Author Archives: Rita Pravecek

Lori Rieckman, age 54, of Philip, South Dakota, died on Friday, May 19, 2023 at Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital in Philip.

Lori Lee Shippy was born Sept. 6, 1968, in Gregory, SD to Chandlor and Judy (Stroschine) Shippy, joining brother Todd. She was raised on the family farm south of Colome, SD and graduated from Colome High School in 1986. While in high school, Lori was active in cheerleading and track. Her medley relay team still holds the school record in Colome.

Lori attended South Dakota State University and graduated in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in economics.

Lori married Jeff Rieckman on May 23, 1992, in Aurora, SD. Over the years she held many different jobs including Johnson Jewelers in Brookings, DeSmet Farm Mutual in DeSmet, Jones Bottle & Vet in Philip, Deluxe Harley Davidson in Gillette, WY, Al’s Oasis in Chamberlain, and then most recently was welcomed back at The Bottle & Vet in Philip. Lori found great joy in finding bargains at thrift stores and enjoyed excursions (trips) with friends.

Grateful for having shared in her life are her husband Jeff, Philip; father Chandlor and step-mom Gertrude Shippy of Colome; brother Todd (Janette) Shippy of Colome; sisters-in-law Julie (the late Jim) Schweitzer-Rieckman-Caron of Estelline; Colleen (Roger) Brown of Brookings; Jean (Joel) Haar of Mankato, MN; Kathy (Dave) Dargatz of Watertown; brothers-in-law Terry (Patsy) Rieckman of Salem; Dennis (Kathy) Rieckman of Sioux Falls; Tom (Sue) Rieckman of Columbus, NE; and John (Marita) Rieckman of Parkston; and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

Lori was preceded in death by her mother Judy (Stroschine) Shippy; her mother and father-in-law, Arnold and Helen Rieckman; and a brother-in-law Jim Rieckman.

Cards and memorials may be sent to P.O. Box 304, Philip, SD 57567.

Memorial visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, May 24 at the Philip High School Fine Arts Building, with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 25 at the Philip High School Fine Arts Building, with Pastor Kathy Chesney officiating.

Interment will be at a later date at the Colome Cemetery.

Arrangements are with Rush Funeral Home of Philip.

Janice Ann Rausch, 88, Aberdeen, died Friday, May 12, 2023 at Avera St. Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen.

Janice Ann, daughter of Clara (Wirtz) and Henry J. Simon, was born Sept. 2, 1934 at Hoven. Other than her fourth-grade year when her family lived in Raymond, Iowa, Janice grew up in Hoven. Her formal education consisted of St. Anthony’s Parochial School and Hoven High School, Class of 1952.

She married Duane John Rausch at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Hoven Oct. 7, 1952. The newlyweds first lived on Duane’s home place 2 ½ miles west of Hoven for five years. They then expanded Rausch Herefords by purchasing a ranch one mile east and 1/2 miles south of Onaka. Here they raised their 13 children and Hereford cattle until Duane’s death on March 8, 1998. The following year, Janice moved into Hoven. She later moved to Huron and, in 2010 settled in Aberdeen. She was a member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Hoven, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Onaka,  and Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Aberdeen. Janice was active in Koinonia and  served as a lector and Eucharistic Minister. Janice belonged to the South Dakota Hereford Auxiliary and was active in the Cresbard PTA. Her hobbies included gardening,  photography, and scrapbooking. Janice will be remembered as a great Pray Warrior.

Janice is survived by four sons—Rick (Linda) Rausch of Onaka, Tim (Teresa) Rausch of Florence, MT, Troy (Lovette) Rausch of Choctaw, OK, and Chad (Cortney) Rausch of Powell, WY; eight daughters—Jeannie (Leonard) Heim of Winner, Cindy Schlosser of Bismarck, ND, Pam  Holt of Mina, Shellie (Owen) Melius of Olathe, Kansas, Kay (Scott) McGaugh of Huron, Deb (Joel) Owens of Mitchell, Kristie (Jon) Beal of Missoula, MT, and Peggy (Lee) Goetz of Aberdeen; two brothers- Jack (Joyce) Simon of Raytown, MO, and Dave (Lisa) Simon of Shannon, IL; three sisters—Betty Hageman of Hoven, Marjean (Lelend) Stotz of Tolstoy, and Mary Jo  Mueller of Cashton, WI; 54 grandchildren; and 127 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

In addition to Duane, she was preceded in death by her father, Henry, on April 26, 1985; her mother, Clara, on April 7, 2008; two sons—Gary and infant, Bobby; two sons-in-law-Mike Schlosser and Kevin Holt; and a daughter-in-law, Carmen Rausch; three brothers-Norman, James, and an infant, Joseph; one sister, Gina Keltgen; and one great granddaughter—Amaya Larson.

Mass of Christian Burial was at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 20, 2023 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Aberdeen, with Father Michael Kapperman, celebrant.  Interment was at St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery, Onaka, 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Rausch family prefers memorials to South Dakota Right to Life, 1107 Mt. Rushmore Rd., Suite 1B, Rapid City, SD 57701 or to Roncalli FAST, 1400 N Dakota St., Aberdeen, SD 57401.

Arrangements are in care of Lien Funeral Home, Bowdle.  (www.MillerLienFH.com)

Funeral services for Irma Jean Smith, 97, were held May 20 at Clausen Funeral Home,Burke with pastor Gary Jacobsen officiating.

Burial was in Hillsview Cemetery, Dallas.

Irma Jean Edwards Smith died on May 15. She was born near Dallas on June 21, 1925, the seventh of James and Martha (Emme) Edwards’s 11 children.

Irma Jean grew up during the hard times of the Dirty Thirties. She and her sister Verna Mae lived in the dormitory while they attended Dallas High School and were the first in the family to graduate. During WW II, after only a six-week summer training course, she taught a rural school for two years.

Irma Jean married her high school sweetheart, Orrin William Smith, on Nov. 5, 1947. Their first home was a tiny trailer in northwestern South Dakota where Orrin worked for a construction company and Irma Jean had ample space as she learned to drive. Their second home was a slightly less tiny trailer house on Orrin’s family farm north of Dallas, where they welcomed their first two daughters, Karel and Kathleen. In 1955 they moved to a farm near Dixon, where their third daughter, Laurel, joined the family.

In 1957, Irma Jean’s father died, and the family moved to the Edwards farm north of Dallas. A fourth daughter, Nancy, completed their family. Irma Jean and Orrin farmed and raised cattle until they retired in the late 1990’s. In 2007 they moved to Herrick. Their marriage lasted 69 years, until Orrin’s death in 2016.

Whether in a cramped trailer or the old family farmhouse, Irma Jean created comfortable, welcoming homes. She was an artist with fabric, sewing beautifully tailored clothes for herself and her daughters and creating many lovely quilts. She and Orrin shared a love of dancing, hunting, and fishing; she was confident and competent on the dance floor, in the kitchen, at the sewing machine, or behind the wheel of a grain truck. She compiled several books of family genealogy and history. Irma Jean was a fierce competitor at Scrabble and kept her sharp wit and sense of humor until the end of her life.

Irma Jean was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings and in-laws, Arthur Edwards (in childhood), Marie and John Stuckers, Howard and Shirley Edwards, Ernest Edwards, Mabel and Ron MacKenzie, Edna Ernsdorff, Allen Edwards, Carma Edwards, and Frank Putz; and sons-in-law Wayne Christopherson and Alvis Lisenbee.

She is survived by her daughters Karel (Robert) Birnie of Salix, IA, Kathleen Christopherson of Rapid City, SD, Laurel (Ken) Shaffer of Lennox, SD, and Nancy (Jim) Krier of Herrick, SD; her sisters Verna Mae Buhr of Viroqua, WI, and Verdene (Ralph) Parker of Gering, NE, brother Alvin Edwards of Kearney, NE; sister-in-law Geneva Putz of Park Rapids, MN; nine grandchildren: Valerie (Mike) Birnie DeBates, Sara (Chris) Birnie Allen, Jacqueline (Joe) Birnie Bates, Orrin (Alicia) Johnson, Ingrid (Jason) Johnson Reuter, Alissa (Jeremy) Shaffer Luden, Amy (Ryan) Shaffer Penning, Natalie (Fidel) Krier Arreola, and Samuel Krier; eighteen great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.