Mary Ellen Dinsmore-Hart, age 76, of Rapid City, formerly of Kadoka, South Dakota, died on Wednesday, December 4, 2024 at Fountain Springs Healthcare Center in Rapid City.
Visitation will be held 6-7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 10, with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m., at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Kadoka.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:00 a.m. December 11, at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Kadoka.
Interment will follow at the Kadoka Cemetery.
Mary Ellen Ainslie was born July 31, 1948 , in Kadoka, South Dakota, the youngest of eight children born to Charles and Reland (Carson) Ainslie. She grew up and received her education in Kadoka.
Mary Ellen was united in marriage to Edward Lobdell on March 11, 1967; and to this union were born two daughters Patricia and Judy. They made their home in Philip until 1982, when Mary Ellen and the girls moved to Kadoka, where she worked various jobs before eventually starting the Star Mail Route, the same route her dad ran when she was a little girl.
It was in Kadoka where she started dating a fellow mail carrier, Blaine Dinsmore. They were united in marriage on September 12, 1986 in Midland. They continued to make their home in Kadoka where they continued to operate the Star Route to Hayes and also operated a star route between Kadoka and Hisle, South Dakota. Blaine passed away on May 29, 1991.
After his death, Mary Ellen remained in Kadoka and continued to run both routes. On July 5, 1997, Mary Ellen married her life-long friend, Patrick Hart, in Kadoka. They made their home in Kadoka, and continued to run both mail routes, until their retirement in 2006. They then moved to Rapid City where Mary Ellen could be a “very hands-on” grandma, running grandkids and great-grandkids to and from school, practices and competitions. She enjoyed those days, and also loved to play bingo at the VFW.
Due to health issues, Mary Ellen resided at Fountain Springs Health Care Center the last couple of years, where she had many friends and played a lot of bingo.
Survivors include her husband Pat of Rapid City; two daughters Patricia Clarin and her husband David, and Judy Clarin and her husband Michael, both of Rapid City; two step-children Jay Hart and his wife Kirstyn of Garland, Texas, and Jeanette Boyer of Rapid City; five grandchildren Deika (Dan) Sealey, Roger (Jen) Johnson, Regina (Noah) Schlomer, Jayden (Riley) Clarin, and Ryken Clarin; 10 great-grandchildren Parker, Ariana, Ethan, Emily, Navaya, Paige, Riley, Mason, Aubrey, and Cole; five step-grandchildren Chris, Krislyn, Rachael, Allison, and Shelby; one brother George Ainslie and his wife Kay of Philip; one sister-in-law Regina Ainslie of Meridian, Idaho; and a host of other relatives and friends.
In addition to her husband Blaine; Mary Ellen was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters Barb Smith and Lila Marie; and four brothers Martin, James, Robert, and Frank Ainslie.
