Reginald Wayne Schnabel, 51

Reginald Wayne Schnabel was born on May 8, 1970, to Randy and Linda (Hendrix) Schnabel at the Gregory Hospital.

Reggie spent his childhood years on the farm south of Dog Ear Lake. He attended grade school in Colome, SD, and rode the bus. Reggie attended Winner High School until his family moved to Mt. Vernon, Washington, where he attended Mt. Vernon High School and then Skagit Valley College for Mechanics and Small Engine Repair.

The family moved back to the farm south of Dog Ear Lake. Reggie then took a job in Spearman, TX, harvesting from Arizona to Montana. During this time Reggie married Pam Stump from Spearman, TX. After ten years of harvesting he came back to South Dakota alone and drove truck for Doug Kerner in Winner.

Reggie’s brother Dustin had a plumbing company in Mitchell, SD, and he worked as a plumber with him for two years. Then Reggie came back to Gregory and drove truck for Gary Reber and then John Sand. After that he became ill and slowly waned away. Reggie passed away on Sept. 3, 2021, at home in Gregory.

He was preceded in death by his mother Linda Schnabel, both sets of grandparents, and two uncles Reginald Allen Schnabel and Ed Manshiem.

Surviving are his father Randy Schnabel of Dallas, SD; brother Dustin and wife Amber of Mitchell, SD; two aunts on his father’s side and several aunts on his mother’s side; a close uncle Mick Hendrix of Lake Charles, LA;  great grandma Babe Haskell; many cousins and many, many friends all over the United States.

Vernon D. Fischer, 89

Vernon D. Fischer, 89, passed away on Monday, Sept. 6, 2021 at Fountain Springs Health Care in Rapid City.  He passed away on Labor Day, the same holiday on which his mother passed away 30 years ago. Vern is now in the loving arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Vernon Dallas Fischer was born May 22, 1932 near Colome, SD to Pete and Hulda (Redlinger) Fischer. His early years were spent with his parents and three sisters, Violet, Betty and Joan, working on his parents’ cattle ranch south of Colome.  He rode his horse, Ranger, to a small rural schoolhouse for eight years. He attended high school in Colome and it was there he met Irene Spinar. They were married in 1952, shortly before he left for the military in the Army during the Korean War. 

Upon returning home in 1954, Vern and Irene farmed near Colome and after a few years saw the arrival of their first daughter, Lynn and a couple of years later, Teresa.    After farming for about five years, the family moved to Rapid City in 1961, where Vern ventured into the car dealership industry. A few years later, his third daughter, Diane, was born.   

Vernon loved everything about the car business and after selling used cars and owning a used-car lot, he purchased the Pontiac-GMC dealership and retained ownership until the late 70s. After remodeling his basement, Vern took up woodworking as a hobby and developed it into a furniture manufacturing business, establishing Country Estates Furniture in 1981.    He retired from the furniture business in 1989.   

His love of antiques and auctions prompted him to open an antique and second-hand store and after 31 years of serving in the business community of Rapid City, he bought an RV and the two of them started traveling. They spent their winters in Arizona until Irene passed away in 2018. Vern moved back to Rapid City, where he lived at Edgewood Assisted Living.

Vern was an active member of Westminster Presbyterian Church and Gideons International.  He was also a member of the V.F.W., American Legion, and the Elks.  He enjoyed RVing, golfing, shooting pool, playing cards, and visiting with anyone he met.  His hearty laugh and big heart will be missed.

Vern is survived by his daughters, Lynn (Richard) Murphy of Bulverde, TX, Teresa Horsley of Whitewood, and Diane (Scott) Sharp of Rapid City; nine grandchildren, Alicia Murphy of Livingston, MT, Aaron Murphy of Bozeman, MT, Hudson Horsley of Dallas, TX, Dallas (Alise) Horsley of Medford, OR, Nelson Horsley of Rapid City, Savannah Sharp of Rapid City, Christian Paulson of Kansas City, KS, Christopher Sharp of Rapid City, and Amanda (Blake) Booton-Popken of Panama City, FL; three great-grandchildren; three brothers-in-law, Frank (Joanie) Taggart of Mesa, AZ, Leo and Melvin Spinar, both of Sioux Falls; and numerous nephews and nieces. 

He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Irene; his parents, Pete and Hulda; his in-laws, Jerry and Emma (Urban) Spinar; his three sisters, Violet, Betty, and Joan; his son-in-law, Gary Horsley; and his infant grandson, Charles Murphy.

Memorial services were held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 at Westminster Presbyterian Church.  Visitation was held one hour prior to services.  An inurnment of his ashes was  at 2 pm on Tuesday, Sept. 14 at Black Hills National Cemetery, near Sturgis. 

A memorial has been established with Gideons, International. An online guestbook may be signed at www.kirkfuneralhome.com

Car show winners named

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Galen Vanderpol, Geddes, won the best of show in the Prairie Cruisers car show on Sept. 4. Vanderpol had a 1965 Mercury Comet.

Galen Vanderpol of Geddes won the best of show in the Prairie Cruisers car show on Sept. 4. He had a 1965 Mercury Comet.

Results include:

Class 100–Don Reinesh, Kimball, 1st and Leonard Thomas, Kimball, 2nd

Class 200—Jeff Swartz, Pierre, 1st and Tim Herman, Presho 2nd

Class 300—Steve Cap, Scotland, 1st and Larry Pravecek, Winner, 2nd

Class 400—Wayne Willuweit, Gregory, 1st; Ron Bick, Mitchell, 2nd

Class 500—Galen Vanderpol, 1st; Dennis and Shirley Schoenfelder, Mitchell, 2nd

Class 600—Russ and Gloria Lauritsen, Chamberlain 1st and Jack Ducheneaux, Winner, 2nd

Class 700—Craig Schaeffer, Winmer, 1st and Spencer Calhoon, Ideal, 2nd

Class 800—Perry Bicek, Rapid City, 1st and Rick Kolecka, Winner, 2nd

Class 900—Rylan Leingren, Fairfax, 1st; Kale Urban Pierre, 2nd

Class 1,000—Michael Supik, Colome, 1st; Ray Pravecek, Winner, 2nd

Class 1100—Ted Kenzy, Winner, 1st; John Tunnissen, Winner, 2nd

There were 67 vehicles in the car show.

Youth place at Central States Fair

Rylee and Rustin Schroeder and Maggie DeMers participated in the youth cattle show at the Central State Fair in Rapid City.

Rylee was fifth overall in senior showmanship and had the champion red Angus feeder steer, the champion chi market steer and champion shorthorn heifer calf.

Rusin made it to the finals of the junior showmanship, was second in class with his red Angus heifer calf and was second in the class with his commercial feeder steer.

DeMers had the champion Simmental bull calf, the reserve champion charolais market steer and reserve champion Angus heifer.  

Williams received veterinary award

The late Dr. Julie Williams of Chamberlain, formerly of Winner, received the 2020 distinguished service award from the South Dakota Veterinary Medical Association at its convention in Sioux Falls.

The distinguished service award is an award to honor an individual who has brought distinction to the veterinary profession through devotion to the care and well being of animals, support for the profession and contributions to the community.

Dr. Williams was born in Winner and was a graduate of Winner High School.

She earned her DVM degree from Iowa State University in 1982. Dr. Williams returned to South Dakota after graduation to work with Dr. Lee Dorwart of Chamberlain.

In 1983, Dr. Williams opened Mid River Veterinary Clinic in Chamberlain. She was a solo practitioner.

Due to health and injury issues she had to retire and sell her practice in 2012.

She remained involved with veterinary medicine.

Dr. Williams believed it was important to educate her clients. She regularly sent out newsletters and had drug representatives sponsor meetings on current issues.

She was a member of the South Dakota Animal Industry board from July 1998 to October 2015. She served as president of the board from 1998 to 2001 and was vice president from 2001 to 2006.

In her community, she was a big supporter of 4-H.

Her husband, Larry Wagner accepted the award in her honor.

Speaker tells students the dangers of vaping

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Robb Holladay, motivational speaker, left, plays a marble game with four Winner High School students. Pictured from left are James Gregg, Emily Sachtjen, Kaylee Mulkey and Joey Cole.

By Dan Bechtold

Editor

Winner High School and middle school students learned the dangers of vaping when a guest speaker came to the school on Sept. 1.

Robb Holladay has been speaking to students about vaping for four to five years. He knows first hand the damage vaping does to the lungs. He is an x-ray tech in Dallas, Texas.

He  told WHS students that he is not here to judge them but to provide information.

Vaping has become an epidemic and new studies show that vaping can contribute to a condition known as “Vape Asthma.” A combination of vaping and COVID has produced a new condition that is a huge concern to medical professionals. He said if students vape and get COVID they are sicker.

Holladay explained the message he wants to get to the public is that the companies that manufacture these vaping devices—big tobacco—are targeting these students with misinformation and telling them it is a safe alternative when it is not true.

He said one Juul pod equals a pack of cigarettes.

“Don’t play the tobacco game,” he said.

Holladay said the world has the illusion that vaping is safe.

He said teens vape because of the smell, taste and peer pressure.

However, Holladay says vaping takes a toll on the lungs.  “I know because x rays do not lie,” he said.

Holladay says he has been speaking to students for 25 years. Most of his talks have been on bullying and cyber bullying. He noted in the last four to five years he has been speaking on vaping.

Baptist church celebrates 75th anniversary

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
This is the new Winner First Baptist Church on South Country Road. The church
will celebrate its 75th anniversary on Sept. 12.

The First Baptist Church of Winner will celebrate its 75th anniversary on Sunday, Sept. 12.

There will be a 10 a.m. morning worship service and a 2 p.m. celebration service.

Rev. Curtis Wheadon is the current pastor of the church.

An early beginning to Winner First Baptist Church was in September 1945. At that time Rev. Curtis L. Gatson began a field pastorate. Arrangements were soon made with the Christian church to use their building for worship on Sunday evenings.

In late 1945, a group of young people began meeting twice a month. By spring of 1946 adults were meeting with them for Bible study.

At a meeting in the Edward Sorensen home on April 24, 1946, it was decided to organize a Winner Baptist Church. Meetings were held and Rev. Gatson appointed a committee to formulate a constitution. A meeting to organize the First Baptist Church of Winner was held at the Christian Church on May 5, 1946. The charter of incorporation was issued on Feb. 5, 1947. There were 19 charter members.

Ground for a new church building was broken at 4th and Lamro on April 26, 1947. The first service in the new basement of the building was held on July 13, 1947. Sunday school met in the Charles Burtz home.

A parsonage was  built next door to the church and was completed in 1950. Services were held for six years in the basement of the church. On Aug. 9, 1953, another milestone in the church history was passed when the cornerstone was set in place. One year later, eight years from the date of organization, the completed building was dedicated to the glory of God on Oct. 7, 1954.

In September of 1996, Winner First Baptist Church celebrated 50 years of serving God.

On Dec. 30, 2011, the church received an anonymous gift of $100,000. After many meetings and prayer it was decided that God was blessing the Awana ministry. This ministry was outgrowing the present church. Members felt God was providing for them to build and reach more children for his kingdom.

In September 2013, ground breaking on “holy ground” was held at 501 South County Road for a new church building. Most of the work and building was done by volunteers from the church and community.

Throughout the building God continued to bless the church with gifts and donations as they were needed.

On Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015, the first service was held in the new building. On Sept. 20, 2015, a dedication service was held. On that day God had so richly blessed the church that it was debt free.

Awana grew from five children in 2009 to 101 children in 2017.

Throughout the building process, the prayer of the church was for wisdom, unity and discernment. God answered those prayers.

Over the 75 years, there have been 14 pastors and seven interim pastors.

New Concrete Section Open on Highway

By Dan Bechtold

Editor

The new concrete on the north side of 7th St to Van Buren St. is now open was the report at the Aug. 31 highway construction meeting.

Connor Christensen of T& R Contracting, Sioux Falls, reported that as of the afternoon of Aug. 31 the entire length of  concrete on the north side  will be open.

This does mean  there will still be head to head traffic on the new concrete and motorists are asked to drive slow. There is still a width restriction on the highway.

Christensen added that milling of the old asphalt will start from McDonalds to Monroe street on the south side of the street.

Where there was a detour on North County Road that is now open as is the entrance to McDonald’s from the highway.

Christensen added that H & W  Contracting, Sioux Falls, will be working on placing underground utilities.

Big O Concrete will be working on installing sidewalks.

Starting Saturday, Sept. 11, T&R Contracting will start working every Saturday till the end of Phase I in November.

Traffic Solutions has switched the traffic control barricades. Since the sidewalk has not been put in there will be a space allowed for pedestrians to walk.  

As always, persons can follow the highway construction Facebook page for the latest information.