A Highlight of Some of the Female Dream Chasers of South Dakota
March is International Women’s Month, and at the South Dakota Hall of Fame, we are truly inspired by the many amazing female Inductees who have chased their dreams and changed South Dakota in positive ways. Their impacts are as unique and diverse as they are, and we are honored to include them in our 700+ Inductees at the Hall. We are highlighting just some of the many amazing women inducted, and we hope you find inspiration from their stories.
Christine Hamilton
Christine’s life journey has taken her many places, but she ultimately returned to South Dakota and built a life that she loves. She is the owner and managing partner of Christiansen Land and Cattle, Ltd. The fourth-generation farm and ranch business includes several thousand acres of farm and ranchland dispersed throughout south-central South Dakota east and west of the Missouri River. The company is consistently at the forefront of innovation, embracing new technologies and participating in developing opportunities such as a wholesale meat business in Las Vegas and a livestock biotech venture in Sioux Falls. Christine knows that none of this would be possible without her deliberate efforts to surround herself with like-minded people who share her values and passion for growing people in leadership development activities, as well as growing cattle, crops, and businesses. Learn more about Christine on her legacy page.
Marcella lebeau
Marcella LeBeau, Wigmuke Waste' Win (Pretty Rainbow Woman), was born in Promise, South Dakota. When Marcella was 10, her mother passed away, leaving her father to care for the five children. Serving as a professional nurse for thirty-one years, Marcella received the O. Marie Henry RNDNSC Chief Nurse and the Mable Ann Wagner Award for exemplary contributions during her nursing career. The Belgian government awarded her a medal of honor during wartime. At an age when many retire, she and her granddaughter opened their own sewing business. Marcella is a thirty-five-year founding member of the North American Indian Women's Association. Marcella also continues her involvement with gardening, caregiving, speaking engagements at schools and universities, and passing on a legacy of empathy and understanding by sharing her experiences and knowledge. Learn more about Marcella on her legacy page.
Pearl Hoel
For six decades Pearl was “the hostess” for the hundreds and thousands of motorcycle riders and enthusiasts that come to the Sturgis Rally and Races each year. She and her husband, Clarence, owned the Indian Motorcycle Dealership in Sturgis. Pearl never tired of meeting the many motorcyclists from all over the world that came to Sturgis. As the Sturgis Rally and Races continued to grow with each passing year, Pearl took it all in stride, exhibiting kindness and graciousness that will always be remembered. Pearl's diverse historical knowledge of the Black Hills, Meade County, and Sturgis was a significant contribution to the area. She was a great storyteller and one of the first to present a program for the "Art for Lunch Bunch", a Hometown Folks series sponsored by the Sturgis Area Arts Council. Learn more about Pearl on her legacy page.
Jan Conn
2011 Inductee Jan Conn had a heart for adventure and rock climbing, and after exploring much of the united states, she found a deep love for the Black Hills of South Dakota. After settling in the hills with her husband Herb in 1947, Jan became the first woman to free-climb Devil’s Tower. In 1959 Jan and Herb found a new love when they began exploring and mapping out Jewel Cave. For the next 22 years, the Conns made almost weekly trips into the cave, mapping over 65 miles of passages. When age began to hinder Jan from her adventures, she turned back to her first love of music. She composed and orchestrated a tone poem, “Paha Sapa,” which was played by the Centennial Orchestra, directed by Robert Merrick in 1976. She composed and performed the background music for three films for Nauman Films. Learn more about Jan on her legacy page.
Dodie Brown
2015 Inductee Dodie Brown was a key player in the development of home health and hospice programs across the state of South Dakota. She worked with the legislature and the Department of Health to develop licensing for residential hospice facilities, develop a Title 19 benefit for hospice care, and she helped develop regulations to ensure quality care in South Dakota. In 2002, Dodie gathered statistics for all state hospice certified agencies to develop a pro forma on numbers of patients involved and how this could be budget neutral to SD, still improve quality of care for SD Medicaid beneficiaries, and provide hospice reimbursement. Dodie took the local experience of Home Health and Hospice and brought it statewide by serving on many state boards such as South Dakota Home Health Association, South Dakota Hospice Organization, and South Dakota Council on Home Care. Learn more about Dodie on her legacy page.
Joy Nelson
Lifelong Watertown resident and 2016 Inductee, Joy Christine Nelson, is considered to be the city's leading real estate broker, owner, and developer. At age of 44, Joy put aside financial success and bought a 100-acre ranch overlooking a small lake several miles northwest of Watertown. She began developing it for the horses, dogs, and cats that shared her life. She noticed how people, especially children, were touched by her animals. Inspired by this, Joy donated her ranch to Lutheran Outdoors of South Dakota and helped raise more than $12 million to build an 1880s Western town called Joy Ranch. The Ranch opened in 2012 as a retreat center serving 48,000 special needs youth and adults in the Upper Midwest. “What life gives us by nature is short, but the memory of a life well spent is eternal. There are eternal things we are experiencing at Joy Ranch.” Learn more about Joy on her legacy page.
Helen Duhamel
Few people have had more of an impact in the 20th century on women in the South Dakota broadcasting industry than 2019 Inductee, Helen Duhamel. Against daunting financial odds, gender bias, and the relatively small population of Rapid City, Helen blazed a trail in radio and television broadcasting, and then cable transmission in the Black Hills. She was not dissuaded from putting the signal on the air in the 1950s, bringing entertainment, news, and weather to the people of western South Dakota. This tall, outspoken woman built a regional broadcasting empire at a time when few women worked outside the home. In 1961 Helen was elected president of the South Dakota Broadcasters Association, the first woman to run any state broadcasting organization in the United States. Learn more about Helen on her legacy page.
To learn more about these amazing women, and all of the other Dream Chasers at the South Dakota Hall of Fame, visit our Inductee Directory Here.