Alana Sue Richards

SIOUX CITY -- Alana Sue Richards, 36, of Vermillion, S.D., formerly of Sioux City, passed away unexpectedly Monday, June 28, 2010, at Sanford Medical Center in Vermillion.

Services will be 11:30 a.m. Friday at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel, with the Rev. Scott Squires officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service Friday at the funeral home.

Alana was born Aug. 15, 1973, in Sioux City. She attended Riverside and Nodland Schools. She really enjoyed spending time with her grandma and grandpa and riding around in her wheelchair as if it were her bike. At the age of 11, Alana moved to Aberdeen, S.D., and attended school there until age 19. She loved going to the Special Olympics and playing outside. She loved going sledding in the winter on the lake. Alana moved to Vermillion and joined SESDAC and lived in a group home. At the age of 23, Alana moved into her own apartment and she loved her independence. During her time in Vermillion, Alana worked at Burger King and the University of South Dakota in the special education department. Although Alana worked at Burger King her heart belonged to McDonalds.

Alana enjoyed going to movies on Friday nights and going bowling on Saturdays. Alana loved Elvis, Billy Ray Cyrus, WWE Wrestling and anything that had to do with cute boys. When Alana was 21, she attended a Billy Ray Cyrus Concert. Her mom rolled her up to the stage and he stopped playing and she handed him a rose. That was probably the best night of her life. Alana loved getting dressed up for holidays, dances or anything special she got to go to. She would rarely take the bus anywhere; she was very persistent on taking her wheelchair. She loved playing jokes on her uncles and found humor when someone accidentally hurt themselves. Alana was a wonderful and loving daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She was a fiercely independent loving, warm woman and will be missed by all.

Survivors include her mother, Sue Richards of Sioux City; a sister, Katie Miller and her husband, Jeff of Sioux City; aunts and uncles, George and Linda Boddy, Lois and Rob Greinke, Judy and John Yates, Clark and Vicki Boddy, Doug and Robbie Boddy; two nieces, Hailey Bingham and Aubree Miller; a nephew, Landyn Miller; numerous cousins; and her special extended family at SESDAC in Vermillion.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Kathryn Boddy and William "Bill" Boddy; and a cousin, Heidi Boddy.