Aurora Rain Yerden

Aurora Yerden of Rush City passed away at her home on Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at the age of 15.Aurora Rain Yerden was born July 6, 2001 to Christopher and Kristal (Steele) Yerden in Yankton, South Dakota. She came home from the hospital the next day and attended a wedding reception for her Daddy's boss that same night - her first party. Her siblings were all older than her: Briana was 9, Shelice was 7, Samantha was 7, Levi was 4 and Robert was 3.When she was about 6 months old, Aurora's family moved to Rapid City, South Dakota. She grew up around her cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, great-grandparents and many other extended family members. When she was 4 years old, she started going on Gadabouts vacations with Grandma Marjie and was promoted as she got older to Runabouts. She, her cousins and her grandma went to many places including Yellowstone, the Tetons, the Grand Canyon and Lambeau Field.She flew on her first airplane when she was 8, fulfilling her dream of going to Disney World and meeting the princesses. She was proclaimed "Princess" Aurora / Princess "Me" (because Sleeping Beauty was named after her) for the entire eight days. Her favorite rides were the Mad Hatter's Tea Cups and Hollywood's Tower of Terror. She discovered her favorite dessert (besides yours) - Creme Brulee at the Chef de France.Aurora's cousin Danica once asked her to play "school", proclaiming Aurora the teacher. Aurora immediately decided that it was "free time" - her favorite subject. She loved her football team - Go Jags! Go Niners! Go Frogs! and later, Go Packers!Aurora moved to Minnesota when she was 9 years old, living in Coon Rapids and Minneapolis before migrating north to Rush City in 2015. This brought her closer to her Daddy and more grandparents, aunts and cousins. She met and got to know her brothers Treyton and AJ. All family is family. She got to go Christmas shopping at the Mall of America that first year here and met the Vikings Cheerleaders. She was on her elementary school's team that year and got to be on top of their pyramid.Aurora loved outside and activity including climbing trees, hiking, rollerblading, snow skiing (but not on bunny hills; Terry Peak was much better), running, listening to music, singing, drawing (especially instead of note taking during science class), and anything else that got her outside. She struggled with mental health issues, but loved socializing with people of all ages. Aurora had a big heart for others, especially those who were hurting or in need and gave her everything for those she met. She loved animals of all kinds: dogs, cats, racoon, other....Aurora met her true love, Mathew, after moving to Rush City. She requested he take her to Nerstrand Big Woods State Park for her 15th birthday and he did. They hiked and walked under the waterfall there, before going to Cambridge's fair that day. Her parents gave her tickets to the Warped Tour 2016 as her gift and Mat took her to see and meet the bands.Aurora loved Jesus and shared him with others, even when she was only 6 years old. When her Great-Grandma Edna passed away, a cousin's son told her that Grandma was a ghost. Aurora promptly corrected him stating that "Grandma is with Jesus." The cousin's family were atheists, but Aurora and Grandma Edna knew Jesus. Aurora loved her church families at First Christian Church in Rapid City, South Dakota; Oak Hill Baptist Church in Columbia Heights, Minnesota; and at Restoration Church in Rush City, Minnesota. Last Sunday, she prayed during worship service from the front row for her cousins Ashly and Andy. She volunteered in her churches to help during church, Sunday school, and various other activities and programs - babies, toddlers and little kids were her passion.Aurora left journals and drawings to let us remember and know her better, in any notebook or on any piece of paper she could find. If she ran out or couldn't find some, she'd make do with the wall, garage doors, shoes or clothing. Aurora would share everything - your stuff or her stuff, with or without the consent and/or knowledge of the sharer/sharee. Chris, her friend Bailey's Dad, recovered his channel lock pliers from her room (after two years) not knowing they had been sharing.Aurora dreamed of being a dancer and/or choreographer. She spent hours preparing her outfits, hair and makeup for every event - from school to dates to shopping, she always looked her best. She will always be remembered and was dearly loved by all.Aurora's journaling included the following: "Things Most People Don't Know About Me… My childhood nickname is Sunshine. I don't have a favorite flower but my favorite plant is Aloe. I love to dance + choreograph. I love jogging + basketball. I have freckles :P I'm random a.f.! My favorite colors are Emerald Green, Bright Blue, + Purple"Aurora is survived by her parents Chris and Kristal Yerden of Rush City; siblings Briana Fullen, Shelice Conrad, Levi Reese all of Rapid City, South Dakota, Samantha (Daniel) Voss and Robert Holter all of Rush City; grandparents Bob Steele, Marjorie (Tim) Anderson all of Rapid City, South Dakota and Dinah (Matt) Jungermann of Brooklyn Center; great-grandmother Lillian (Jerry) Sailer of Rapid City, South Dakota; boyfriend Mathew Solovia of Rush City; many aunts, uncles and cousins.She is preceded in death by her aunt Kimberly Yerden and great-uncle Rabbit Zellner.Pastor Cary Johnson will officiate at funeral services for Aurora: 11 AM Saturday (1/14/17) at the Olson Funeral Chapel in Rush City. A time of visitation and reviewal is planned from 6-8 PM Friday (1/13/17) and also one hour prior to the service at the chapel.  Casket bearers will include Mathew Solovia, Robert Holter, Isaac Crowson, Jacob Crowson, Kalin Compton and Bailey Rumerich with the interment taking place at the Mission Covenant Cemetery in Rush City.Funeral arrangements for Aurora Yerden of Rush City are entrusted to the Funeral and Cremation Service of Rush City ~ Olson Chapelwww.funeralandcremationservice.com