and Cora’s sons and daughters and her niece, Janice Vig and nephew, Kevin Vig. She is survived by 39 great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. Margit was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Lloyd, sister, Dagny Vig; nephew, Gary Vig; son-in-law, Bob Johnston and most of her brothers-in-law and sister’s in-law.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Wednesday, October 28, 2026 at Central Meade County Community Center in Union Center. Burial will be at Black Hills National Cemetery at 2:30 pm, October 28, 2026.

You may sign her online guestbook at www.kinkadefunerals.com.