Author Archives: Rita Pravecek

Funeral services for Lila Jackson age 91 of Aitken, Minn., formerly of Winner, SD, have been cancelled due to the weather. Lila will be buried in the Winner Cemetery when weather permits and a celebration of life will b held at a later date.

Lila Mae Horton Jackson was born April 12, 1931, in Gregory County to Harlan Horton and Byky Wolthoff Horton.

Lila grew up in Gregory and was a published author in a book of poetry. She worked alongside her father at his auto salvage store and survived polio. Lila learned to walk from chair to chair and eventually purchased a bicycle to strengthen her legs.

Lila entered her name on a pen pal list through the Gregory Methodist Church. Robert Jackson received her name and decided to write. After being pen pals for 12 years, they met and were married at Gregory’s Methodist Church on April 12, 1969. The couple’s first home was in Cincinnati, Ohio, where their children were born. A few years later they settled in Winner, South Dakota.

As a loving wife and mother, she continued to have everlasting faith in God. Shortly after her husband’s passing, her daughter and family moved her to an apartment in McGregor, Minn., and eventually to Northland Assisted Living. As her health slowly declined, Lila moved to AICOTA Nursing Home in Aitkin, Minn.

She passed away on Dec. 21, 2022, at the age of 91.

Lila was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Robert, two infant siblings, brother, infant daughter, and grandson.

Surviving her is her daughter, Rosezella Jackson of Meadowlands, Minn., two nieces, three nephews, many great nieces and nephews, and cousins.

Funeral services for Patricia Lenker, 89, Canton, formerly of Winner, were held Dec. 20 at the Orthodox Presbyterian Church of Winner. Burial followed at the Winner city cemetery.

Patricia “Pat” Ann Nelson Lenker died on Dec. 16, 2022, at her home near Canton, South Dakota.  

 On June 5, 1933, in Winner, SD, Harry Ivan and Wilda Leona Nelson celebrated the blessed arrival of their third born daughter, Patricia Ann Nelson, born at home during a hailstorm where her Dad had to hold rugs at the broken window to keep the hail from coming in.   The family was ultimately blessed by six daughters, who from birth through life were bonded by love and compassion:   Vera Mae (Lowell) Nelson; Eileen (Robert) Frescoln; Patricia (David) Lenker; Helen (Robert) Stone; Janet (Charles) Warner and Shirley (Ronald) McGuire.   Pat was a Winner resident growing up except for two years spent in Nashua, Iowa, as her father H. Ivan was serving his country during World War II.   On a trip alone to Iowa at one time, she started at the Canton Train Station, where she rode with soldiers coming home from the war, which was interesting that she lived the last two years of her life near Canton.   She loved the time in Iowa.   Most of her elementary years she attended Winner grade school.   While attending Winner High School, as seniors, she and David Lenker were crowned Warrior and Princess of the homecoming.   They then graduated in 1951.

On July 29, 1951, Pat married her high school sweetheart, David Witmer Lenker.   Their marriage was blessed by three children: Lynne Marie (Doug, now deceased) Simkins, Kenneth David (Cindy) Lenker, and Karla Jo (Wallace) Cain.   As life progressed, Dave & Pat were gifted with the births of five grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren, each one of whom was a precious treasure to them.

After their marriage in 1951, Pat and Dave moved to the family farm in Ideal, SD, where they raised their family.   Pat was a busy farm housewife during those years, often cooking big meals for cattle roundups and canning vegetables she raised in the garden, and also canning beef and chicken that were raised on the farm, so she provided delicious food all year through.   She would make homemade noodles that were so good, some would disappear as they dried on the kitchen table.   She also was a seamstress and made many nice clothes.

They were active in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, and she was Sunday Superintendent for several years and a teacher for Vacation Bible School.   They would often have church families for dinner after church.   She was also very active in the Gideon Auxiliary.    They also ran a Christian bookstore, the Ideal Church Supplies, in Winner for a few years.  

In 1972, Pat began schooling in Sioux Falls, SD, at the Stenotype Institute of South Dakota, where she learned the trade of court reporting.    In 1975, they moved to Winner, SD, where Pat began a court reporting career that spanned the next 24 years.   She was an employee of the State of South Dakota Sixth Judicial Circuit, during which time she worked for three South Dakota Judges:   Marvin S. Talbott; Max A. Gors, and Kathleen Trandahl.   The circuit court at that time traveled a circuit that included Todd, Bennett, Gregory, Lyman, Tripp, Jones, Jackson and Mellette Counties.    She retired in 1998 after an interesting and challenging career.

Pat knew her most precious possessions on earth were not of monetary value.   Her source of inspiration flowed from her love for Christ and her joyful gratitude for her own and extended family.

Pat had many interests centering around family, church and home.   She loved compiling family histories, gardening, cooking, and Historical Society memorabilia.    Photography was always a passion, with family the main subjects, but she also enjoyed her collection of pictures of old barns and sunsets.  Pat loved to read and write poetry.   In the Spring of 1957, she won first place in the WNAX Neighbor Lady Poetry contest.   Living in the house in Winner, Dave and Pat created a huge garden, and for several years, they specialized in perennials and all kinds of roses.   In fact, they won Garden of the Month at one time, and their 16-foot climbing roses became a showpiece for town residents to enjoy.   They kept a home that was always ready for company, and they truly loved having people come and visit or stay with them.  As busy as she was, she always had time for a good conversation.

After her retirement, she devoted much time to creating scrapbooks of many pictures for her family.    Pat filled her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren with a love of learning and a witty humor.    She and Dave played cribbage on a regular basis, but Pat’s specialty game was Scrabble, which she had been playing with her siblings and children all her life.

In 2018, Pat began experiencing health concerns, which her family, especially her granddaughter Heather Karstens, felt it was imperative that she receive health care in the Sioux Falls area.  She and Dave briefly moved to a small apartment in Canton, and at her doctor’s appointment one day later, she was diagnosed with colon cancer.   Amazingly, she survived the extensive surgery, which began a long and courageous battle to return to health.   Heather and her husband Brian worked tirelessly and researched extensively to give the best care possible to both Grandma Pat and Grandpa Dave, surrounding them with a loving family, and our entire family is deeply grateful for them making their last years as fulfilling and joyous as possible.  

Preceding Pat in death were her parents; sisters Vera Mae Nelson and Eileen Frescoln; brothers-in-Law Robert Stone, Lowell Nelson, Robert Frescoln and Ronald McGuire; grandson Jaden Hallberg; son-in-law Doug Simkins; great grandson Tauren Karstens; and husband David, who passed three weeks shy of their 71st anniversary. 

Family and friends will mourn the loss of Pat’s physical presence on earth, but the knowledge of her faith in the risen Lord, Jesus Christ serves as a promise of reunion in heaven.

Donna Hiles, age 93 of Spearfish, died Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022 at the Rolling Hills Healthcare Center in Belle Fourche.

Mass of Christian Burial will take place 11am Wednesday, Jan. 4, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Spearfish.  There will be no visitation.  Inurnment will be held at Black Hills National Cemetery.  Arrangements are with Leverington Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche.  Friends may leave written condolences and view a video tribute at: www.LeveringtonFH.com

Donna Jean Edgar was born Dec. 2, 1929 in Redfield, South Dakota.  She was the daughter of Waldo and Mary (Aseope) Edgar.  Donna grew up on the family farm and ranch near Rockham, South Dakota.  She graduated from the Redfield High School.

In 1948, Donna was united in marriage to Donald Hiles at the Johnson home in Rapid City.  Following their marriage, they lived in many places, wherever Don’s construction job took him.  In the 1950’s, Donald and Donna moved to Winner where Donna worked as a receptionist for 20 years at Dr. Carr’s chiropractic clinic.  In 1976 they moved to California.  Don died in 1985 and in 1990, Donna moved to Watertown SD.  Donna had a great love for playing bingo, and during her years in Watertown, she loved provided rides for people to Sisseton on bingo nights.  In 2002, Donna moved to Belle Fourche, and in 2010 she moved to Spearfish, where she has lived since.

Donna enjoyed bird watching and she was dedicated to keeping her bird feeder filled.  She was a great cook and baker.  She made excellent homemade bread and rolls.  She was also talented when it came to knitting and crocheting.  Donna was a wonderful mother and grandmother, and she will be missed greatly.

Donna is survived by her daughters, Debbie Hiles of Winner, Diana (Kevin) Farmer of Whitewood; son, Danny (Alexis) Hiles of Whitewood; 7 grandchildren, Heather, Heidi, Josh, Patrick, Gina, James, Alex; numerous great grandchildren; sister, Kathryn Nowell of Redfield; and brother, Doug Edgar of Redfield. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; and siblings, Dick, Bud, and Marylou.