Sadie was born in Brookings, Dakota Territory, USA on Sept. 9, 1882. Her parents were Albert Frances Scaman and Sarah Elizabeth Kett. She married Carl Willison on March 27, 1901. They were married a total of 72 years. Carl and her went by covered wagon leading their cow to their new homestead in Sisseton on Sept 7th 1901. They removed the top of the covered wagon and lived in that. Carl made a wagon out of the rest to hall lumber to build their new home. They lived on several different pieces of land always bettering themselves and at one time lived in a Soddy (a house dug into a hill) for a short period of time. Carl and Sadie went to school together in 1894, it was just her family and his family. Carl's sister Nellie taught school. Like many of her generation, she delivered babies of neighbors, doctored sick children and took in borders along with helping neighbors when needed. Sadie and Carl raised 8 children, Lula, Dorcey, Dorothy, Woodrow, Verena, Evelyn, Dayton, Calvin. Sadie left a legacy love.
Sadie was a gentle woman according to her children, never raising her voice to anyone. Carl said she was the perfect wife and mother, always doing what had to be done for the good of the family with a smile. She was a hard worker, cooking for the threshing crews that came and feeding her large family. Her children were very close to her always making sure she had what she needed in her older life. One of her children, either Verena or Lula went to check on her every evening. She loved her family and always made sure to pay special attention to them on birthdays, having them to lunch and visiting often. You were always welcome at Sadie's home.

South Dakota Birth records show birth of Sadie as 1882 also Carl stated this on his bio. He said she was 19 years old the day President McKinly was shot, that would be 1901. The date on the marker is incorrect.


(bio added by: aritha buss flynn)