Funeral services for Teresa Eleanor Endres, age 90, of Watertown will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 13th, 2023 at the Immaculate Conception Church with Father John Lantsberger officiating. Music will be provided by the I.C. Choir.

Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, and then lunch and fellowship in the church parish hall.

Teresa passed away on April 8, 2023 at Jenkins Living Center.

Visitation will be at the Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel on Wednesday, April 12 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. There will be a prayer service at 7:00 followed by a Time of Sharing.

Pallbearers will be nephews Mark Elder, David Schlenker, Gary Schlenker, Ron Schlenker, Steve Venner and Marty Venner. Honorary pallbearer is Kent Clausen of Spokane.

Teresa was born on November 8, 1932 in Bryant, SD to Vinzent and Angela (Schon) Schlenker, as the 14th of 18 children. Her family moved to Hazel, SD where Teresa graduated from Hazel High School in 1951. In 1949, she began singing and yodeling on KWAT Radio Station as the “Yodeling Cowgirl” sponsored by Farmers Union. She was employed at the Farmers and Merchants Bank until her marriage to James Endres in 1954. She was a 4H Leader, Secretary of the Leaders Association, a vice-regent for the Catholic Daughters, and Chairperson for the Jr. Catholic Daughters and served on the American Heart Association Board.

She was employed by Harmony Hill Senior Citizens Food Service, Fiberglass Unlimited, Ramkota Inn, River Park and Oak Valley Farms. She retired in 1997.

She entertained with her family for local organizations & nursing homes. Later she sang with the Kenny Carlson Band, Dakota Country Band, Country Rose Band and most importantly the Sherwin Linton Show. Sherwin made it possible for her to record a C.D. He also arranged for her to receive the Proclamation of “Teresa Endres Day” at the SD State Fair in 1999 in honor of her contribution of 50 years of entertaining. She was inducted into the Iowa Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001, and the SD Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Teresa was also a member of the Sweet Adelines, and the I.C. Choir.

She is survived by 3 sons: Greg (Ann) Endres, and Terry Endres, both of Watertown, and Don (Angela) Endres of Brookings; four daughters Carol (Lyndon) Waters of Kranzburg, Janet Endres of Watertown, Judy Endres (Mike Woessner) of Chaska, MN, and Ruth (Derek) Parkhurst of Sioux Falls; 19 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren, her brother Carl (Rosemarie) Schlenker of Sioux Falls, sisters-in-law Eva (Franklin) Schlenker of Watertown, and Diane (Robert) Schlenker of W. Des Moines, one brother-in-law Larry (Lillian) Venner of Pierre, and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death are her parents Vinzent and Angela (Schon) Schlenker, siblings Anna, John, Vincent, Helen, Fred, Rose, Andrew, Bernard, Paul, Leo, Louis, Robert, Elizabeth, Franklin, Lillian and Angela, and grandchild Elbert Endres.