Kahlen Ranae Salis

Funeral Services for Kahlen Salis will be held on Thursday Aug. 25th at 10:30 am at St. Paul Lutheran Church of Freeman. Visitation will be Wednesday Aug. 24th from 5-7 pm at the church. As Kahlen enjoyed doing many arts and crafts, with tie-dying being her favorite, please feel free to wear tie-dye clothing or her favorite colors; pink, purple and light blue to the visitation and Funeral Service.

Kahlen Ranae Salis was born on August 6, 2008 in Sioux Falls, SD to Walter and Kris Salis and was welcomed by big brother Richard Salis.  She passed away surrounded by her loved ones on August 16, 2022 at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis, MO from complications after a liver transplant she had on June 2, 2022. 

At the age of 3, Kahlen was diagnosed with a rare blood disease, Dyskeratosis Congenita.  The day after her 4th birthday she had a bone marrow transplant at Masonic Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, MN.  In September 2020, Kahlen was diagnosed with Pulmonary AVM’s, because of this she had to wear oxygen 24 hours a day, do school from home and through all of this Kahlen kept her positive attitude and made the best of all of it.  In April 2022, Kahlen and her parents relocated to St. Louis to wait for Kahlen to receive a liver transplant which would eventually fix her lungs and let her live a normal life.  She fought hard to overcome everything that was thrown at her but due to complications after she received her liver transplant her body was tired and she couldn’t fight anymore.   

Between transplants, Kahlen lived life to the fullest and made the best of everything.  She attended Freeman Elementary and Freeman Jr. Sr. High School through the 7th grade.  Kahlen loved to play basketball, volleyball, softball and archery.  She wasn’t the most athletic person but she gave it her all and that was because of the coaches who encouraged her to do her best and made it fun.  

Kahlen enjoyed many things in life but the biggest one was spending time with her family and friends, especially her bestie Jocelyn Lee and cousin Layney.  She loved having girls’ day to go shopping and just hanging out laughing and having fun. She enjoyed baking brownies and cookies with Grandma and Heather and doing shooting sports with her Dad and Grandpa Goens.   

Kahlen was baptized on September 21, 2008 and confirmed on April 10, 2022 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Freeman, SD.  Her faith was strong and knew when the day would come that she was going to be with Jesus.   

Kahlen is survived by her mother Kris (Henrichs) Salis, father Walter Salis, bonus parent Heather (Goens) Salis and big brother Richard Salis.  Grandparents Kevin and Kathy Henrichs and Roland Goens. Aunts and uncles Kurt (Sarah) Henrichs, Kraig (Amanda) Henrichs, Kory Henrichs, Scott Loughry, Marcie Kelley, Rachel (Jeff) Sorrels, Julia (Levi) Aesoph and Garrett Goens.  Cousins Luke and Ben Henrichs, Blake and Layney Henrichs, April (Jim) Nickelman, Andrew (Diana) Salis, Amanda (Tim) Morton, Matthew (Ashley) Salis, Stacey Salis, Kristi Benson, Adam Salis, Emmett, Warren, and Anna Aesoph.  Her furry friends Sasha and Liala. Best friend Jocelyn Lee and the Class of 2027.  She is also survived by many great aunts and uncles, and many close friends.

She is preceded in death by grandparents Richard and Barbara Salis and Susan Goens, great-grandparents Elmer and Evelyn Hofer and Bernice Meinerts.