Loyola Mae Pettit Eckstaine was born June 13,1935 to an Irish Catholic family in Colome, SD. Her parents Ralph George Pettit and Margaret Ann (Holden) Pettit, raised their family of 14 children on a farm just outside town in McNeely Township. Loyola attended school at McNeely Country School and graduated from Colome High School in 1953. When she was 18, she married Lloyd Joseph Eckstaine of Colome, SD, on December 31, 1953 at St. Isidore Catholic Church in Colome. After they were married, they moved to Winner where they lived for the rest of their lives. Together they had six children: McKayla, Mardella, Terrence, Todd, Darnell, and Trent. On May 14, 1986, Lloyd passed away, and Loyola worked hard to raise their two youngest children on her own. Loyola is remembered for her strong work ethic and held a job from when she was a teenager until the day she died. Her first job was at the Steiger Café in Colome. After she married she worked at the Westside Café in Winner. She also worked as a telephone operator for the Northwestern Bell Company until it closed, and then worked for the Winner Police Department as a dispatcher for 25 years until she retired in 2004. After retirement, she continued to work part-time at the police office managing inmate paperwork until her death. She loved watching her kids play sports and attended every baseball, basketball, and football games and track meets they had. Loyola also loved to garden. She began with a small garden patch in her background where her grandkids would help pull carrots and weeds. Eventually, her garden patch grew into an acre at her daughter Darnell's farm (which is built on the homestead where Loyola grew up), and she spent many hours there with her son-in-law, Randy, in passionate discussion about discussion about the best gardening practices. She also loved to can vegetables and cook. If you were a guest in her home, you never went hungry or went home without more than enough for tomorrow. You were not truly full until she was satisfied that this was the case. She loved to work outside, and spent spare time mowing her lawn and caring for her home. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters, the Winner Legion Auxiliary, and the Tuesday Night Bowling League. In her life, Loyola was truly loved. She was strong-willed and stubborn. She was straightforward in her beliefs, passionate about what she thought was right and fearless when she believed she was telling the truth. She could be quick to anger, and she was quick to colorfully make it known. She made no apologies for her Irish temper, when you could actually get her to admit she had one. She brought into this world six children, eighteen grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren who carry the best of her with them. Loyola is survived by her children: McKayla (Steven) Tritle, Mardella (Butch) Schuppan, Terrence (Tara) Eckstaine, Todd (Kaye) Eckstaine, Darnell (Randy) Novotny, and Trent (Meg) Eckstaine; her grandchildren: TaNeal (Jeff) Boer, Courtney (Paul) Brozik, Blaire Tritle, Brandon (Laura Sandve) Tritle, Jesyca (Oakly) Haines, Jamy (Kyle) Anderson, Abby Jo Eckstaine, Jace Eckstaine, Kirsten Eckstaine, Jacob Eckstaine, Kasey (Jack Kerner) Novotny, Kory Novotny, Tate Novotny, Christopher Eckstaine, Mary Kate Eckstaine, Jack Eckstaine, Gabriel Eckstaine, and Caleb Eckstaine; ten great-grandchildren; and her siblings: Mavis (Dick) O'Bryan, Nancy (John) Edwards, Patty (Dean) Weaghaught, Dorothy Olson, Carol (Jim) Herman, Doug Pettit, Tammie Pettit, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd, parents Ralph and Margaret, sisters Mary, Bobby, and Margeana, and brothers Ralph, Bill, and Gordon. Mass of Christian Burial is 10:00 Tuesday, October 7, 2014 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Winner, SD. Visitation is from 5:00-7:00 Monday, October 6, 2014 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Winner, SD with the wake starting at 7:00.