Monthly Archives: February 2016

Walter Marion Johnson, the fourth of six children, was born on July 11, 1930, to Axel and Alice (Nelson) Johnson on a farm near Winner, SD. Walter attended grade school at a rural school near his home for eight years and for four years attended high school at Colome High School in Colome, SD, graduating in the spring of 1948. While in high school Walter participated in football, basketball, track, and played the cornet in band and was the Valedictorian.

After leaving high school Walter (Walt as he became known) was employed by Van Collins Implement for the summer. At the end of summer he enrolled at the School of Mines and Technology at Rapid City, SD, and attended for two years. He then resumed working for Van Collins Implement. After a year of employment Walt returned to the “Mines” and graduated in 1953 with a degree in General Engineering. He was then employed by Northwestern Bell Telephone Company starting out as a lineman.

While still attending college in Rapid City, Walt married Jeannine Kinzer on February 11, 1951 and to this union three sons were born, Steven, Scott, and Stuart. Walter loved his children and together they did much camping, fishing, and hunting. Camping started out in a station wagon tent and progressed to a converted bus and then a fifth wheel camper. After retirement Walt and Jeannine traveled to Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, and Hawaii.

Walter’s professional career with Northwestern Bell Telephone Company encompassed some 36 years over which there were many transfers and promotions: twice to Omaha, NE; once to Sioux Falls, SD; then Huron, SD; and twice to Des Moines, IA. One transfer in particular involved a trip to Europe during which he visited with European government and communication executives. Sometimes these transfers came with more education, culminating in his being privileged to be chosen to attend MIT in Boston, MA for a year of study resulting in a MA in Business Administration. When AT&T was “broken up” Walt was one of several employees in upper management instrumental in dissolving the monopoly. Walt then went to work at an AT&T spin-off company called Belcore (Bell Communication Research) and became the Assistant Vice President until retirement in 1989. It was at this time they purchased their home near Gregory and later a winter home in Phoenix, AZ.

Time spent on the farm involved enjoying his children, grandchildren, and extended family, attending football games at Colome (which he rarely missed), square dancing wintering in Arizona, mowing, and plowing snow.
Walt passed away peacefully with his loving wife of almost 65 years, Jeannine, at his side on January 21, 2016. He will surely be missed by all.

Larry Juracek, age 74, of Winner, passed away on January 23, 2016 at the Winner Regional Healthcare Facility in Winner. Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Thursday, January 28, 2016 at the United Methodist Church in Winner. Burial followed at the Winner City Cemetery.

Larry was born on August 31, 1941 in Stuart, NE to Ernie and Edna (Spahn) Juracek. He grew up on the family farm west of Naper, NE. where Larry attended country school and then graduated in 1959 from Naper. Larry had one younger brother, Darrel.

He attended Yankton College for one year then came back to marry his high school sweetheart, Karen Reber, on October 15, 1960. The Lord blessed them with four children, Cheryl Lynn, Angela Jo, Clayton Dean, and Cody James.

They moved to Winner in 1961, where Larry worked for the telephone company for one year then for the Winner City Light Dept. for the next 43 years. He was the foreman of the light crew for the last 25 years of his employment with the city.

Larry and Karen purchased several rental properties, working side by side to fix them up. They also kept hunters in their home during pheasant season and had a pheasant cleaning service for many years. Karen ran a private daycare from their home for many years and Larry was very helpful with the children during meal time and after work. The kids loved Larry’s entertainment! Larry took much pride in his family.

Over the years he attended many music and sporting events of his three children, and more recently, of his two grandsons.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church where, over the years, he taught Sunday school, sang in the choir and served on many committees and projects. He sat on the Camp Fire Girl Council, was active in Winner Lions Club, and was a board member of the Tripp County Historical Society, and also a board member of the Tripp County Library. Larry also coached youth basketball for several years.
In 2008, Larry went on a mission trip to Haiti where he and others helped the Haitian people build solar ovens. Larry truly had a servant’s heart. That trip was a life-changing experience for him and something he spoke of often.

Some of his best-loved hobbies included drawing, painting, reading, and working in his vegetable and flower gardens. He was known for gardening and for the beautiful flowers he raised. He was an avid sports fan of the Winner Warriors, Green Bay Packers, Nebraska Cornhuskers, and the New York Yankees. Larry got the opportunity to attend home games of all of his favorite teams. He and his good friend, Gary Bowar, went on several baseball trips out east together over the years.

Larry had many friends and enjoyed visiting with his cronies at Lil’ Feller every morning for coffee and Monday mornings at the Legge Agency. He also enjoyed playing cards with the Elite Card club for many years. Larry was a devout Christian and knew someday he would walk with the Lord. He touched many lives over the years and will be remembered as a good friend. Many will miss his good sense of humor!

Trula Ruby (Hayford) Heath was born in Huggins Township Sec 17 to Ralph Leslie and Vera Estelle (Meyers) Hayford on June 30, 1926 near Millboro, SD. When born, her parents had not decided on a name, so the doctor declared her name as Mary Ann. Trula did not find out she was using an illegal name until 1974, when she and Howard needed passports to travel abroad.

As a child, Trula’s family lived in many places, both in Nebraska and South Dakota. She lived west of Shadley Creek and west of Kewanee School. Her fondest memories were on Plum Creek near Johnstown, as it related to her favorite books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Her family finally settled in Beaver Creek Township where they ranched and she met the love of her life, Howard Heath.

Trula attended Beaver Creek during grade school and three years of high school. She graduated from Valentine High School. While attending her final year of high school, she received her normal training, allowing her to teach school. She taught school several years prior to marrying Howard.

Howard and Trula united in marriage October 26, 1946 and were blessed with three children. They settled in Huggins Township where they farmed and ranched until retirement on a very cold, blistering day on January 1, 1993.

Trula taught at various rural schools around the Millboro and Keyapaha area over a 25 year period. Some of those schools included Beaver Creek, Roberts, New Huggins, Riverside, Cloverdale, Sand Creek and East View. During her teaching career, she established many lifelong friends and all her students were favorites.

At the age of 33, Trula decided to return to Southern State Teachers College, Springfield, SD to obtain her Bachelor of Science degree in education. She attended summer school every summer until graduating at the age of 45. She was recognized as being one of the best teachers in Tripp County.

Trula will be remembered for her positive attitude, her love for learning and her wittiness. She was a person that never complained. She inspired many and loved many. Trula had many artistic hobbies, however in the last few years was unable to participate.

Dorothy Dean O’Bryan Rohde was born April 29, 1930 at the family farm near Mosher, South Dakota to Boyd and Theodoshia (Eastin) O’Bryan where she joined eleven brothers and sisters. She attended rural schools near her home through eighth grade and attended high school at St. Mary’s Catholic School in O’Neil, Nebraska where she graduated in 1948.
On June 2, 1949 Dorothy was united in marriage to Edward Rohde in Dallas, SD. Dorothy and Edward made their home on a farm South of Colome, South Dakota, where they had three children, David, Donna, and Karen, and lived for the next forty-seven years. After her children were grown, Dorothy began a career as a cook working part time at the Sale Barn Cafe in Winner, South Dakota, where she continued to work for 20 years.
Dorothy was well known for her talent as a cake decorator. Many, many birthdays, baptisms, weddings, and other special occasions were celebrated with cakes made by her throughout the neighboring communities. Her talents were many. Among them, was her ability to restore old furniture, as well as car and tractor seats, to look like new again.
In the spring of 1996, Dorothy and Edward moved to their final home in Gregory, South Dakota, due to Edward’s declining health. While living in Gregory, Dorothy continued to decorate cakes for special occasions and made several friends throughout the community. Dorothy compassionately cared for her husband during his battle with Parkinson’s disease for eight years until he lost his battle in 2004.
During her final years, Dorothy remained very social. She enjoyed greeting everyone she knew when out, but especially looked forward to her Saturday morning coffee group, card parties, Bunco parties, and visits from family, friends, and neighbors.