Monthly Archives: October 2015

Bessie Bette (Birger) Warejcka was born on July 11, 1923 to John and Mary (Vnoucek) Birger in rural Winner, SD. She graduated from Fairfax High School in 1941 and completed Lincoln Beauty School. She worked as a Beautician in Lincoln, NE for four years and then owned and operated the Bonesteel Beauty Shop for a year. On April 9, 1947 Bessie was united in marriage to Arthur Warejcka in Fairfax, SD. Together they farmed and raised livestock.

Bessie was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church, the Good Will Circle and the American Legion Auxiliary of Platte. She enjoyed cooking, baking, gardening, sewing and polka dances. A gifted musician, she taught herself to play the accordion and harmonica.

Berniece Hansen, 91, of Winner, passed away on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at the Winner Regional Healthcare Center in Winner.  Funeral services were held on Monday, October 19, at 10:30AM at the United Methodist Church in Winner. Burial followed in the Winner City Cemetery.

Berniece R. Hansen was born the second youngest of seven children on April 25, 1924, in Randolph,Neb., to Levi Lookabill and Roena Larson. At the age of two she moved with her parents to a farm three miles east of Wood, South Dakota. She spent the early years of her life on the farm and often commented on the difficulties of rural life during the hard economic times of the depression and the grasshopper plague of the mid 1930’s.

Her father, Levi, often had to hitch a ride with the rural mail carrier to Winner, to buy groceries, usually staying overnight. He would return the following day with only what he could carry.  Meanwhile, the grasshoppers would be eagerly eating the clothing off of the clothesline. Since state Highway 44(which was then gravel) ran near the farm, Levi got a job grading the highway using horses to pull the grader. That job provided much needed cash which helped sustain the family during the depression. He also owned a tractor and threshing machine, and would travel the area doing custom threshing for other farmers. Berniece would often assist with preparing meals for the hungry crews that traveled the countryside providing the labor for the threshing machine.  Berniece was often asked to assist with the farm work. Rattlesnakes cruising nearby while she was herding sheep on horseback were a vivid childhood memory.

Berniece attended elementary and high school in Wood, graduating in 1942. She was a member of Wood High School girls basketball team.

On September 10, 1942, Berniece married Clair Hansen in Winner, South Dakota, and moved to the Hansen family farm founded in 1909 by J.T. and Maude Hansen near Carter, South Dakota. Together they operated the family farm and were joined by daughter Bonny(Lester) in 1944, son Jerry in 1945, and son Dennis in 1952. As the years went by, the farm and the family grew and prospered. In 1988 Clair and Berniece purchased a home in Winner, South Dakota. Clair and Berniece continued to operate the farm for 61 years until Clair passed away in 2003. Berniece lived in the home in Winner until failing health forced her to retire to the Golden Prairie Manor in March of 2015. Berniece remained active with the family farm after Clair’s passing, paying her own bills and making decisions until she passed away suddenly on October 14, 2015. Today, the farm is one of the oldest under
continuous family ownership in Mellette County.

Berniece spent her entire life caring for and seeing to the needs of her precious family. Berniece was most fond of the times remembered with friends and family, especially during the holidays. Berniece and Clair would eagerly open their home whenever the occasion arose. Christmas Eve was spent with the Lookabill family and Christmas Day with the Hansen family. There were great family dinners that always ended with a rousing pitch game. Berniece was also a charter member of the Idle-AWhile woman’s club and always looked forward to socializing with other farm wives.

In later years, Berniece and Clair enjoyed traveling. Their preferred method of travel was the organized bus tour. They always felt that they could see more sights and enjoy more activities if they traveled with others who knew the way. They also enjoyed the camaraderie of their fellow travelers immensely, especially, Frank and Alice Kriz, Sam and Pauline Adel, Dale and Helen Lookabill, Darlene and Jay Pearsall and many, many others. Their favorite trip was the first one that they booked. It was to New England and eastern Canada to enjoy the autumn colors. Eventually, they toured all 50 states and a good portion of Canada.

In addition to traveling, Berniece enjoyed collecting antique dishes and furniture, and spending time with her children and grandchildren. She would often join sister-in-law Betty Hansen on forays to other South Dakota towns in search of unusual or interesting antiques. Lately, she enjoyed giving away many of her “treasures” to her children and grandchildren, whom she enjoyed immensely. She leaves behind a substantial legacy of collectible items and fond memories.

John Louis Greer was born on May 13, 1922 to John and Jennie (Orr) Greer. He was the eighth of nine children born to this union. John grew up and attended Ryan school west of Lucas, SD, eventually graduating from Lucas High School where he was involved in the Lucas school choir . He attended the Lucas Baptist Church where he was baptized.

Following high school, John operated a small farm in the Lucas area before marrying his high school sweet heart, Lora “Ellen” Nelson on April 10th , 1944. John and Ellen continued to live on this farm for a few years where they eventually had three children – Cheryl, Rodney and Roger. John and Ellen moved numerous times around the Dallas, Dixon area, operating small farms before settling in Gregory, SD in 1962. After arriving in Gregory, John opened two gas station/auto repair shops.

In his free time, John was very active in the Methodist Church of Gregory, participating in numerous bible study and men’s groups. John was elected United Methodist Layman of the Year in 1987 for his work in fellowship and evangelism within the Methodist Church.

After “retiring” John remained active in the church and Gregory Communities by mowing lawns (including the Methodist Church) and assisting his longtime friend Emmett Kotrba. John and Ellen were sextants At the IOOF Cemetery for Twenty five Years. On his “days off” he could be found watching old westerns and eating homemade popcorn. He also enjoyed spending time with Ellen making road trips to visit grandkids and occasionally fishing for catfish and largemouth bass.

When Ellen entered the Gregory nursing home John would lovingly be there three times a day for her. On one of these visits he fell while leaving and as a result of immobility he spent his remaining years in the Avera Rosebud Country Care Center, passing away on October 9th 2015 at 93 years of age.

David Ralph Freeman was born October 5, 1943 at his parents home, Ralph and Mary (Keckler) Freeman in Springfield, SD.  He died October 14, 2015 at Burke Community Hospital in Burke, SD at the age of 72 years.Memorial services were held Oct. 19 at the United Methodist Church of Burke with burial in the Herrick Cemetery.

His family later moved to a farm and lived with his Uncle Luther Freeman near Carlock, SD.  Dave then attended grade school at the Sioux Valley Country School-District #35 in Carlock, SD and attended high school through the 9th grade at Gregory High School and during this time he worked for several farmers in the Paxton, SD area.

In 1964 he enlisted in the US Army as a heavy equipment mechanic and sharp shooter.  His last tour of service was spent in South Korea and was discharged in 1966.
In 1967 he was working on the Herman Ranch in Draper, SD when he met the love of his life, Myrna (Miller) Labahn and they were married on April 6th, 1968.  He became the father of her two sons, Dennis and Duane (aka-Weiner) and they made their home in Draper, SD where he then worked for Max Horsley. Later they moved to the Burke area and was employed by the Gregory Country Highway department and acquired the nickname Davey, until his retirement in November of 2007. He was also a member of the American Legion Post #220 in Herrick, SD, a Fireman for the Burke Volunteer Fire Department, and devoted many hours helping build the Burke Stampede Rodeo grounds utilizing his welding skills.  After retirement Dave began the second (maybe first) love of his life of driving an 18 Wheeler until his health started failing.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents, his siblings, Donald Freeman, Dorthy McCarthy and Delbert Freeman and Brother-In-Law Keith Silling as well as several other relatives and friends.