Mary Jane Gullikson

Mary Jane Gullikson, age 86, of Yankton, South Dakota, died Monday, October 17, 2022, at Avera Sister James Care Center in Yankton. A Memorial Mass will be 10:00 AM on Thursday, October 20, 2022, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Yankton, South Dakota, with Reverend Thi Pham officiating.  The Mass will be live streamed and can be viewed at the bottom of this obituary.  Burial will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery.  A gathering of friends and family will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with a vigil service and rosary at 7:00 PM. Pallbearers will be Nick Bulian, Wade Hoesing, Tyler Snoozy, and Corey Cordell. Mary Jane Gullikson was born October 29, 1935, in Yankton, South Dakota, to Otto and Mary (Wuestewald) Walz.  She grew up in Yankton and attended Sacred Heart School in Yankton.  She worked at the box factory in Yankton for a few years, until she married Gordon Gullikson on January 12, 1957, in Yankton.  Together they had six children: Vickie, Bruce, Joan, Linda, Diana, and Brian.  Mary Jane stopped working for a few years to focus on raising her family.  Once her children were in school, she started working at Gurney’s for a short time and then began working for the Yankton Public School System in the Food Service Department, which she continued for 22 years.  She made many lifelong friends working at the different schools, many that she considered sisters. Mary Jane was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Yankton where she was very active in the choir and served on the funeral committee.  She was also a member of the VFW Auxiliary and the Women of the Moose.  She loved her flower garden, bingo, crocheting doilies, camping, and playing cards, especially pinochle.  She was a faithful woman, wonderful cook, and loved her family and grandchildren above all else. Survivors include her five children: Vickie (Alan) Bulian of Yankton, South Dakota; Bruce (Sheryl) Gullikson of Yankton; Linda (Allen) Kocmich of Avon, South Dakota; Diana (Michael) Snoozy of Brandon, South Dakota; and Brian (Allison) Gullikson of Yankton; 23 grandchildren; 36 great grandchildren with 2 on the way; son-in-law, Jay Walsh of Yankton; sister-in-law, Lee Walz of California and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Gordon; daughter, Joan Walsh; two brothers, Raymond and Roman Walz; and three sisters: Pauline Nedved, Gertrude Dolejsi, and Rosie Horacek.  

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