Author Archives: Rita Pravecek

Claude Edward Harrison was born Sept. 29, 1941, at Burke, SD to Harold & Ellen (Bailey) Harrison.  He was the oldest child and later joined by Doug, Bob, Jack, Mike and Dirk.

A private family share time was held on Sunday, Nov. 20.

He graduated from Burke High School in 1959.  Shortly after, he married Anita McKenzie.  To this union, three daughters were born, Robin, Cheryl and Natalie.  Claude and Anita lived on the ranch with his grandparents, Ed and Merle Bailey.  It was on the ranch that Claude developed his love of horses with his favorite being Black Jack.  He also hired out for Chuck Baker as a hay-grinder.  Claude and Anita later divorced.

Claude married Donna (Schweigert) Taylor and to this union, one son, Daniel was born.  Donna’s children, Nicole and Heath also joined their family.   Claude and Donna later divorced.

Claude was a jack of all trades.  He was in partnership with David and Merlin Jacobsen and founded H&J Sales.  They sold Vermeer hay equipment.  Claude dispatched trucks for Kerner Trucking and also owned his own truck.  Later, he started a construction business with his brother, Bob.  This later became a tree-trimming business. This business was multi-generational as both Cheryl and her daughter, Bailey worked with him.

He was a 30+ year member of AA and very proud of his sobriety.  He helped many on their journey to sobriety. 

Claude was very proud of his children, his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren.  He was also an avid supporter of the Gregory Gorilla football team and attended many games with his good friend, Bonnie Johnson.

Claude passed away on Nov. 11, 2022 at the Sanford Chamberlain Care Center at the age of 81.

Claude is preceded in death by his parents, his step-father, Julius Bartling, his daughter, Robin, son-in-law, Sam Hoffart and brothers, Dirk, Jack and Doug.

He is survived by his children: Cheryl Hoffart (Maurie Schlaht), Natalie Ketelhut (Jim), Daniel Harrison(Tracy), Nicole Wilson and Heath Taylor;  grandchildren: Tyler Hoffart (Marah), Bailey Veskrna (Michael), Ben Hoffart, Laurel Ketelhut (Kasey), Sage Harrison, Ava Wilson, Jax Wilson, Brittney Ohlmann, Courtney Davenport and Aubree Opp; siblings: Bob Harrison (Gail), Mike Bartling (Linda), Blane Bartling (Terri) and Colleen Springer (Marshall);  and many great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends.

David Michael Turgeon, age 71 of Hamill, SD passed away while hunting at Flattop on Nov. 16, 2022.

Memorial service will be held on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022 at 10 a.m. at  Mason Funeral Home in Winner, SD. Visitation will be one hour prior to the services. Burial will be held at a later date.

David was born on Aug. 18, 1951 to Clair and Shirley (McKenzie) Turgeon. Dave attended school in Burke, SD and graduated from BHS in 1969.  David loved to hunt and fish. As a child he would be found with a BB gun in his hand or a fishing pole. David also played football, basketball, and baseball if he was not hunting, fishing, or working. The summer before college, he worked at Homestake Mine. While attending Southern State University he was drafted into the Army.  He was enlisted July of 1971 and honorably discharged December of 1972.  He was deployed to Korea as a security guard in the DMZ for the United Nations. Dave received the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service in the performance of his duties as Squad Leader and won Expert Marksmanship as well.

David met Kathy Beranek in 1973 in Burke, SD.  They were married Aug. 18, 1974 on David’s Birthday. They had two daughters, Stacy his hunting buddy, and Jamie the baby of the family. He has two granddaughters, Samantha Rae, who is in college, and Jaymes Lou Jean, who is in high school.  Papa Dave (as the girls called him) hardly ever missed one of their events. Track meets, cross country, dance, concerts, and basketball are just a few of the events he would attend. If he was not attending one of their activities, he might be in the shed making or fixing something for any one of his girls or working in his garden. They love their papa so much.

David worked for 45 years in telecommunications, retiring from Golden West Communications Dec. 31, 2018.  He was proud member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. He died doing what he loved, hunting.   He was one with the land, living with it, always giving back and taking care of it for his family’s future.

David is survived by his wife Kathy, daughters Stacy Turgeon and Jamie Turgeon, granddaughters Samantha Peppel and Jaymes LouJean Drake, siblings Sandra (Alan) Hubbard, Rick (Jo) Turgeon, Carol Turgeon, Nancy Turgeon, Ed (Teri) Turgeon, Doug (Leah) Turgeon, Larry (Kim) Turgeon, mother-in-law Lou Jean Beranek and 14 nieces/nephews.

David is preceded in his death by his parents Clair & Shirley Turgeon, brother Kevin, Niece Rebecca Hubbard, one nephew Alex Turgeon, and father-in-law James Beranek.

Cheryl Doescher, 66 of Sioux Falls, died Friday, Nov. 18, 2022 at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls. 

Memorial services will be held at 1 pm Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022 at the Heritage Funeral Home, 57th and MN, Sioux Falls with visitation an hour prior to services.  Arrangements by Hofmeister Jones  Funeral Home.   www.hofmeisterjones.com 

Cheryl Anne Doescher was born on May 24, 1956 at Oakland, NE to Richard and Magdalene (Heinecke) Doescher.  As a child her family moved to the Winner, SD area where she graduated from Winner High School in 1974.  After high school she attended Nettleton College and received a degree in fashion management.  Over the years she worked at several retail stores in Sioux Falls having started at Younkers in 1992 and remained with them for 28 years, she was the store manager until their closing in 2018.  She was currently employed as a teller at Premier Bank. 

Grateful for having shared her life are her daughter, Jennifer Doescher and Devin Blocker of Watertown, SD; her grandchildren Zoey and Ashtin; and brothers and sisters, Randy (Linda) Doescher, Phoenix, AZ, Ronda (Harland) Hanson, O’Neil, NE, Judy (Jack) Arthur, Winner, SD, Tom Doescher, DesMoines, IA and Chris (Lisa) Doescher, Tea, SD; and 17 nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother Rick, and a sister Rose and her husband Joe.