Elizabeth Colgrove, age 93 of Buffalo SD, died Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at Belle Estate in Belle Fourche.
Her Life Celebration will be held 11am Friday, September 22, 2023 at the new gymnasium in the Harding County High School in Buffalo. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at Buffalo Cemetery.
Elizabeth “Liz” Schauer Colgrove was born November 21, 1929 to Jacob and Louisa Schauer at her home near Regent, ND.  The family grew to 13 children with Liz being the third oldest. Liz went to heaven to spend eternity on September 13, 2023.  She is joyfully reunited with those loved ones that went before her and into the presence of Jesus her Savior. Heaven gained a beautiful soul, and although we will miss her, we are thankful she is now at peace.
Liz attended her grade school years at the Alden country grade school near her home. After 8th grade she stayed home to work and did not attend high school until two years later. She dreamed of going to school and eventually was allowed to go and graduated from Regent, ND high school in 1949 as Valedictorian.  She then attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa for two years earning her teaching certificate. There was a country school near Hettinger, ND in need of a teacher at that time and she accepted that position. She lived with a local family while teaching and there is where she met Henry “Hank” Colgrove as he was their hired man. They dated a short time and married in August 1952.  Hank and Liz lived in various places such as Spokane, WA, Newell, SD, Missoula, MT and then settled in Buffalo, SD in 1963. They ran the Sioux Oil service station on the south edge of town for a few years before deciding to farm and ranch. They leased farm land from John Niemi and Nilo Tilus for many years. They purchased the old Harold Sharp place in the late 1960’s now owned by Dennis and Becky Brengle.  Liz put in a big garden every year, liked to cook/bake and stayed very busy on the ranch/farm.
Liz and Hank had 5 children: Rebecca Kay, Sherilyn Sue, Steven James, Robin Louise and Todd Michael. In the late 1950’s they welcomed Hank’s brothers and sister, Roger, Allen, Les Page and Midge Colgrove Sparlin into their home, since their parents had passed away. They continued to raise them along with their own children and were honored to do so.  Heartache happened in 1978 when Hank passed away at the young age of 49 from cancer, leaving Liz with three children still at home to raise. She stayed on the ranch until the youngest (Todd) graduated high school in 1984. She then enrolled in college at Black Hills State University and completed her teaching degree earning her elementary education and special education degree along with her masters degree. She taught briefly in Dupree, SD before securing a teaching position in the Harding County School system where she taught for many years. She was a gifted teacher and was much loved by her students and peers, as many of them still speak very highly of her. She loved teaching and loved her students. She retired in the spring of 2003.
In November of 2003 Liz suffered a massive stroke which left her with very limited speech and difficulty with writing and weakness on her right side, which was challenging for her.  In October of 2020 she sold her home and moved into Peaceful Prairie Estates in Buffalo and resided there until February 2023 when she moved to Edgewood Vista in Spearfish, SD where she resided for about 5 months and then moved to Belle Estate where she lived until her death. She always had a strong faith in Christ Jesus who sustained her throughout the heartbreak and difficulties life dealt, and the wonderful times as well. We now know that she is resting peacefully in the arms of her Lord and Savior. She lived life well and left a legacy behind through her family and students that will live on.
Grandchildren are Lane Brengle (Erica), Stephanie Brengle, Christopher Blankenbaker (Cecelia), Wade Blankenbaker (Christel), Jesse Blankenbaker (Bailey), Hannah Colgrove Keating (Josh), Rachel Colgrove Marler (Juston), Grant Colgrove, Issiah Colgrove, Harmony Colgrove, Zoe Colgrove, Izaak Colgrove and Kelsee Colgrove. Great grandchildren are Nick Brengle, Landon Brengle, Lucas Brengle, Logan Blankenbaker, Kennedi Blankenbaker, Bostyn Blankenbaker, Jaycie Blankenbaker, Raegan Blankenbaker, Lleyton Inman, Amelia Blankenbaker, Clara Blankenbaker and Annie Blankenbaker.
She is survived by her 5 children and their spouses. Rebecca and Dennis Brengle, Sherilyn and Larry Blankenbaker, Steven and Karla Colgrove, Robin Colgrove, Todd and Barbara Colgrove, all her grandchildren and great grandchildren listed above. Her brothers and sisters surviving her are Carl (Velma) Schauer, Jake (Arlene) Schauer, Sam (Linda) Schauer, Linda (Kenneth) Kouba, and Russell (Sharon) Schauer. Other surviving family members are Roger (Larine), Allen (Dee Dee), Les (Rhonda) Page and sister in law Midge Sparlin along with numerous nieces and nephews.  Loved ones that have gone on before her are her husband Henry Colgrove, siblings Edwin Schauer, Emma Schaible, Karolina Nible, Otto Schauer, David Schauer, Ronald Schauer and an infant sister and her parents Jacob and Louisa Schauer.
