Valda Raye Houska, 76, Hill City, died Saturday, October 29, 2016 at the Custer Regional Health Care. She was born in Wessington Springs, SD on February 16, 1940 to Robert and Leanor Thayer. Valda spent her childhood in Kimball, SD and there she met her husband James Houska, and later moved to the Black Hills where they raised their family. Valda and James had six children together. She enjoyed being a stay at home mom until her children were grown. Once her children began school Valda worked at The Moose, Control Data and Cheerio but her true love was being a mother and spending time with her children. Valda loved helping others and especially loved spending time with her grandchildren. She was called “Bomma” by some of her grandchildren and great grandchildren who she cherished dearly. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do to help the people around her. In 1990 she retired and joined her daughter in a life of flea markets and T-shirts, becoming a snowbird. As the years past she later resided in the Custer Senior Care Center. Her family would often take her on outings and was always the last grandma to return home. She enjoyed spending time with her family and never missed a family event. Valda leaves behind her five children, Donnie Houska, Kathy Else, Cindy Houska, Patty Houska-Colvin and Danny Houska; twenty-one grandchildren, twenty-nine great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren; four sisters, Joyce (Glenn) Warren; Karen Lange; Sharon Fletcher and Judy (Terry) Will; her brother Gary (Joan) Thayer and numerous nieces and nephews. Valda will be reunited with her parents, two brothers, sister, two nephews and her infant son.