Eminent Homemaker
County: Corson
Evelyn Petik, 61, rural Keldron, homemaker doesn’t feel there’s a generation gap—“not as long as you’re involved with young people.” The South Dakota Board of Regents and South Dakota State University honored this Corson County woman in 1971 for her work with community youth, 4-H, adults and her record as a homemaker.
Petik taught rural schools in Corson County from 1929 until 1934 on a two-year teacher’s certificate, but retired from teaching after she married. A year after her husband Joseph, died in 1965, Petik returned to Northern State College, earning a bachelor of science degree in 1970 at the age of 60.
Petik, a member of the Riverview Gals Extension Club for 32 years, started the neighborhood Busy Beaver 4-H Club in 1954. She has been a leader in the Corson County 4-H Share-the-Fun Contest; an officer of the county 4-H Leaders’ Association and sponsors the Corson County junior boy agriculture plaque and the senior boy Joe Petik memorial traveling agriculture trophy for outstanding 4-H’ers enrolled in the agricultural project.
Petik and her late husband, a rancher who was active in community affairs and 4-H, attended the 1964 4-H Leaders’ Forum in Washington, D.C. Two daughters, Judy (Brian Toivala, 29, wife of a veterinarian in Hibbing, Minnesota) and JoAnn (now 24 and an airline receptionist in St. Paul), were awarded 4-H handicraft trips to national 4-H Congress in Chicago. Judy, who has since earned a bachelor of science degree in home economics, went to 4-H Congress in 1963. JoAnn went in 1964.
Another daughter, Joyce (Stanley) Cohen, 34, wife of a professor of philosophy and sociology at Oregon State University, is a medical technologist. Robert, 26, farms in partnership with his mother.
Petik was a member of the Corson County Extension board form 1960 to 1966, led a Farmer’s Union youth group, was advisor for Job’s Daughters and was a member of the State 4-H Advisory Board from 1961 to 1963. She was chosen in 1964 as delegate from Corson, Dewey, Ziebach and Perkins Counties for the National Extension Homemakers Council meeting in Hawaii, participated in the 1966 national fly-in meeting of the Farmers Union in Washington, D.C., and has served as school board treasurer, elder in her church and on the local election board.