Author Archives: Rita Pravecek

Katherine “Cora” Kuhlman, 87

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Katherine “Cora” Kuhlman passed away Sunday, July 26, 2020 at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls. Cora was 87.

Katherine Cora Kositzky, daughter of Katherine Cora (Ellis) and Edwin Paul Kositzky, was born on Sept. 1, 1932 in Winner, SD. She graduated from Winner High School in 1950, and graduated from Sioux Valley Hospital School of Nursing in Sioux Falls, SD in 1953.

Cora worked as a registered nurse at Avera McKennan Hospital for nearly 30 years before she retired in 1991. On Jan. 8, 1955, Cora was united in marriage to Douglas Kuhlman in Winner, SD. She spent her married life as a wife, mother and nurse. She was an active member of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church.

Cora enjoyed cooking, sewing, exercising and traveling.

Grateful for having shared her life are her husband, Douglas of Sioux Falls; children, Katherine Anne (Lane) Mousel of Alabama, Kristin Marie (Mark) Friedel of Spearfish and Blair Douglas Kuhlman of Sioux Falls; five grandchildren, Adrienne and Tyler Mousel, Kala and Jenna Storbeck, and Noah Friedel; three great-grandchildren, Peyton, Naomi and Shepard; and two sisters-in-law, Bobbe Kositzky of Graceville,MN and Janice Kositzky of Willmar, MN. Cora is preceded in death by her parents; three brothers Ellis Milton Kositzky, Paul Kositzky, and William “Bill” Kositzky; sister, Jo Ann Kositzky Klein; and special nephew, Patrick Kositzky.

Memorial visitation with family present 5:00 – 7:00 pm with prayer service beginning at 6:30 pm on Monday, August 3, 2020 at Miller Funeral Home – downtown, 507 S. Main Ave., Sioux Falls.

Memorial service 10:00 am Tuesday, August 4, 2020 at Church of the Good Shepherd, 2707 W. 33rd Street, Sioux Falls. Lunch reception to follow the memorial service at Upper Sherman Park Picnic Shelter.

For more information and online registry please visit our website www.millerFH.com

Gerald Dennis Earll, 78

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Gerald Dennis Earll, 78 of Valentine, Neb., passed away at his home on Saturday, Aug.1 with his wife Carol and daughter Nichole by his side. He was born April 30th, 1942 at Carter, SD to Orval and Mary (Toman) Earll. He attended various country schools and graduated from Winner High School in 1960.

He worked at Crossroads Supermarket until April 1964. He then joined the National Guards in Winner, S.D. until December of 1970. On Feb. 27, 1965, he married Carol Heying. They were blessed with 3 children, Bob, Denny and Nichole. In 1968 they moved to Valentine, NE where he managed the Ideal Market until April, 1984 when they bought the Frosty Drive In.

During this time, he was active in the Valentine Volunteer Fire Department, the Jaycees and National Guard.

He also had a local band called “The Venturas” where they played in the Nebraska/South Dakota areas. His favorite pastimes where camping, fishing, hunting and ATV trail riding with his family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, infant brother Roger and his bother Gene. He is survived by his wife Carol, sons Bob (Marci Garland) of Grand Island, Denny (Letta Rowse) of O’Neill and daughter Nichole (Tadd Buechle) of Valentine; eight grandchildren, Alex (specialfriend Gabby) of New Zealand, Katie (Kent Niss) of Pawnee City, NE, Kylee (Keith Baughman) of Blair, NE, Amanda (Colton Hunzeker) of Bremerton, WA, Mitchell Bromwich (fiancé Diane Montoya) of Garland, NE, Jordan (Shandie Reiser) Buechle of Valentine, Shelbie Buechle of Valentine and Stephanie Buechle of Valentine; sister, Linda (Wally Eklund) of Gregory, S.D.; sister-in law Leatha Earll of Soldotna, AK; four Great Grandchildren, Kendrix and Kohen Baughman, Heston Buechle and Eleanor Niss.

The rosary will be held on Aug, 4th and the memorial service was held Wednesday Aug. 5 at 10:30 a.m. both at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Valentine.

Memorials can be sent to Carol Earll at 729 N. Hall St., Valentine NE 69201. Sandoz Chapel of the Pines was in charge of service arrangements.

Ilene Hickey, 88

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A prayer service for Ilene Hickey, 88, Burke, formerly of Iona, was held July 29 at Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home, Gregory. A private burial will take place at a later date.

Ilene Marie Konop Hickey was born Oct. 21, 1931 in rural Dixon, SD, the third of five children born to Chas (Charlie) and Marie Feyereisen Konop. The family lived on a farmstead north of Gregory. She attended the rural Washington School and Gregory High School, graduating on May 14, 1948, in only three years and as the salutatorian of her class.

She then received her teacher’s certificate and taught for two years in a country school. She was smaller and almost the same age as some of her students.

Ilene met and later married the love of her life, Claude Hickey, on Aug. 28, 1950, in Pierre, SD. She and her younger sister Alvena Joy (Jody) lived together in Winner while their husbands were in the service. Ilene later moved to California to live with her mother to be closer to Claude, who was stationed at Camp Pendleton. After Claude finished his military duty, the couple lived west of Iona, SD on his parent’s farm, then in the Iona Hotel before purchasing their farm north of Iona, where they made their home for many years.

They worked side by side raising hogs and cattle, milking cows, and farming the land. To this union were born four children, Karen, Marvin, Darla, and Claudia. The couple also provided a home for her dad for many years.

Ilene, also known as Ikie to her friends, worked for a brief period of time sewing collars on shirts in a factory in Reliance, SD. Civic responsibility was important to Ikie as she served the community as an election worker in Lyman County about 25 years and as the Iona Township Treasurer for 40 years.

After the couple retired from farming, they moved to Burke, SD to a house on Main Street and later on to an apartment in Parkview Manor. After Claude’s death, she continued to live at the apartments until a series of strokes required the move to Butte Senior Living in Butte, NE in December of 2019. She resided there until her death.

She was a favorite of the nursing home staff because of her sweet and gentle personality and quick wit. Ikie’s skill for cooking became well known, and there was always room for one more at the family table. Liver and onions was a favorite meal served to her loved ones. Sheloved to bake and share homemade goodies, such as caramel cinnamon rolls, angel food cakes, raised and glazed donuts and pumpkin pies. Another specialty was making homemade candy, especially peanut brittle.

Ikie was an avid seamstress, making clothes for her children and grandchildren. She even put in an “all-nighter” sewing a Halloween costume for one of her granddaughters. She enjoyed gardening and in her later years she spent hours reading and following her beloved Chicago Cubs. She was thrilled when the Cubbies won the World Series in 2016.

She is survived by daughter Claudia (Glenn) Smith of Ainsworth,NE; daughter Darla Viereck of Sioux Falls, SD; and daughter Karen (Marvin) McIntosh of Iona, SD. She is survived by many grand and great-grandchildren; sister Jody (Jerald) Tagtow of Kandiyohi, MN; many nieces, nephews, and other relatives. She was preceded in death by her infant sister, Mary Ann Konop in 1939; parents Charlie in 1988 and Marie in 2004; husbandClaude in 2013; son Marvin in 2011; sister Betty Jean Rice in 1990, and brother Chuck Konop in 1986.

WHS outstanding athletes

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Submitted photo
Outstanding Winner High School athletes for the 2019-2020 school year have been
chosen. Due to COVID-19 there was no athletic awards ceremony this year.
Pictured from left are Morgan Hammerbeck, female outstanding athlete; Saige
Schuyler, most inspirational; Phillip Jorgensen, most inspirational and Trevor
Peters, outstanding male athlete.

Colome school plan

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The Colome Consolidated School Board has put on first reading a plan for the safe return to school for all students and staff in the district. The board has had two meetings to discuss and make changes. Each time the board has met there has been some tweaks to the plan.

By Dan Bechtold/ Editor

The tentative passage of the plan is set for the Aug. 10 board meeting. School in the Colome district will start on Aug. 18. There are three levels to the plan which takes into consideration if there are any cases of COVID-19 in the school.

Level one is green which allows school to be open as normal as possible with precautions in place. There will be hand sanitizers, signs posted to wash hands and adjust lunch time if needed. Social distancing measures will be increased.

Masks will be available and it will be parent/student choice if they wear a mask. Masks will not be mandated. Some staff members may make the choice to wear a mask during the school day.

The school emphasized there will be no bullying tolerated of students who choose to wear a mask.

Level 2 is yellow and includes more precautions as suggested by the South Dakota Department of Health and the state Department of Education. This level will require the wearing of mask and clear plexiglass dividers in certain areas .More custodians will be hired for additional cleaning, if needed.

If needed in level 2 there will be a modified schedule such as staggered arrival and release time and bus routes may be changed. There may be a combination of face to face and online learning using Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams for a limited time. With the online learning the students would be at home and not in the classroom.

Level 3 red is the most serious and would mean school cannot be operated as usual and all learning will be online. The school may consider full distance learning.

The Department of Health and the department of education will work with the school district leadership to determine if a shut down is needed. This would happen if there were multiple cases of COVID-19 in the school. The school plan is very fluid as things change day to day with COVID-19.

Supt. Dr. Debbie O’Doan said the plan is to open the schools in the best way possible keeping everyone as safe as possible. O’Doan noted the school will be flexible enough to make changes as needed in accordance with the local COVID-19 case data.

Water bottles will be highly encouraged to avoid sharing water fountains. Hand sanitizers have been installed in every classroom plus multiple places in hallways and common areas. With COVID-19 there will need to be extra cleaning by the custodial staff. Rooms and hallways will be disinfected two times weekly. Temperature checks of students will happen in the main office and Title I room. Temperature checks will be taken if a student shows signs of illness. Students with a fever will be required to put on a mask and will wait in the isolation room until parents come to pick them up.

Parents are expected to monitor their children and keep them home if they are sick.

For sports and extracurricular activities the school will follow South Dakota High School Activities Association guidelines. At the present time all fall sports are a go and have been approved by the SDHSAA with restrictions. O’Doan noted if the school reaches the red level and in order to avoid becoming the next hot spot the school will move to full distant learning for a limited period of time. O’Doan says communication is a key as the school year starts and students and staff work their way through a pandemic.

Defending Those Who Defend America

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By Sen. John Thune

The Senate recently completed consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – annual legislation to authorize funding for our military and national defense. Like the last two NDAAs, this year’s bill focuses on restoring military readiness and ensuring that our nation is prepared to meet threats posed by major powers like Russia and China.

A lot of people tend to take it for granted that we have the strongest military in the world. But the truth is, years of underfunding and budgetary uncertainty, combined with heavy operational demands, left our military under-equipped, under-manned, and under-prepared to meet the threats of the 21st century.

In November 2018, the bipartisan National Defense Strategy Commission released a report warning that our readiness had eroded to the point where we might struggle to win a war against a major power like Russia or China. And the commission noted that we would be especially vulnerable if we were ever called on to fight a war on two fronts. Over the past two years, we’ve made real progress on restoring military readiness. But we still have more work to do.

This year’s NDAA continues our investment in ensuring that our military is prepared to meet current and future threats – in any domain. In particular, it focuses on implementing the National Defense Strategy by building on the work we’ve done to ensure our country is prepared to counter the threat posed by great powers.

Most notably, the bill establishes the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, which will act as a check on Chinese aggression in the Pacific region. It will help ensure that American troops are better prepared to meet threats in that area of the world. And it will send a clear message to China that America is committed to the security of our allies in the Pacific and keeping global waterways open and free.

No matter what weapons or ships or technology we have, our greatest resource will always be the men and women of the United States military. And we have an obligation to them – and to their families – to ensure that they have all the resources they need to meet the threats we ask them to face. We also need to make sure that we are supporting a high quality of life for our military members and their families.

This year’s NDAA supports a 3 percent pay raise for our troops. It also builds on previous measures to improve military health care and housing. And it contains measures to support families in areas like child care and professional development for military spouses. Recognizing that our obligation to the men and women in uniform continues beyond their service, it also expands presumptive coverage for Agent Orange exposure.

The NDAA is one of the most important pieces of legislation we pass every year, a sentiment underscored by the fact that our adversaries have been making significant investments in their militaries – making their goals clear to not only challenge the United States and our allies, but intimidate their neighbors and expand their spheres of influence.

Alarmingly, we have seen such aggressive activity include attempting to steal medical data and coronavirus vaccine research, threats that necessitate the expanded investment in cyber capabilities provided in the NDAA.

This NDAA likewise continues our military modernization efforts. I’m honored to represent Ellsworth Air Force Base in the U.S. Senate, and as we look forward with great anticipation to the future B-21 bomber mission, I am committed to helping the base prepare for their arrival. This will not only include investments in base infrastructure, but also working to optimize the Powder River Training Complex airspace to ensure adequate space for realistic combat training.

While the Senate has passed its bill, we have more work ahead of us, and I look forward to working with my colleagues of both parties to advance this NDAA and get our military men and women the resources they need to defend our nation.

Winner Summer Nights for Aug. 1

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A car show will be featured at the Winner Summer Nights on Aug. 1.

Frontier Motors is sponsoring Winner Summer Nights on the second block of Main Street. The car show registration is from 3-5 p.m. with the show from 5-7 p.m. and there is no entry fee.

Two trophies will be awarded per class and one for best of show.

This car show does not replace the Prairie Cruisers car show set for Labor Day weekend at the historical society museum.

Frontier Motors will have an ice cream sundae bar with a free will donation and proceeds going to the Wesson Littau Foundation.

The Tripp County building committee will have a dunk tank from 5-9 p.m.

The band for the night will be West Bound.

Summer nights runs from 5-9 p.m. and this year is combined with the popular Pit Row Barbeque.

Another special event will be a Winner Hot Wing competition. The two contestants will be Chris Doski and Mick Tisone from the radio station.

There will be several rounds featuring eating wings and answering trivia questions. With each new round, the wings will get hotter and the questions will be harder.

Frontier Motors will hold its drawing for the red hot summer promotion it has been running.

Come out and look over the cars, enjoy the music then head over to the BBQ pit row.