Senator John Thune

I’ve been blessed with two incredible mothers in my life, one was my mother Pat Thune who passed away in March of last year, and the other is my wonderful wife Kimberley who is mother to our two beautiful daughters. Every Mother’s Day our family, along with millions of other families across our country, join in celebrating the mothers and the women in our lives who each day provide love and support to their families. While it can be a difficult day for those who have lost this special person in their life, let us all celebrate the profound impact they played in our life while they were still with us.

Kimberley has been an extraordinary example of a faithful, intelligent, loving, and caring mother to our two daughters. While both of them are grown now, I still remember so many of the little things Kimberley would do for the girls, like reading them bedtime stories, preparing snacks, helping them with homework, and running them to their school activities. Her strength, compassion, kindness, and love are virtues that I now enjoy seeing in our girls. As our youngest daughter prepares for her wedding later this summer, it has been special to watch the bond Kimberley shares with both of our daughters and the admiration they share for her.

As each family gathers to celebrate the mothers, grandmothers, and spouses who have left an enduring mark of love and joy on our lives, let us pay special tribute to all those mothers who are serving in the military, or have sons and daughters who are serving overseas. I ask all South Dakotans to keep those mothers, grandmothers, and their children, in their thoughts and prayers. 

Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity for all of us to take time out of our busy lives to go the extra step of showing the mothers in our lives just how much they mean to all of us. I wish a very happy Mother’s Day to my wife Kimberley, my mother-in-law Esther, and to all of the mothers across South Dakota.