Beautiful Easter Service marks 75th anniversary

The 75th Easter Sunrise Service at Mount Rushmore National Memorial was standing room only for parishioners. 

Despite the warmer temperatures the snow still blanketed the bleachers surrounding the amphitheater. While many think the National Park Service does the shoveling for the service, it always falls on sunrise service organizers and volunteers who worked multiple days to make this happen. 

The service was a tribute to Lois Halley, who has been instrumental in the service since playing “God Bless America” at the 1947 Easter Sunrise Service.

 A large snowman with a card that read, “With love for Grandma Halley” could be seen near the rocks surrounding the Memorial. Cody and Austin Groven, along with their parents Becki and Jarrod, and cousin Kenny Gardner, made the frozen greeter who held a hymn book for the “family of God.” It seemed like everybody had their picture taken with the snowman.

The Halley Family made a last minute decision to sing “God Bless America” to Lois where she was seated, filling the amphitheater with their voices and an immense amount of love.

The service was also a way to honor the Rev. Carl H. Loock, who is credited with the first Easter Sunrise Service at the memorial.

Carl Dietrich Friesen held up the camera used by his great-grandfather in 1924 and again in 1925 when he was official photographer for Gutzon Borglum’s exploration of the Mount Rushmore site. The Loock family had several generations in attendance to celebrate the 75th service.

“We felt included, honored and welcomed,” said granddaughter Christine Loock. “It was a chance to share a brief eulogy and thank our grandparents and others for their contributions and service to the community.”

Christine noted that the service itself was “inclusive, genuine and inspiring as well as empowering for the local communities who continue to come together to welcome the world with messages of kindness, hope, grace and love.”

Those communities will continue the tradition that began in 1945 again next year on Easter Sunday 2024.