Marcia E. Kleinpaste, 66, of Rapid City, South Dakota passed away on December 14, 2024.

Marcia is survived by her husband (Eric), son (Evan) and daughter in law (Samantha) and two grandchildren (Cody and Evelyn). Marcia was preceded in death by her parents John and Evelyn Evans.

Marcia was born in Meridian, MS, but was raised mostly around the panhandle of Florida. She graduated from Niceville High School. She was proud of the fact that she was an exchange student to Japan through Youth for Understanding.

She went to Casper College (Casper, WY) and University of Wyoming (Laramie, WY) earning a BA in Music Ed. After graduation she decided to work with the Southern Baptist Mission office in Recife, Brazil for two years, returning to Laramie where she eventually married her husband, Eric. They went to Rochester, NY and then to Florida as both her parents were in ill health.

Afterward they came to Colunbus, OH. She worked at Battelle Memorial Institute and pursued a Master of Library Science degree at Kent State University (OSU campus). Also, her son, Evan, was born. Later she worked at Edison Welding Institute. Marcia and Eric had always wanted to return to the west, and when son, Evan, decided to move to South Dakota, they decided to follow.

Marcia will be remembered, in particular, as a fine gardener. We knew when winter was coming because the seed catalogs would show up. She would go up to the loft in the house and work out the next season’s square foot garden plan.

There will be a Catholic Funeral Mass at St. Patrick Church, 280 N Grant Ave., Columbus, OH 43215 on Saturday, February 22nd at 10:00 AM.