Dolly Karla Eva Hales, born November 11, 1934, age 91, passed away on November 18, 2025, at Ava's House in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

A celebration of life will be held at the Filling Station in Flandreau, SD on Sunday, December 7, from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM followed by a graveside service at 3:45 PM at Union Cemetery in Flandreau, South Dakota.

After just celebrating her 91st birthday, Dolly passed away on November 18, at Ava's House in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The youngest of 5 children, Dolly was born November 11,1934 in Kassel, Germany to parents Paul and Hilda (Eckardt) Boehm. She received her education in Wuppertal-Elberfeld until 1943. After an air-raid during the war, Dolly was sent to live with an aunt in the country for safety. The rest of her family stayed in Elberfeld until the bombings became so horrible that they too had to seek refuge at her aunt's house. Later, Dolly and her mother remained with her aunt while her father and sisters returned to rebuild her dad's toy store and her childhood home. After the end of the war, Dolly continued her education in accounting.

In 1956, Dolly married Edward Paulsen in Germany where Ed was in the military. In 1957, son Paul Herman was born. Dolly, Ed and Paul moved to Flandreau, South Dakota when Paul was just a year old. Dolly and Edward divorced.

Dolly worked hard to learn the English language to find a job while being a single mother. She had a spunky personality and a contagious laugh. Her vibrant disposition made everyone around her smile. Harlan Hales met Dolly when a friend encouraged them to get together. Turns out they were a perfect match for companionship. In 1961 Dolly and Harlan were wed. They farmed in Flandreau and raised cattle, chickens and hogs at various times. On July 17, 1964, they became proud parents to a baby boy, Homer. Farming, in 1970, became financially unstable, so Dolly, Harlan, Paul and Homer moved to Arizona where both gained employment in Lake Havasu City. In 1980 they returned to Flandreau to work on their farm again.

Dolly was a member of Second Presbyterian Church in Flandreau. She served on The Board of Trustees, The Session and the PNC. She was very active in the Presbyterian Women's Group and Faith Circles. As a member of The Moody County Extension Homemakers, she served as chairman. Dolly worked in the restaurant industry at Walkers in Flandreau and at the English Village Pub in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Her hard-working, positive attitude satisfied many customers. Her hobbies included gardening, sewing, riding their motorcycle with Harlan, and spoiling a herd of barnyard cats! Twice a day she was outside, no matter the weather, giving them warm food, dry food and table scraps.

Dolly was preceded in death by her parents Paul and Hilda (Eckardt) Boehm, brothers Paul Walter and Paul Willy Boehm, sisters: Herma Alma (Boehm) Bachmann, Lisa Marga (Boehm) Cummings and two brothers-in-law, Friedrich Bachmann, Louis Cummmings, her niece, Regina Bachmann, sister-in-law Nancy (Hales) Peatross, brother-in-law, Ken Peatrosss, and nephew, Doug Peatross.

She is survived by husband Harlan, sons, Homer and Paul, his wife Shelly Hales, grandson Branden Hales, his wife Loren and two great-grandchildren, Mackenzie and Hudson, nephew, John Peatrosss, his wife Nicole, and their children Jayda and Selena. Still thriving in Germany are her nephew Ernst, his two sons Martin and Thomas, her niece, Annemarie (Bachmann), Kailing and her two sons, Alaxander and Oliver.