Freda Poyet

Freda Poyet, age 89, of Sisseton, SD passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 6, 2021 surrounded by family at Sanford Hospital in Webster, SD.

Funeral Services will be held Thursday, November 11, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. at Family Life Assembly of God Church in Sisseton, SD with Rev. Kirk Snaza and Rev. Vern Donnell officiating. Pianists will be June Evenson and Carolyn Gage with special music provided by niece, Thea Loy Pallanch and her daughters Karie Geyer and Jennifer Nelson.

Interment will be in Sisseton Cemetery, Sisseton, SD. Pallbearers will be grandsons: Greg Dufault, Brent Dufault, Justin Dufault, Joel Longanecker, Joshua Longanecker, Taran Myatt, Tevan Myatt; sons-in-law: Neil Dufault, Michael Longanecker, Cameron Gage and David Myatt. Honorary Pallbearers will be Freda’s grandchildren and nephews.

Visitation will be held Thursday, November 11th from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at Family Life Assembly of God Church in Sisseton.

Freda Emma Rinas was born on the family farm on the Goodwill Home Mission Place, south of Sisseton, SD to Adolph and Emma (Hopp) Rinas. She attended Goodwill Township #2 country school through eighth grade and graduated from Sisseton High School. She continued her quest to be a lifelong learner by attending Northern Normal Training in Aberdeen, SD. She returned after that summer to teach her peers in the Goodwill Township #2 one room school house that she had attended. She taught and worked toward completing her teaching degree and in 1957 took a position teaching in Breckenridge, MN – lovingly returning home each weekend to help her mother and brothers on the family farm. She taught at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, SD and returned to Sisseton to dedicate forty-five years in total to her profession. That accomplishment was acknowledged by Governor William Janklow when he awarded her upon her retirement, with her very own day: “Freda Poyet Day” on April 25, 1997 for her service to education! She was deeply honored to be presented such an award by her beloved former fourth grade student, Jim Hagen, Governor Janklow’s chief of staff. Her teaching talents spilled over in every area of her life as she taught Sunday School, her daughters children’s programs, and tutoring individuals at her kitchen table. She dedicated her care to our community for twenty-nine years at the Tekakwitha Nursing Home in Sisseton. She authored publications and co-authored history books to help preserve the history of her community.

She met Chafick August Poyet while attending college in Aberdeen. The couple married in 1960 and were blessed with four daughters, twelve grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren. Freda had a great love of many things and many people. She was an avid reader and seeker of knowledge. Her green thumb filled her home and yard with abundant flowers and vegetables. Her fondness for animals didn’t need her to have the title veterinarian to aid them in sickness. They found a ready refuge and food supply to give them a chance. She was an amazing cook. Holidays weren’t complete until she had brought entire meals to neighbors, shut-in’s, and those in need. She baked amazing pies, making all the pies for her daughter Jodie, when she operated the Buffalo Lake Resort. She cared for her mother and several siblings as they aged. She was a “giver”!

Her faith in God was most important to her. She was an absolute prayer warrior. If you’re reading this obituary, there’s a good chance she prayed for you. She always kept a list of many pages of those she daily prayed for.

Freda is survived by four daughters: Jodie “Jo” (Neil) Dufault of Eden, SD; Patricia “Pat” (Michael) Longanecker of New Prague, MN; Ronda “Roni” (Cameron) Gage of Worthing, SD; and Melanie “Mel” (David) Myatt of California; sister Anna Dubois of Sisseton, SD; grandchildren:  Greg, Brent and Justin Dufault; Joel and Joshua Longanecker; Jessica Engdahl; Jennifer Piper; Rebecca Shelbourn; Rochelle Knudson; and Taran, Tevan and Tiarra Myatt; great-grandchildren: Tyler, Logon, Scott, Collin, Norah and Abel Dufault; Skye, Cayla, Preston, Sophia, Rachel, Elliot and Emmy Longanecker; Cameryn and Madison Engdahl; Esbern Piper and baby Piper; and Jolie Knudson.

Freda was preceded in death by her husband Chafick; parents Adolph and Emma; and siblings: Ann Olga Rinas, Daniel Rinas, Michael Rinas, Gusty Horton, Thelma Eberhardt, Ellen Skarnagel and Franklin Rinas.