Author Archives: Rita Pravecek

James Allen Berg, 80, of Winner, SD passed away on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021 at his home in Winner, SD.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 at 11 a.m.  at the Christ Lutheran Church in Winner, SD. Burial followed in the Winner City Cemetery.

Jim was born in Canby, MN on May 6th, 1941. He was born 2 months pre-mature. He had pneumonia, rickets, and a collapsed lung. Being on the verge of death, he was baptized with the nurses being witnesses.

He and his family moved to a farm east of Castlewood, SD in 1946. His father had a farm accident in 1947, so he and his sister needed to help on the farm at an early age. During this time, he and his sister attended a one room school through eighth grade. Jim graduated from Castlewood High School in 1960. He then attended college in Madison, SD and Nettleton Community College in Sioux Falls. After college he began his work in construction for SF Construction working on bridges. From there he had various jobs working on the Titan Missile, and Boeing Aircraft. He then worked for various other construction companies. Carlson Construction in Winner, SD and Anderson Western being his last. In the midst of his construction work he bought a semi and hauled for Bob Curtis Trucking.

Jim married Loretta Kusick in 1967. To this union Michael was born in 1969 and Robert in 1972. In 1989 he married Karen (Bowling) Meiners and acquired 3 stepchildren.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents.

He is survived by his wife Karen, children Mike (Misty) and Bob (Julie) Berg, step-children Gregg Hanson, Shawn Tuttle, and Shendra Meiners. 14 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren and sister Patricia Sedivy.

Donald Eagle Star, 50, of Gregory, SD passed away at his home in Sioux Falls, SD on Monday, Aug. 9, 2021.

Funeral services were  held on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021 at 2 p.m. at the Winner Ideal Community Hall in Winner, SD. Burial  followed in the Mniska Presbyterian Cemetery. Wake services were held  on Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021 and Monday, Aug. 16, 2021 at 7 p.m.  at the Winner Ideal Community Hall in Winner, SD.

Donald was born on March 17, 1971 in Winner, SD to Paul and Tina Eagle Star. He attended Marty Indian School, graduating in 1990 as valedictorian.

Donald worked as a roofing foreman for The Roofing and Construction Company, LLC. He loved his work on the roof taking pride in what he did. He was greatly respected by everyone he worked with.

Donald greatly impacted the lives of everyone around him. Always bringing together family and friends, rather it be a cookout and friendly game of volleyball, organizing a softball team, playing darts or horseshoes, or gathering around a TV to watch a good boxing match. His favorite past time was to be surrounded by family and friends. But his entire being was centered around his family. He was extremely proud of Allison and Chris Eagle Star, his niece and nephew that he raised with his longtime girlfriend, Mary Crow Good Voice, and the time spent together.

Donald is survived by longtime partner Mary Crow Good Voice, and his children Allison Eagle Star and Christian Eagle Star. His 3 grandchildren Brooklyn Eagle Star, Adrian (Bubba) Eagle Star, and Paula Eagle Star.  His 2 sisters, Peggy Two Hearts and Julie (Wayne) Eagle Star, and twin brother Ronald (Sonya) Eagle Star, along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Donald is preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Tina Eagle Star, brother, Paul Eagle Star Jr, and sister, Paula Eagle Star.

Donald touched the lives of so many and was greatly loved. He will be missed daily but will be remembered always.

Virgil Hansen, 83 of Winner, SD passed away on Saturday, Aug 14, 2021 at the Ava’s House in Sioux Falls, SD. 

A private family interment will be held on Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021 at 11:30 a.m. at Virgil’s favorite pasture west of Winner.  A public fellowship memorial lunch will follow at 12:30 p.m.  at the Witten Baptist Church in Witten, SD.

Virgil Lee Hansen was born on Sept. 8, 1937 in O’Neill, Neb. to Milo “Butch” and Berniece (Eddie) Hansen.  He was the oldest of four children:  the late Joan Carroll, the late Robert “Bob” Hansen, and Peggy Douglas of Witten, South Dakota.

Virgil lived his entire life in the Winner area except for his time of enlistment in the United States Army.  From an early age he worked at helping his father on the family farm one mile south of Jordan corner.  He graduated from Winner High School in 1956 and went to the army shortly thereafter.  His company receiving orders to board a troop transport in preparation for the invasion of Cuba during the Cuban missile crisis highlighted his time in the Army.  After an otherwise uneventful enlistment at Ft. Hood in Texas, he returned to farming and ranching in the Winner area.  The drought of 1974-1976 forced the eventual sale of his small herd of registered Angus cattle.  From that time forward Virgil focused on wheat farming with a few other rotation crops.

On Sept. 8, 1979 Virgil married the widowed Twila (Harter) Worden.  Twila brought two stepchildren into the marriage:  Yvonne (Worden) Mitchell of Pringle, South Dakota, and Scott Worden of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  They enjoyed almost 42 years together.  Virgil and Twila spent many hours assisting his father, Milo, in the restoration of antique tractors and cars.  Aside from the dozens of machines they worked on, it is notable that they purchased an unrecognizable tractor buried in the sand hills of Nebraska in 1980 for $600.  This tractor turned out to be an Interstates Tractor Company 10-20 Plowboy that is extremely rare; it was restored and ultimately sold in 2020 for $50,250 even after years of later neglect. 

During the winter months they would take trips to Arizona for spring training or off to California, Virginia, or Florida following Scott around during Scott’s naval enlistment.  A favorite memory for Virgil was a tiger cruise he was able to take with Scott aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.  Many trips were also made to keep up on the activities of their grandchildren in Mitchell and then Utah or Sioux Falls.

Other than his love of the land and farming, Virgil also had a love for animals.  He was especially fond of his dogs Pee Wee and Bear and his cat Sparky.  Once Virgil had a steer that was so tame, he would let him out of the cattle pens to graze in the house yard.  The steer would follow Virgil or Twila around the place like a dog and once even followed Twila into the farmhouse.

In his later years Virgil began to experience health problems beginning with a significant stroke in 2018.  A serious car accident in 2020 resulted in stays in the Winner Nursing Home and then Elder Inn.  Finally in July of 2021 it was discovered that Virgil was in late-stage liver and kidney failure along with other complications.  He was transferred to VA hospital in Sioux Fall until it was discovered that his condition was unrecoverable.  His final days were spent at the Ava’s House hospice center in Sioux Falls where he passed away on Aug. 14, 2021.

Virgil was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, and one sister. 

He is survived by his wife Twila, sister Peggy, stepchildren Yvonne and Scott (Annamaria), grandchildren Kelly (Mitchell) Grosdidier (Jeremy) of Sioux Falls, Katie (Mitchell) Niehoff (Adam) of Mitchell, Brooklynn Schoenfelder of Mitchell, Jasmine Worden, Jonah Worden, and Jorgia Worden all of Sioux Falls, great-grandchildren Dylann Grosdidier, Jaxon Grosdidier, Greysen Niehoff, and Eli Niehoff.  Virgil is also survived by a brother-in-law, Melvin Harter (Wilma), a sister-in-law, Elaine Kemnitz, and by many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life dinner for Maurice Korb, age 87, of Bristow, Neb., was held 6  p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021, at Butte Golf Course in Butte, Neb.

Brockhaus Funeral Home in Spencer is in charge of arrangements.

Maurice died Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, at Bryan Medical Center East Campus in Lincoln, Neb.

Maurice G. Korb, son of Gottlieb and Freida (Walth) Korb, was born Aug. 15, 1933, at Colome, South Dakota. Maurice attended Colome High School.

 Maurice served in the South Dakota National Guard from 1952 until 1955.

  On May 31, 1953, he was united in marriage to Marcella Delfs, at the Methodist Church in Colome. They were blessed with three children, Pamela Sue Korb-Roth, Terry Lee Korb, and James Dale Korb.

Throughout his lifetime, Maurice lived in Colome and Bristow, Neb., working as a butcher and grocer. He was a successful businessman.

He loved to golf, hunt, fish, play with grand and great-grandchildren, and Husker football. Maurice taught his children honesty, integrity, responsibility, and the value of hard work. He was a man of faith, family, community, and service.

Maurice was a member of Bristow Methodist Church, Bristow Fire Department, and the Lion’s Club. He was active in his community and served as mayor, church board member, and town cop!

Maurice is survived by his wife, Marcella Delfs Korb of Bristow; daughter, Pamela Korb-Roth and Kelley Roth of Ketchikan, AK and their sons, Sam and Ben; son, Terry and Blanca Korb of Kearney, Neb., and their children, Emily and Katelyn, Megan, Cody, and Logan; son, Jim and Barb Korb of Bristow and their children, Max, Sarah and Adrienne, Erika, and Josh; nine great-grandchildren; siblings, Frances Korb of Washington, DC and Betty Korb of Fountain Valley, Calif.; and sister-in-law, Jackie of Longmont, Colo.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Gottlieb and Freida Walth Korb; and brother, Robert Korb.

Everyone that met Maurice liked him and he would talk to anyone, anytime about anything.