Category Archives: Local

Memorial services for Peggy Schwartz, 88, Gregory, were held at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Gregory on July 10. Burial took place at the Colome Cemetery.

Margaret “Peggy” Ann (Vavra) Schwartz was the first born of Frank and Dorothy (Cahoy) Vavra on March 4, 1935. Peggy was born on her Uncle Emil and Aunt Myrtle Cahoy’s farm and was baptized in Clearfield’s Catholic Church. She attended first grade in Clearfield, second grade in Millboro and third through eighth grade at the Viaduct School. Peggy graduated at the top of her class in 1953 from Colome High School.

She milked cows and did daily chores on the farm. After high school, Peggy joined the Catholic Daughters of St. Isidore Catholic Church, she was a member for seventy years. St. Isidore is where she was also united in marriage to her high school sweetheart Jim Schwartz on Sept. 29, 1956. She was blessed with two children that she loved dearly, Kevin and Lynne.

Not only did she work tirelessly as a wife and mother, but she also had jobs at First Fidelity Bank in Colome, Wagner’s Market in Colome, and continued to help on the farm.

Peggy was a wonderful cook and baker. Her fresh baked bread and chocolate cake are still treasured recipes today. She enjoyed gardening, reading, and attending every sporting event of her children.

When Peggy became a grandmother, she loved babysitting and attending all of their activities as well. She especially enjoyed watching baseball and track and field.

Peggy received a challenging diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes at age 24 and held the goal to live to her children’s high school graduation, but she defied all odds and was blessed to see nine great grandchildren join the family.

Peggy was truly the epitome of a farm wife and mother. She had a very giving heart, a friendly smile, and hardworking hands that never stopped until the work was done. Peggy always made time for others, and her frequent visits, phone calls, and handwritten letters are special memories. Her Catholic faith and family were so dear to her, and she will be greatly missed here as she enters her Heavenly home.

Peggy passed away on July 5, 2023, at the Avera Rosebud Country Care Center at the age of 88 years.

Peggy is survived by her husband Jim of Gregory; her son Kevin of Colome; her daughter Lynne (Joe) Duling of Gregory; her granddaughter Katie (Chris) Kassin of Vermillion; her grandson Kris Schwartz of Oak Island, NC; her grandson Mitch Schwartz of Colome; her granddaughter Abigail (Skyler) Kuil of Winner; and her granddaughter Alexa (Shea) Williams of St. Louis, MO; her great-grandchildren Collins and Kellen Kassin, Rose and Summer Kuil, and Kemp, Dell, Brit, Goldie, and Dar Williams. She is also survived by her sister Jeanne (Joe) Bride, brother Bob (Merrilee) Vavra, sister Claudia (Ed) Opbroek, sister-in-law Patricia Erickson, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Ken.

Ralph Leroy Mefferd, Jr. was born Sept. 1, 1932, to Ralph L. Mefferd Sr. and Dorothy (Dodds) Mefferd in the Ainsworth, NE hospital. He died Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at the Western Nebraska Veteran’s Home in Scottsbluff, NE.

Ralph’s life began in the fossil digging camps of Morris Skinner and Company. There his father found employment on bone collecting expeditions that ranged across the Nebraska and Wyoming prairies and South Dakota Badlands. During those years, Ralph’s winters were spent in New York City attending school as the excavation team researched and processed their summer’s finds for Frick Laboratory in partnership with the Museum of Natural History. Disliking New York City, the Northeast winters, and attending school in such a large city, Ralph began living and working on his grandparent’s (Frank and Vivian Dodds) ranch while attending school in Raven, NE. He took up boxing after starting high school in Ainsworth and found the sport to be a great outlet for his natural toughness and fighting spirit. Ralph’s time spent boxing saw him qualify for state on two occasions. He placed second his sophomore year and he was undefeated his junior year before the Ainsworth boxing team became stranded while traveling to the state tournament in the Blizzard of 1949. Nebraska outlawed the high school sport his senior year.

Following high school, Ralph received his draft notice and become a veteran of the Korean War.

He served in the United States Army from Jan. 7, 1953, to Sept. 1, 1954, and spent most of his time in service overseas. Ralph operated heavy equipment to build roads and other infrastructure in Korea as he served as a combat engineer and rose to the rank of corporal. After leaving service Ralph returned to his hometown of Ainsworth. 

Upon his return home, Ralph married his longtime girlfriend and fiancé Betty J. Propst of Springview, NE on June 24, 1955. The following year, Ralph and Betty began their family as Sandra, Michael, and Kelly, joined the world and learned to live and work as hard as their parents. A faithful and devoted husband, Ralph celebrated 67 years of marriage with his lifetime sweetheart.

Ralph’s life was driven by the cowboy spirit. This began at the young age of three as “Ralphy” rode a simple stick through camp at his father’s dig sites and dreamt of his future life as a rancher and rodeo enthusiast. This carried through his high school years as he worked a local dairy farm while attending school.

Following his time in service, Ralph picked up his life as a cowboy and returned to the three rough stock events. There he once successfully rode 54 head of bucking stock straight before retiring from the events and focusing on his young family. Alongside his rodeo days, Ralph and his family lived and worked on several ranches in the area including Wood Lake, Nenzel, and Bassett, NE, as well as Hamill and Edgemont, SD. His ranching days were far from uneventful. One winter, while loading a large stack onto a hay sled, Ralph’s glove became caught in the tractor’s winch. Being unable to stop the winch in time he suffered the loss of three fingers in the accident. Also, in 1974, after managing the “Old Savage Ranch” for Rich and Dean Kinney, Ralph and his family recreated the old-time cattle drive as they relocated 200 angus pair 100 miles from Hamill, SD to their new ranch in Bassett, NE; a highlight for the livestock-focused family. Later, Ralph would purchase his second ranch on the Cheyenne River near Edgemont, SD, operating it for several years before returning to Nebraska.  

In between calving seasons, brandings, fixing fence, and cattle drives, Ralph enjoyed returning to his younger days by fossil and arrowhead hunting on the prairie. He also found time to attend many local dances with his wife Betty and young children and enjoyed spending time with his grandkids as his family grew. Ralph took pride in his near self-sufficiency as he mastered horsemanship, mechanical work, and many aspects of veterinarian care. Throughout his life he became fond of great Western fiction, especially stories written by the novelist Louis L’Amour.

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents; daughter Kelly Mefferd, who tragically and unexpectedly passed on March 28, 2021; parents-in-law Henry and Gladys Propst; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Richard and Sandra Propst, and William and Susan Propst.  

He is survived by his wife Betty of Scottsbluff, NE; daughter Sandra Mefferd of Chadron, NE; son Michael (Carmen) Mefferd of Rapid City, SD; brother Charles Mefferd of Kearney, NE; grandchildren: Chancy Stewart of Orchard, NE; Mikalya Bentley of Milliken, CO; Marc Mefferd of Lander, WY; Ty Brown of Marsland, NE; and Wil Brown of Loveland, CO; brother-in-law Elvin Propst of Tuscon, AZ; great grandchildren Carter, River, Eli, Nash, and Brixleigh. Memorial services were held on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at Hoch Funeral Home in Ainsworth.  Pastor Paul Smith of Hay Springs, NE officiated at the service.    Inurnment will take place in the Ainsworth Cemetery at a later date.  Memorials were suggested to the family for future designation.  Online condolences may be left for the family at www.hochfuneralhome.com.

Lucas Allen Kaiser, age 35, of Watertown, SD, went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Monday, July 10, 2023.  Funeral Services were held at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 15, 2023, at Cornerstone Methodist Church in Watertown.  Pastor Luke Smith officiated 

Burial was at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Watertown, SD. 

Lucas was born on Aug. 26, 1987, in Spearfish, SD, to Greg and Lori (Frank) Kaiser.  He attended school in Billings, MT, until his family moved to Watertown, where he graduated from WHS with the class of 2006.  Following high school, Lucas went on to further his education by attending college in Jamestown, ND, SDSU, and DSU. Lucas loved sports and excelled in track, football, and baseball. 

On Aug. 7, 2009, Lucas married the love of his life, Amanda Cass in Watertown.  The couple raised four children together, Aidan, Audrina, Lincoln, and Cecelia.  Lucas was in business with his dad for several years at Midwest Dent. He was very passionate about his job, which he considered a form of art, and enjoyed working with his dad – most days.

Lucas had a passion for motorcycles, hunting, fishing, golfing, baseball, cheering on the Dallas Cowboys, Nebraska Cornhuskers, and Seattle Mariners.  He was also an amazing cook.  His specialties were pizza (with a secret sauce he refused to share), his special noodles, and chili.  Audrina is following in his footsteps.

Lucas adored his children, they were truly the joy of his life.  He enjoyed spending as much time as he could with them, playing video games, movie nights, hitting balls, going on road trips,  and building crazy amounts of lego’s. 

Lucas will be most remembered for his contagious laugh, beautiful smile, and his amazing beard!  He was always willing to rise to the challenge of any dare or prank.  He was constantly razzing his dad, and his dad ALWAYS responded as expected.  For his children he will be remembered for his “magic kissies” to heal any wound.

Lucas is survived by his parents, Greg and Lori Kaiser of Watertown, SD; children Aidan Cass of Lake Preston, SD, Audrina, Lincoln, and Cecelia Kaiser of Watertown, SD; the mother of his children Amanda Crook of Watertown, SD; grandparents Marcella Kaiser of Spearfish, SD, and Vern and Vesta Frank of Newcastle, WY; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Lucas was preceded in death by his grandpa Robert Kaiser; uncle Jesse and aunt Stacey Frank; and uncle Jim Swaby.

Donations to assist the family can  be sent to gofundme under Lucas Kaiser memorial and kids or mailed to Kaiser Family, 59 Sunrise Drive, Watertown, SD 57201

Arrangements by Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel   www.crawfordosthus.com Watertown, Hayti, De Smet, Bryant

Mary Ann Clyde, 82, of Henderson, NV, formerly of Vermillion and Winner, SD passed away on Saturday, July 1, 2023 at the Southern Hills Hospital in Las Vegas, NV. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 at 10 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Winner, SD.  Burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery.  Mary Ann was born on July 30, 1940, in Winner, SD to Bert and Cecilia Tideman of Carter, SD. She graduated from Winner High School in 1958 and received her nursing degree from the Sacred Heart School of Nursing (her “alma mater”) in Yankton, SD in 1961.

 She started her career at the Weld County General Hospital in Greeley, CO where she met her husband, Donald Clyde. They were married in 1967 and moved to Vermillion, SD in 1973 where they resided for 40+ years and raised their family.

 Mary Ann is survived by her husband Donald Clyde; her four children Christina Clyde-Sforzo (Tom), Corey Clyde, Cassandra Clyde, and Camille Clyde (Peter); two grandchildren Jordyn Cannon, Zoe Clyde-Sforzo; two great-grandchildren Orion Cannon, Conner Cannon; and her sister Karen (Tideman) Barnes.

 She was preceded in death by her parents Bert Tideman and Cecilia (New) Tideman (aka “mother and daddy”) and sister Donna (Tideman) Graf (aka “seeester”).

Mary Ann had a deep love for her family, whom she selflessly dedicated her life to.

She never missed a sporting event or school function and loved volunteering her time to help others.  She looked forward to being involved in the community, whether it was to accompany a music recital or to bake one of her famous coffee cakes for the St. Agnes parish. She was known as “Mom” to everyone and always had a puppy or grandchild in her arms.

She loved dancing!  And enjoyed road trips and traveling, being outdoors, drives around town and loved roses, rainbows, butterflies, campfires & s’mores. 

Mary Ann had an immense passion for and love of life with the natural ability to see the beauty in everything and the best in everyone. She had a warm and magnetic personality with a great sense of humor. She got a kick out of practical jokes, pranks, and tongue twisters. Her lighthearted nature and beautiful laughter was guaranteed to put a smile on everyone’s face. She was a kind, genuine and compassionate woman who loved unconditionally and touched the hearts of everyone she met.  She loved helping people and always had the perfect words of encouragement and inspiration. An amazing role model. Beautiful inside and out.

Her relationship with God was deep and pure. Even in the toughest times, she exuded faith, hope and trust beyond measure.  She had an unbelievable strength and resilience that one could only strive for – she was a “farmer’s daughter”.

She left an unforgettable footprint & impression in this world.  Her passing has left a void that will never be filled.