A memorial service for Donald Story will be held on Saturday, Oct. 16, 20201 at 1 p.m. at Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home in Gregory, SD.
Donald Kelvin Story was born on Aug. 31, 1964, to Lydia and William Story.
Don spent his childhood on the family farm east of Winner, SD. He attended country school during his grade school years and then attended Winner High School, graduating in 1982.
He attended Mitchell Vo-tech, and spent a short time in the Army.
He eventually entered truck driving school in Sioux Falls, SD. Turned out it came quite natural for him and became his profession.
Don met Jackie Lane in 2001, and convinced her to join him in the truck driving profession. This started their life and adventure, visiting many places while working highway construction. They were married on December 31, 2009.
His passions were fishing, music, 60’s and 70’s muscle cars – his favorite being his 1969 Camaro, He also enjoyed spending time with his brother Wally, friends and family.
Don passed away on July 1, 2021 in Sioux Falls, SD, after a short battle with cancer.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents on both sides, mother Lydia story, father William Story, sister Nancy Story and father-in-law Gerald Drey.
He is survived by his wife Jackie, brothers, Wally Story and wife Marcie; Ken Story and wife Camie, nephews and nieces, many aunts and cousins; mother-in-law Edith Drey, and Jackie’s children and grandchildren.
By Dan Bechtold
Editor
Linda Brunmeier marked her 40th anniversary at Runnings in Winner on Oct. 5.
Her service and dedication at the Winner business is outstanding. Customers can always count on Linda to help them and provide good customer service.
She started at the business on Oct. 5, 1981. She was originally hired to help with the set up crew at what was then the new store on the very west end of Winner. Employers liked her work ethic and offered her a full time job. It was a job she accepted and never in her wildest dreams did she image it would extend to a career covering 40 years.
Runnings has had several name changes over the years. It was S & S, Country General, CT Farm and Tractor, Quality and in 2001 it became Runnings.
Her main job is receiving freight. She also does bookkeeping, puts out merchandise on the display floor, works the checkout when needed.
Brunmeier says she does a little bit of everything.
In October of 2017 Runnings moved to a much larger store on the highway. The new, modern store triples the space in the old store.
“The town needed a bigger store, we just outgrew the space at the old store,” she said.
Runnings is now getting into a very busy season with the start of pheasant hunting season. They are stocked with guns, shells, hunting licenses, hunting clothing, vests, caps and more.
With a person buys a hunting license at Runnings they get a free cap.
“Some of our out of state hunters want that free cap each year. Some of them tell me they line the walls of their garage with the caps.”
Brunmeier enjoys her fellow worker and the customers. She enjoys visiting with the people who come into the store.
She said it was big switch moving from the old store to the new one. She now walks a lot more miles a day.
Brunmeier and her husband, Dan, have two children. Justin (wife Val) works for the city of Winner. Danielle Bohman (husband Dan) works for the federal bankruptcy court in Pierre. The couple have two grandchildren and now a great granddaughter.
Dan Brunmeier works at Office Products Center.
Brunmeier will retire from Runnings on Dec. 31. She and her husband plan to do some traveling. One of the places they want to go is Florida plus travel the Alaskan Highway.
Runnings has been a good career for Brunmeier. She is one of the dedicated employees who make this Winner business an important part of our community.
By Dan Bechtold
Editor
Winner Pharmacy received the gold award in the Pathway to Medicare program.
The award recognizes the top 300 community pharmacies across the country for going above and beyond in helping their Medicare patients.
These pharmacies ensure that their Medicare patients enroll in a pharmacy plan that best fits their needs and budget.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, there are more than 61 million Medicare enrollees in the United States and many are confused by the complex experience of selecting a Medicare plan.
“This award is a reflection of our efforts to help our patients find the best Medicare Part D plan,” said Dan Fiebelkorn, owner of Winner Pharmacy.
Part D is the Medicare prescription plan and there are 40 to 50 Part D plans.
“We are trying to help them find he best Part D plan for their drugs. We work with the local insurance agents to try and find the best plan for next year.”
Last year Winner Pharmacy did over 1,000 plan comparisons.
The re-enrollment period for Medicare is Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.
Fiebelkorn says this is a great time to have a plan comparison done to see which Part D plans fits the needs of a patient.
The pharmacist explained a year ago people started asking questions about their pharmacy plan. “We started doing comparisons. Through word of mouth it spread that Winner Pharmacy was doing them and it gained a lot of traction. We worked with insurance agents to make sure the drugs they have listed is accurate. If you put one drug in that plan wrong your plan for next year could be totally wrong,” explained Fiebelkorn.
“Having the drugs accurately put into that plan comparison is of the upmost importance,” added the pharmacist.
Starting Oct. 15 Winner Pharmacy will start doing the comparisons again. Fiebelkorn estimates they plan to do over 1,000 comparisons for anyone who would like to take advantage of this service.
He says persons can call or stop at Winner Pharmacy to start the process.
“Cost is a big consideration but it is not necessarily the only consideration when looking to switch plans,” said Fiebelkorn.
“We are giving people the information so they can make the best decision for next year,” he added.
Fiebelkorn said: “This award is an opportunity for us to say: Hey, if you are looking for a plan comparison we are a resource for you to find the best plan.” Winner Pharmacy is about 10 years old. It opened in Winner in 2011 and last year at the end of January moved into a new modern facility.
A full staff is ready to provide help to its customers.
By Dan Bechtold
Editor
This is an exciting time of year. It is hunting season.
Pheasant hunting statewide opens on Oct. 16. The season has been extended again this year to Jan. 31, 2022. Shooting hours all season start at 10 a.m. until sunset.
Dillon Bates, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks conservation officer in Winner, is looking for a good pheasant season this year.
Bates said it was looking good coming into the spring then the drought hit and changed everything. He said a lot of chicks were lost during the drought. Pheasants eat bugs the first six weeks of their lives. “No bugs means no pheasants,” explained the conservation officer. “I did see a lot of late hatches this year so hopefully some of those survived,” he said.
Bates is still optimistic it will be a decent year for bird numbers. “Some of the areas held birds a lot better than others. It has been kind of spotty,” he said.
Historically, northern Tripp County has more birds and he says this seems to be true this year.
Bates noted places with cattail slews and water held the birds better.
GFP no longer does brood counts where they count the number of birds in a certain area.
In August, Bates spent a few mornings driving around. “It was not good,” he said. “In the past when I would drive north of town I would see tons of pheasants and this time I saw 1 or 2.”
With the drought farmers are scrambling to hang onto every piece of grass which could have a negative impact on pheasants.
Bate has been the conservation officer here for a year. He serves the four county area of Tripp, Todd, Gregory and Mellette County.
What asked what he looks forward to this year he noted he was not sure what to expect.
COVID-19 is still hanging around.
Last year a lot of hunters did not come due to COVID-19. Now that there is a vaccine available and many people are fully vaccinated there should be more hunters. “I think we will have more hunters than last year. I do not think as many will sit out due to COVID. A lot of them that sat out last year will be itching to get back out,” said Bates.
He checked with some hunting lodges in the area and they reported good numbers coming into the season. “I think it will be busy year,” he said.
When asked what he wanted hunters to know when they come here he said to be respectful of private property. If hunting road right of ways know where the road right of way ends. Know what birds you can shoot and what birds you cannot shoot.
Make sure to ask permission if you are going to go on someone’s property.
Bates stresses that hunters should know the rules and requirements of transportation of birds.
He explained a lot of guys go hunting with their buddies and only one person brings the birds to town to the processing plant.
The rules are the bird is tagged with the name of the hunter, the hunter’s address, the total number of species of birds taken, the date the bird was killed and signature of the hunter.
Bates also reminds hunters they cannot shoot within 660 feet of farms, livestock, school, and homes.
He said a lot of farmers are putting up signs about the 660 feet limit. Bates has signs in his office if landowner would like them.
The conservation officer continues to receive calls from hunters seeking information of pheasant season. Each day he gets one or two calls from individuals wanting to know bird numbers and where they can go to hunt.
Tripp County does not have a lot of public land for hunting. So, Bates would like to get more people interested in signing up for walk in areas. They will provide more public lands for persons to hunt.
Bates explained GFP has another program called controlled hunting access but he says is more restricted that a walk in area.
He says soon GFP will be getting a private lands biologist that can work with landowners. This person will be stationed in Chamberlain.
Bates is hoping for good weather for the opening weekend. “I am looking forward to the season and I hope everyone has a successful year and enjoys the hunt.”
Funeral services for Cheri Carlson will be held Oct. 19 at 10 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Burke with Pastor Philip Henning officiating.
Burial was previously held at Graceland Cemetery in Burke.
Cheryl Lynn Swedlund was born in Winner, South Dakota, on May 28, 1947. Joining two brothers on a ranch north of Witten, all three went to the Eden School and on to Winner High. Sandy and Claudine raised her with strong faith and a sense of humor, as well as a deep appreciation for a wicked game of pitch.
After graduating, she attended Stewarts School in Sioux Falls and started her career as a beautician in Gregory. She built a loyal clientele and formed lifelong bonds that manifest from a stylist’s chair. Later, she upgraded her title to business owner, opening the Beauty Boutique in Winner.
Everett called her “my beautiful wife” starting in 1977. The Carlsons offered a warm welcome and she moved onto the family farm south of Burke, just shy of the Nebraska line. She and Everett took on remodeling the farmhouse, Cheri assuming the role of interior design director. In the decades to come, she used her knack for cooking and baking to feed her family, neighbors, the men working cattle, and holiday gatherings. She took pride in setting a table that sparkled so brightly you had to slip on your sunglasses when taking a seat. She put this flair to work during the annual tradition of the Christmas open houses she hosted for many years at the farm, filling the house with friends, family, and lots of laughter.
Burke called her “Thelma Jean” during a play in 1985, but her role as a community builder surpasses play practice. Winter Wonderland, Legion Auxiliary, the Stampede Rodeo, Community Club, Red Hats, and 4H; she loved connecting to people. Her pride overflowed when she hosted a style show for South Dakota’s State Centennial and organized events for the class of ’65, and a seemingly endless amount of fundraisers and benefits for people and groups in Burke. Whatever the occasion, when you saw her big white Caprice roll into town there were good times to come.
One of her most important names was “Mrs. Claus.” Santa and elf responsibilities rotated through friends new and old, but her mainstay as Mrs. Claus filled her with joy. Cheri sewed Mrs. Claus’s dress, which comes as no surprise. Her time spent at the sewing machine is counted in years, not hours. From western shirts to elaborate bridesmaid’s dresses, she labored over every stitch with talent and precision.
The names that came up during the card games in her house and yours—well, you likely remember them yourself. Pitch was the game of choice, but a deck of cards offered possibilities to Cheri. Everett had his hands full during nightly games of pinochle and rummy, governed by the Jamison rules, of course.
To say she was an enthusiastic fan of the Cubs is an understatement. Baseball, in general, was a lifelong passion. She enjoyed yelling at the umpires (one in particular) and when the Cubs won the world series, she went to bed grinning from ear to ear.
The most significant name of all, though, is “friend.” Cheri had a giving, sensitive heart that often appeared tough as nails on the exterior. We saw her lose a bit of her stride when she lost Everett, but friendships kept her strong as she navigated the years after his death. Her friends sent letters and visited with her on the phone for hours, and she loved every moment.
Cheri is preceded by Everett, her parents, and one brother, Joel.
She’s survived by her brother Jerry and his wife, Joanna. Her sons Kip and Zeb, and close friends Marla, and her son Colton. Grandkids Danielle, Taylor, and Drake, as well as their partners, grandkids, and great-grands, as well as cousins, spouses, sisters- and brothers-in-law, cousins, and on and on.
We are grateful to Burke. The people, the hospital, the nurses, the EMTs, and friends, all of you are extended family to us. We stand in awe of the excellent care given to Cheri from Ava’s House Hospice, as our lives are forever changed by the caregivers there.
Memorials will be shared with the Burke Community Foundation.
Alberta “Tisa” Elsasser, 66, of Winner, SD passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021 at her home in Winner, SD. Memorial service was held on Tuesday, Oct. 12, at 10:30 a.m. at the Winner United Methodist Church. Burial followed in the Winner City Cemetery.
Tisa went to her Lord and Savior on Oct. 5, 2021 at her home in Winner, SD. Tisa had a long two-year battle with cancer, she fought very hard to not let it slow her down.
Alberta Lettetia Cooley was born at Forbes Air Force Base Hospital, Kansas, to Colvin and Wanda (Hudson) Cooley.
Tisa graduated from Rapid City Central High School in 1973. She was united in marriage to Rick Sattler and they had two daughters: Jennifer and Sarah.
Tisa met Michael Elsasser in 1992 and they were united in marriage Sept. 11, 1994.
Tisa had many talents and interest in her lifetime. She worked as a chef and baker for several years. While living in Clarksville, near Nashville, TN she modeled clothing for magazine advertisements, painted landscape art and worked as a chef. She also loved sewing, crafting and was in her element when fishing. Her biggest passion was reading. Tisa edited and reviewed all types of pre-published books. She became highly known for how thoroughly she edited and reviewed the books, that authors contacted her directly to review their books. As time went on this expanded to many different products that she tested and wrote online reviews for.
Michael’s work took them to Oregon in 1996. Tisa continued her reviews and was a fantastic homemaker. In 2018 after Mike retired, they moved to Winner to live with and take care of his mother Norma.
Tisa met many wonderful people in Winner and enjoyed volunteering at the Winner Thrift Store and meeting women from the Town and Country Women’s Club. She enjoyed fishing and just hanging out with cousins.
Tisa is preceded in death by both her parents Wanda and Colvin, her first husband Rick and her three brothers Dale, Joseph, and Christopher.
She is survived by her husband Michael, her two daughters Jennifer of Texas and Sarah of Tennessee, her sister Theresa of Nevada, her two stepdaughters Nora of South Dakota and Darcy of Wyoming, five grandkids Harrison, Atticus, Hudson, Maribeth and Jacob and four step-grandkids Kevin, Kendall, Keaton, and Jaden.
Linc Wilson, age 63, formerly of Winner, passed away on Sept. 30, 2021. Linc loved his family and his cats. Family and friends called him the Lincster and /or Hopper. He loved to have fun with people and make everyone laugh.
Linc enjoyed hunting deer and pheasant it was something he did every year with his family. In recent years he started metal detecting and found some very interesting treasures like real silver dollars and helped a couple find an engagement ring they had lost at a park. Linc also enjoyed hiking all over Arizona. He collected Mickey Mouse memorabilia and was frequently seen wearing one of his many Mickey T-shirts.
Linc was a glazier and installed glass in high rise buildings, the heights didn’t bother him. He also contracted to put the banners up at Sun Devil Stadium for the Fiesta Bowl games and for the Super Bowl game. Before moving to Arizona Linc worked for the Burlington Northern Railroad. He grew up in Winner, South Dakota.
Linc is survived by his wife Margo, his sister Tracee Ford, her husband Greg their children, Shae, Layne, Reed, Teeyl, and Jais. His brother Shannon and wife Cindee. Linc adored his grand nieces and nephews Gunner, Bristol, Maive, Rhen, Ophelia, Tanner, Piper, Peyton and Ashton. He would have them laughing and screaming with delight within minutes. He was always a kid at heart.
Linc was a hobby artist and created some fun pieces using glass and wood. He made beautiful fairy houses for many of us. He also collected Native American pottery. His collection will be donated to local museums.
Donations to ASPCA and the Arizona Humane Society.
Linc was well loved and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
Funeral service was held at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021 at 12 p.m. Condolences may be expressed at www.whitneymurphyfuneralhome.com
A memorial service will be held in the spring in Winner, SD.
Donald Vaughn, 89, of Winner, SD passed away on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021 at the Edgewood Assisted Living in Mitchell, SD.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at the Mason Funeral Home in Winner, SD. Burial followed in the Winner City Cemetery.
Funeral services will be live-streamed through the Mason Funeral Home Facebook page.
Donald Lee Vaughn was born on Nov. 20, 1931, in Paxton, South Dakota where he was the first child of Dallas and Dorothy (Bennett) Vaughn. Don was blessed to grow up with his 11 siblings and attended rural schooling in Gregory County until the 8th grade.
He married Luella Ulmer on June 14, 1953. To this union, three sons were born; David Lee, Gary Dean, and Bradley Don.
Early in the marriage between Don and Lue, they lived south of Carlock, SD and worked for the Bill Steppat family. For a short time, they lived near Moser, SD and worked for Chet Weaver. Don and Lue moved to the banks of the Keya Paha River, where many great memories were made when the boys were younger. Don was working for Bob Brazena. Aftertime, they relocated to their place on Rahn Lake Road in 1969. On their farm, the couple continued farming, milking cows, raising sheep and chickens, until their retirement. One of Don’s greatest passions was to own, raise, and ride horses, which was a passion that he shared with the rest of his family.
When they decided it was time to move to town, Don and Lue purchased a town house in Winner, SD. The doors of their new home were always open for company, coffee and fresh banana bread were always hot and waiting. Don loved to have company, he could always be found visiting with friends and family. At the time of his passing Don and Lue were residents of the Edgewood Living Center in Mitchell, SD.
Don was always proud of his family, especially his grandkids and great grandkids. He was the first one to tell you what they were up to and how they were doing if you were willing to lend an ear to listen. Don was overjoyed to meet his great-great granddaughter, Wakely, and was proud to be a part of 5 generations of family.
Donald passed away peacefully on Oct. 2, 2021, in Mitchell, SD surrounded by his family. Preceding Donald into Heaven were his parents, Dallas and Dorothy, and his in-laws Albert and Hilda Ulmer, sisters Belle Ravelette & Lois Fode, & brothers Billy Vaughn, Merle Vaughn, & Leo Vaughn; and numerous brother and sister-in-laws.
Don leaves behind his loving wife Luella of 68 years, Sons; Dave (Bev), Gary (Debbie), Bradley (Jil), grandchildren Domini Turnquist (Blake Benedict), Melony (Cody) Bertram, Tommy (Dayris) Vaughn, Jordan (Krista) Walton; Sequoya (Dan) Rohrbach, Taylor (Jeremy Huber) Vaughn, Brady (Taylor Ann) Vaughn, Cooper Vaughn and Rahni Vaughn. Great grandchildren; Baleigh (Forrest) Cerv, Cohl (Dacey Kocer) Turnquist, Trevor Bertram, Wyatt Turnquist, Kenndal Turnquist, Brayden Malsam, Chandler Benedict, Kayln Rohrbach, Legend Benedict, Reagan Vaughn, Addison, Kayson and Teegan Walton, and Kinsley Vaughn. Great great granddaughter Wakely Cerv. Siblings; Derald (Jo), Lloyd (Sally), Jim (Judy), Jerry (Bev), Dennis (Cindy), Randy (Jean), and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Rest in those heavenly acres Grandpa Farmer. We love you.
Winner and Colome FFA members were presented with blue jackets.
Receiving jackets from Winner were Austin Blare, Sierra McCall and Emily Sachtjen.
Colome recipients are Raylynn Dehning, Landi Krumpus and Emma Vandenbark.
This fall 319 South Dakota FFA members from 75 chapters received their jackets through the SD FFA Foundation Blue Jackets Bright Futures FFA program.
The jackets were sponsored by various individuals through the SD FFA Foundation.
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