Author Archives: Rita Pravecek

Leo Westendorf, 66, of Winner, SD passed away on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020 at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, SD.    

Funeral services were held on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020 at 10 a.m.    at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Winner. Burial was held    at the Pleasant Lawn Cemetery in Geddes, SD.    

Leo was born May 30, 1954, in Wagner, South Dakota, to Arthur and Josephine (McKenna) Westendorf and was raised south of Wagner on the family farm.    He was baptized and confirmed at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Wagner.     

He graduated from Wagner High School in 1972 where he participated in football and wrestling.    He served in the National Guard from 1973 to 1979.

In 1976, he married Janette Bren, and to this union three daughters were born; Nichole Jean, Jessica Jo, and Demi Raye.  Leo farmed near Wagner, raised Limousine cattle, and helped with custom farming.  He also enjoyed rodeoing as a bareback and bull rider.    

In 1986, he became employed by Farmland Industries as a Livestock Production Specialist.   His sales territory spanned from Parkston to Winner. He continued his Farmland training education during this time.      

On Jan. 1, 1993, he married Stacy (Jansen) Martin at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colo.  To this union two children were born; Tyson Arthur in 2000 and Danielle Ann in 2007.  Stacy’s daughter Brooke Danielle also joined this family.

Leo became Feed Department Manager of Farmer’s Coop in Wagner. Leo and Stacy lived south of Ravinia for five years before moving to Gordon, Neb., where Leo was manager of a large feed mill for Farmer’s Co-op for the next twelve years. They lived on their 40-acre ranch west of Gordon where they raised Quarter Horses and put up hay.   

In 2010, Leo moved to Winner with the family where he took over the challenge of managing the feed department of Country Pride Coop.    Leo loved the challenges and successes of working with producers. He was so proud of his employee team and was a great mentor.   

He made lasting friendships everywhere he went with his wit and infectious laugh. He made positive contributions throughout his life in every community he lived. Examples of this include his involvement as a member of local township boards, rodeo president, saddle club president, community development director, catechism teacher, dart champion contender, countless trail rides, and training horses.   

He loved walleye fishing and his 15+ years of annual Canadian fishing trips.  He enjoyed golfing, snowmobiling, socializing, watching the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals. Most of all, he loved attending his children’s school activities, teaching them and countless others how to ride horses, and enjoying numerous motorcycle adventures with his soul mate Stacy.    

Leo was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Josephine Westendorf.    

Leo is survived by his wife Stacy, children Nichole Frank, Jessica Hudon, Demi Fitzpatrick, Tyson, Danielle, and stepdaughter Brooke (Skeet) Johnson; grandchildren, Chase Frank and Alexis (Jordan) Bierbrauer, Mason Musfelt, Cole, Cody and Caycee Johnson; siblings Rita Sundermann, JoEllen Houseman, Kathleen (Scott) Clapp, and Paul (Jacquie) Westendorf.

Theresa Kathryn Snow, 91, of Houston, Texas, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020.    

Theresa was born on March 23, 1929 in Witten, South Dakota to Louis John Janak and Anna Margret Staska Janak. 

Theresa graduated from Winner High School in Winner, South Dakota and went on to graduate from South Dakota Beauty Academy in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She worked in the beauty salon business in Winner    including owning her own salon before moving to Colorado Springs, Colo. in1954. She lived in Colorado Springs for the next 60 years and raised her family there.    T

heresa was married to Charlie Snow and they had four children. Patricia, Pamela, Tamara and Scott. Theresa was a devoted daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend and aunt to many nieces and nephews.   

Theresa worked for McGraw-Hill in sales and retired after 20 years. After retiring she continued to work part-time because she loved being active and being around people. Wherever she worked she made life-long friendships. She was an inspiration to her family and friends with her youthful and positive attitude whatever the circumstances. Theresa never slowed down, even after several major health issues because she always had a zest for living. She was a life- long learner and taught her family “anything worth doing, is worth doing right.”   

Among her many hobbies Theresa enjoyed cooking and baking (she was famous for her pie crusts) and was delighted to share homemade goodies with her sweet smile to her friends and neighbors.

Theresa was a faithful member of Divine Redeemer Catholic Church in Colorado Springs until she moved to Houston, Texas in 2014 when she joined St. Francis De Sales Catholic Church. She was also a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Auxiliary.

Theresa is survived by her daughter, Patricia Maddox and husband Gary; daughter, Pamela Criezis and husband Spero; daughter, Tamara Survil and husband Jay; son, Scott Snow; grandchildren, Nicole Monroe and husband Loren, John Stofer, Stephen Maddox and wife Amy, John Maddox, Meili Criezis, Rachel Anderson and husband Erik, Taylor Hays and husband Mitch, Mitch Snow, Trevor Snow, Tessa Snow, great-grandchildren, Miles Monroe, Linden Monroe, Jackson Maddox, Mary Wesley Maddox, Bennett Maddox, Alex Maddox, Mason Maddox, and numerous nieces and nephews.   

Theresa always had a smile on her face and a kind word for every person that crossed her path. Her sweet, spunky and always caring nature will be greatly missed by all. The family wishes to show their appreciation to the entire staff of Clarewood House for the loving support they always gave to Theresa. She loved her home at Clarewood and the many friends she made while living there.   

In lieu of flowers please make memorial remembrances to St. Francis De Sales Catholic Church, Clarewood House Resident Assistance Fund, or a charity of your choice.   

A memorial service and celebration of Theresa’s life will be held at St. Mary’s Cathedral Columbarium, 22 West Kiowa Street, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80903 at a later date.

Larry Lowell Ticknor, age 84, of Sioux Falls passed away peacefully with his sons by his side, under the loving care of the staff at Ava’s House on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020.    A private family memorial service will be held at burial. Burial will be at Hillsview Cemetery, Dallas.                

Larry was born to Tillie and Elmer Ticknor on March 1, 1936 in Burke, South Dakota.    Upon graduating from Burke High School in 1954, he attended the University of South Dakota on a football scholarship.       

On Dec. 29, 1954, he married Janet Qualm of Bonesteel, South Dakota.        Larry served two years in the U.S. Army.   After returning to college he entered the world of business, banking, and finance to which he devoted his entire career. 

Larry was a mentor to many and was considered a driving force in shaping the banking and credit card industry in South Dakota.    He enjoyed golfing, pheasant hunting and doting on his family.               

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Janet, sons Greg (Kris) and Jim (Laurie), six grandchildren, Andrew, Jacob, Erica, Stuart, Tom, and Rachel, in addition to a great-granddaughter Dillon.   

Memorials can be directed to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Dakota.

Garry Brown, 75, of Winner, SD passed away on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020 at the Winner Regional Healthcare Facility.   

Private family service was held on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 11 a.m.    at the Winner United Methodist Church.    An open public burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery.       

Garry Lee Brown, 75, of Winner, SD was born Sept 19, 1945 in Yankton, SD. He was the son of William and Margaret (Stewart) Brown. In the early part of his life, Garry grew up in Springfield, SD and at a young age he moved to Colome SD and attended grade school and high school in Colome. He graduated from Colome in 1963.       

As a youth he attended the MYF and Sunday school at the Colome Methodist Church. Garry met the love of his life Carol McCright in 1962 at a dance in Wewela, SD and then they later married Nov. 14, 1964 in Winner, SD.    To this union two wonderful daughters were born, Jean and Susan.       

After high school Garry lived in Winner and worked at Key’s Service Station and later worked for Associate Finance also in Winner.  Garry later went on to become a salesman in the foodservice industry and retired in 2005 after working for 32 years. While working as a salesman, he enlisted in the SD National Guard (730th) in 1967 in which he served for 28 years as Medic Specialist and retired as a Master Sgt E8.   

While working with the National Guard some of his most memorable moments were going to Germany and helping with the 1972 Rapid City flood.   

Garry also worked as an EMT with Tripp County Ambulance and retired from there after 32 years. He was dedicated to his job and enjoyed the community in which he served and often referred to them as his second family.    He gave back to the community by serving on the Winner planning commission and also served as a city councilman and as member of the SD EMT Association.   

The association honored him by recognizing him as Dist 5 EMT of the Year. He was a member of the Winner Jaycees, American Legion of Winner and Colome, Winner Lions Club and the Winner Methodist Church.   

One of his hobbies was wood working in which he made a lot of the furniture pieces for his home and for others.    He also enjoyed playing 5 point pitch which he claimed he “never lost” at.   

Grateful for having sharing his life are his wife Carol of Winner, SD, daughters, Jean (Rod) Clark, of Ideal SD, and Susan (Chris)Dolney of Rapid City, SD.    Three wonderful grandsons George of Ideal, Dawson and Lincoln of Rapid City, two brothers Duane “Charlie” (Rosie) of Sioux Falls, SD, Doug (Carol) Brown of Vestavia, AL and four sisters, twin sister JoAnn (Bob) Reiff of Avon, SD, Marlene (Mark) Wallbaum of LaMesa, CA, Wilma “Willie”(Bob) Jamison of Fremont, NE and Marilyn Brown of Fremont, NE. Sister in law Lori McCright of Montgomery, TX, brother in law, Keith (Pam) of Waukesha, WI, Mardell (Jerry) Olson of Sundance, WY and Jane (Dale) Stober of Rio Rancho, NM and many nieces and nephews.     

Garry was preceded in death by his parents, in-laws Bill and Arline McCright, his brother in-law Dennis McCright, grandparents Ralph and Lillian Stewart and Ed and Martha Brown.   

In lieu of flowers, the family would like to put memorial funds towards an EMT statue to be placed at the Winner Fire Hall Ambulance Building at a later date. Memorial funds can be sent to Carol Brown,713 E. Spruce Ct, Winner, SD 57580 or sent via Venmo at: www.venmo.com/EMTMemorialStatue

Claudine Swedlund, 101, of Winner, SD passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020 at the Winner Regional Long-Term Care Facility.       

Funeral service were held on Monday, Oct. 5, 2020 at 11 a.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Winner, SD.    Burial followed in the Winner City Cemetery.       

Anita Claudine Ferguson was born in Harrisonville, Missouri, to Nita and Claude on Dec. 11, 1918 — right in the middle of a pandemic, and as it turns out, she left us during a second pandemic nearly 102 years later. Not even 10 years under her belt and Claude took his family north with the hope of finding work on the railroad being built in South Dakota. Along with her younger brother Dess, the family settled in an apartment in Witten. There wasn’t much money and the living was hard — today we call it poverty — and three squares a day weren’t always easy to come by. That’s the thing about growing up poor, she learned that there’s something about taking the time to acknowledge what you have, as meager as it may be. It served her well decade after decade.    

With her marriage to Sandy Swedlund in 1940, Claudine became a rancher’s wife and soon the mother of three children, each with her uniquely charming stubborn streak and eyes that told a story with just a glisten. She was proud of her family. She and Sandy created a marriage and livelihood that made the most of what they had, and inspite of everything that worked against American ranchers in the middle of the 20thcentury, they worked hard and made it work on their own terms.    

When she was interviewed by the Winner paper about her trick to making it to 100, she simply said, “I did as I pleased.” Truly a fiercely independent woman before her time, she knew that her contribution to the world meant every bit as much as her husband’s did. Not able mentions that should be remembered are her travels, including to Ireland at the age of 84 with her son.

There wasn’t a spider in all of Tripp County that stood a chance at Claudine’s house, so they knew to make their webs elsewhere. She wore heels until her late 90’s, and certainly wasn’t too shy to share her opinion on your shoes, either. Claudine cared for her family and friends all as one, all the same. She went with her beloved son, Joel, during his cancer treatments week after week – the same commitment she made to countless friends over her life.   

Other friends that should be mentioned, like the group of four women that met for coffee every week for 40-some years, discussing husbands, kids and grands growing up, not to mention the pure, simple delicious bit of fresh gossip. Her neighbor across the alley, Buck, nourished her competitive spirit by challenging her ability to grow the best tomato, and your goose was cooked if you were faced against her and June in a game of pitch. And yes, the kiddos at church or the restaurants, getting spoiled with a surplus of candy that would make any dentist cringe.   

Today our hearts are indecisive: thankful for the years we had with you and yet selfishly yearning to hear your laugh that seemed like it started in your knees. Your fan club is led by your best pal, Ev Moses, son Jerry, and daughter Cheryl. Six grandkids that watched you fry chicken like it was breakin’ the law, and great-grands that stand in awe of your never ending ability to break the rules.   

We grieved next to you when Sandy left you in 1994, and that in spite of your rallying, Joel’s cancer took him too early. We remember your pain when your son-in-law Everett passed, and you worked to offer your strength in all the ways you could.

Too many of your friends left early, too, and there isn’t room to write down all of those names.

Cherish your relationships, love your experiences, and live with your own brand of kindness, just the way Claudine did.