Carmelita Catherine Gard was born November 28, 1932 in Beresford, South Dakota to Peter W. and Catherine (Kennedy) Gard. She died March 21, 2025 at the Alcester Care & Rehab Center at the age of 92 years.

Carmelita was raised and educated in Beresford. She was trained as a Licensed Practical Nurse and worked in nursing her entire 40-year career. She retired at McKennan Hospital in 1995 where she loved working with babies in OB/Gyn and the NICU.

She was always busy working on something with her home in Sioux Falls where she lived from 1964 to 2024. Carmelita enjoyed gardening, raising flowers and crocheting. She was a member of St. Lambert's Catholic Church. Carmelita moved to Alcester in September of 2024.

Her parents, Peter and Catherine Gard; a sister, Patricia Stadem; her twin brother, Pete F. Gard; and half-brother, Jim Evans preceded her in death.

Grateful to have shared her life are her four nephews, Mark (Marilyn Schmitz-Stadem) Stadem of Baltic, Chad (Tara) Stadem of Sioux Falls, Scott Stadem of Edina, MN and Ryan (Diane) Stadem of Sioux Falls; niece, Shawn (Aaron) Koch of Harrisburg; two grand nieces, Kennedy Koch and Remington Stadem; four grand nephews, Nathan Stadem, Drew Stadem, Gabriel Stadem and Crew Stadem.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 3PM Saturday, March 29, 2025 at St. Teresa Catholic Church, 901 South 3rd Street in Beresford with visitation one hour prior to the Mass. Burial will follow at St. John Catholic Cemetery.