Category Archives: Local

Gretchen Wollin, age 96 of Litchfield, MN, formerly of Winner, SD passed away peacefully on April 13, 2023.

Gretchen, one of 13 children of Ingvald and Dina Iverson, was born in Bernadotte, MN on Jan 18, 1927.

She married Edwin Wollin, Jr. in New Ulm on Oct 5, 1949. They moved to and lived in Winner until Ed’s passing on June 17, 1989. After a more than 35-year career at J.C. Penny’s there, Gretchen retired and returned to Minnesota to live with her brother Morris in Litchfield until his passing on Feb 24, 2018. She remained in Litchfield until shortly before her passing.

She was preceded in death by all of her siblings.

 Interment May 11, 2023, 4pm at Winner City Cemetery.

Funeral services for Gerald Lee “Jerry” Mundlein, 77, of Kennebec, SD were held 10  a.m., Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Presho, SD with burial in the Kennebec Cemetery at Kennebec, SD. 

 Gerald “Jerry” Lee Mundlein fought leukemia to a draw on April 27, 2023 after just recently turning 77. Since it was a tie Dad bowed out gracefully so he could spend time with his son Mark and other family in heaven.

Jerry was born April 23, 1946 to John and Bertha (Roth) Mundlein. Jerry and his twin brother Tom were born in Pierre, SD.  Jerry went to country school at Rose Center until 8th grade, and then attended high school in Kennebec. Jerry’s father John passed away just after Jerry was done with high school. Jerry & Tom set to running the family farm thereafter.  In the beginning they raised hogs, cattle, and crops. Dad hated the hogs, but found them hard to quit.  After a couple of attempts of buying hogs (and then remembering they did not like raising them) they finally quit the bad habit.  Then only had beef and crops for the next 20 or so years, and eventually just farmed.  In his late twenties Jerry went custom harvesting as far away as Topeka, Kan., while Tom minded the farm.

Jerry married Carmen Tadewald in 1969 and had three children, Penni, Dan and Mark.  Jerry was a bagger of coyotes or anything else with four or two legs. He was also an avid pheasant hunter and often guided others getting their limits. Jerry was responsible for getting more than one person in touch with their faith while they were hunting in a car for coyotes. Guns hanging out the windows taking draws sideways at a run. Dad was crafty, often commenting on better ways to do something, or inventions that should be made. He made many inventions often improving his equipment.  Snowmobiling, shop work and feeding pheasants were other loves of his life. He had friends and family far and wide and enjoyed visiting them during the winter months.  

He is survived by daughter Penni (Travis) Almond, Pierre, SD and son Dan (Kate) Mundlein, Rifle, CO, granddaughter Bailey (Jade) Konst, Wasilla, AK, grandsons Maxwell and Archer, brother Tom (Shirley) and children Debbie, Laura & Val, Sister-in-Law Betty and children Sharlene, Sandy and John and special friend Kathy Caslin.

Jerry was preceded in death by his son Mark, father John, mother Bertha and brother George.

Judy Eldridge-Tomes died in her home that she shared with her son Zak, his wife Kelly and her son Jon by her side on April 26, 2023. She was 66.

Judy Ann Eldridge was born Dec. 24, 1956, in Winner, SD to Byron and Viola (Holthus) Eldridge.

 She attended school in both Hamill and Winner, SD. She graduated from Winner High School in 1975. Following high school, she attended NAU in Rapid City, Sd and graduated with an associate degree in  business administration.

Judy married a member of the United States Air Force who gave her the opportunity of a lifetime to travel and live abroad when he was stationed at Lakenheath RAFB in England where she gave birth to her first son Zak in 1984 and then she traveled and lived at Edwards AFB in Italy where she gave birth to her second son Jon in 1986. She then came back to the states in 1988 and lived at Offutt AFB in Omaha, NE. 

Judy moved to Sioux Falls, SD in 1991 and purchased the home where she raised Zak and Jon. Judy was a bookkeeper for the Sioux Empire Fair from 1995 to 2001. She worked in sales for the Argus Leader from 2001 to 2006 and then was with the South Dakota Railroad as a dispatcher until 2012 when the company dissolved. She then retired due to a disability she acquired.

The one thing Judy loved the most to do was gardening. She would spend hours and hours outside tending to the flowers, rose bushes, and lilac bushes she planted. She was also a fanatic about collecting frog memorabilia. There was not one space in the house including the bathroom that didn’t have some type of knick knack, ornament, or towel that was frog related. When she wasn’t gardening or finding more frog memorabilia to bring home, she would watch British murder mysteries on TV and would spend time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.  Judy was also blessed with having her granddaughter Leah, her fiancé Julyus, and her two great grandchildren Juleah and Jakob to live with her at one point.

Grateful for having shared her life are her sons Zak Tomes (Kelly), Sioux Falls, SD, Jon Tomes, Sioux Falls, adopted daughter and friend Jeanette Gaul, Sioux Falls, SD, granddaughter Michelle Moore (Nick Casstevens), great grandsons Jesse and Chevelle and great granddaughter Mireya, Brookings, SD, grandson Michael Moore (Kylie Minske), Sioux Falls, SD, granddaughter Leah Harty (Julyus James) great granddaughter Juleah and great grandson Jakob, Sioux Falls, SD, her brother Bruce Eldridge (Susan), Chamberlain, SD sister Diana Swanson (Emiel), Pukwana, SD, nephew Nathan Swanson, Pukwana, SD, nieces Heidi Elliott (Steve), Herman, NE, Heather Swanson (Josh), great nephew Clayton Swanson and great niece Samantha Walker, Freeman, SD. 

She was preceded in death by her parents Byron and Viola (Holthus) Eldridge.

Memorials made be directed to First Lutheran Church Media Ministries, 327 S Dakota Ave., Sioux Falls, SD 57104

A Celebration of Life will be held 11am Saturday, June 24, 2023, at Hamill Community Hall 34202 B Street, Hamill, SD 57534 with burial of her urn at the Hamill Cemetery with a reception to follow back at Hamill Community Hall. For online obituary and guest register go to the website at www.millerfh.com.