Category Archives: Local

Marcine Hattie Pravecek died peacefully in her sleep on Aug. 30 2022.  Marcine was 80 years old and lived her adult life in North Carolina.

Marcine was born in Winner, South Dakota.  She was the oldest of five children born to David and Bessie Pravecek.

Marcine lived a full yet challenging life after a devastating car accident in 1963.  She suffered with paralysis on the right side of her body, a brain injury and broken limbs as well as other injuries.  Her indomitable spirit prevailed as she worked hard through her recovery eventually graduated from college with a four-year degree in education and advanced training in speech & language pathology & audiology.  She initially taught in a classroom but moved her career to speech pathology within the State of North Carolina’s youth development system.  Marcine had a successful career with honors for her work and retired after 30 years.

Marcine loved to cross stitch and created many artistic pieces despite only having the use of her left, non-dominate, hand.  She was an avid cook and loved to enter recipe contests.  She won several small appliances as trophies for her winning entries.  During her younger years she loved to travel.  As a young woman prior to her accident, she was an outstanding pianist and continued her love of music throughout her life.  She was also an excellent seamstress while in high school and won first place in the “Make-It-With-Wool Contest”!  Photography was another hobby she pursued.

Marcine is survived by her four siblings:  Bonnie (Lee) Moore of Southern Pines, NC; David (Pat) Pravecek of Winner, SD; Delores (Mark) Edwards of St. Paul, NE and Sandi Pravecek of Denver, CO.  Also nieces and nephews: Christy (Matt) Gunnet and Raine of Bend, OR; Marc (Kim) Moore and Caden & Eli of Huntersville, NC; Dennie Pravecek, Winner, SD and family Mekayla (Jarrod) Preheim and Casen, Cooper and Cambree of Bridgewater, SD; Madysen Pravecek of Yankton, SD and Dausyn Pravecek at University of Wisconsin, Madison WS, Michael Pravecek and son Tane of Winner, SD.

A mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Goldsboro, NC and internment will follow at the Columbarium also at St. Mary’s Catholic Church at a later date.

Cards are welcome.  Send to Bonnie Moore, 65 Steeplechase Ct., Southern Pines, NC  28387. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in memory of Marcine Pravecek to:  First Health Hospice and Palliative Care, 150 Applecross Rd., Pinehurst, NC28374. 

 James Ross Brickman passed away on Aug. 21, 2022, in the care of hospice at his home in Spring Lake Park, MN. He was born to Gene and Fern Brickman on Sept. 10, 1970, in Fargo, ND.

He is survived by his father Gene (Margaret) Brickman, his brother Jeff Brickman, son Brandon Meier, his niece Samantha Brickman and nibling Rowan Brickman, as well as beloved stepsiblings and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his cherished mother Fern.

Services will be held at Washburn-McReavy Coon Rapids, 1827 Coon Rapids Blvd, Coon Rapids, MN 55433 on Saturday, Sept/ 17 with a gathering at 10 a.m. and services at 11 a.m.  The family will continue honoring him with Bricktoberfest to follow at Route 47 Pub, 7820 University Ave NE, Fridley, MN 55432 at 1 p.m.

There will be a livestream of the service for those who are not able to attend in person. (https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/authorise.php?k=1661885048205321)

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to James Ross Brickman Fund to support his wishes to be returned to the earth at Better Place Forests – St. Croix Valley. St. Croix Valley Forest Memorials – Minnesota Forest Burials Alternative.

Donald Keith Leat, age 90, passed away on Sunday, Aug. 28 at the Sanford Centennial Hospice Cottage after a courageous battle with cancer.  Don was 17 days short of his 91st birthday.

Don was born on Sept. 14, 1931 to Clarence (Ted) and Freda Leat in Winner, SD.  He attended school in Winner and graduated from Winner High School in 1949.  At the age of 20 he enlisted in the US Navy and served as a Radioman 2nd Class on the USS Noble during the Korean conflict. His duties included acting as cryptographer for incoming and outgoing messages on the ship. He was honorably discharged on March 29, 1955 after 4 years of service. Don then enrolled in Nettleton college where he received an associate degree in accounting and then worked as office manager for various car dealers in Sioux Falls, SD, Minneapolis, MN and Des Moines, IA.

While attending college, he met Shirley Hammer and they were united in marriage in Flandreau, SD on Nov. 7, 1959. To this union 4 children were born and in 1963 they moved to Winner, SD where they lived until 2015 when they moved to Sioux Falls, SD. While in Winner, Don worked for the VFW and was a driver’s license examiner for the last 20 years of his career.

Don’s hobbies included woodworking, restoring furniture and gardening.  He and Shirley were volunteers at the Tripp County Historical Society where they were involved in the remodeling of the museum and the creation of the Veteran’s memorial.  They were named the volunteers of the year for their contributions. In May 2018, Don was a part of Mission #2 for Honor Flight, an event that he was very proud to be a part of. He was a lifetime member of the VFW.  Don was also a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Steelers, and instilled the love of these teams with ‘most’ of his children and grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Shirley; his 4 children, Kimberly of Sioux Falls, Steven (Linda) of Everett, WA, Michael (Marie) of Chariton, IA and Jeffrey (Heidi) of Sioux Falls; 4 grandchildren, Cassandra (Cody) Leat of Sioux Falls, SD, Alexander Leat of Everett, WA, Jessica (Sam) Reynen of Omaha, NE and Nicholas Leat of Sioux Falls, SD; 1 great-granddaughter, Sloane Reynen of Omaha, NE; sister Patsy (Charles) Fyler of Rapid City, SD; sister-in-law Cathy Leat of Washington; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Don was preceded in death by his parents; mother and father-in-law, Lucy Belle and Milo Smith; sisters and brothers in law, Sandra Leat, Nancy & Lloyd Olsen, Aileen & Marvin Hopkins, Lois & Gilbert (Junior) Duffy; brothers, Merlin Leat and James Leat; niece Stephanie Fyler Farr; and nephews, Rollie Duffy and Michael Hopkins.

Memorial service was held at 12:30 pm, with family present beginning at 11:30 am on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022 at Asbury United Methodist Church, 2425 S. Western Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57105. Inurnment with United States Navy Military Honors took place at 3 pm on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022 at the South Dakota State Veterans Cemetery, Sioux Falls, SD. For more information and online registry, please visit www.MillerFH.com

Karen Mae (Jerred) Sorber, age 77, of Orange City, Iowa, passed away on Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, at the Happy Siesta Health Care Center in Remsen, Iowa. Services will be held at a later date. Arrangements are being completed by the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

Karen was born on Feb. 24, 1945, in Bassett, Neb., the daughter of James (Jay) Jerred and Evelyn (Anderson) Jerred. She grew up on her family’s farm near the small town of Wewela, South Dakota, and attended Keya Paha County High School in Springview, Neb., graduating in 1963.

On April 2, 1966, she married Kenneth Howard Sorber in Winner, South Dakota. They farmed near Wewela, until 1976, when they moved to Atlanta, Neb., and started a custom fertilizer business with Karen working as the bookkeeper. In 1990, they relocated to Okeechobee, Florida, where they remained until Kenny’s retirement in 1998. They then returned to the Midwest, settling in Anthon, Iowa, where Karen worked at the Post Office in the nearby town of Lawton, Iowa. Kenny passed away on July 18, 2005, at their home in Anthon, after more than 39 years of marriage.

Soon after Kenny’s passing, Karen spent a few years living near her children’s families in Orange City and Exeter, New Hampshire, before settling in Williamsburg, Iowa to be close to Lori’s family again. In October of 2021, she relocated to Orange City along with the Trevino family. She enjoyed solving crossword puzzles, playing board games, walking, attending bible study, and especially attending every sports event her grandchildren participated in, near and far. However, due to her declining health, she became a resident of the Happy Siesta Care Center in December, 2021.

Karen was currently attending the New Hope Evangelical Free Church in Orange City. She had previously been a member of the Life Church in Coralville, Iowa, where she often served as a door greeter, and of the Morningside Assembly of God in Sioux City, Iowa. She left a legacy of a prayer warrior for her family, a true American patriot, and a strong woman of faith through a beautiful servant’s heart — always willing to help others in any way that she could.

Survivors include a daughter and her husband, Lori and Roy Trevino, of Orange City, Iowa; a son and his wife, Kevin and Anne Sorber, of Exeter, New Hampshire; six grandchildren, Gaetan, Graeson, and Alaena Trevino, and Grant, Benjamin, and George Sorber; four sisters Nancy Jerred; Dorothy, and her husband, David Shallcross; Jane, and her husband, Eldon Peters; and Veda, and her husband, Harold Parlet; and a sister-in-law, Carol Jerred.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brother, Merton (Gene) Jerred.

Geraldine Valla, 93, of Winner, SD passed away on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022 at the Winner Regional Long Term Care Center in Winner, SD.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022 at 10 a.m. at the Assembly of God Church in Winner, SD. Burial followed in the Winner City Cemetery.

Geraldine Jeanne Valla was born in rural Winner, South Dakota to Joseph and Mary (Nemec) Valla on Jan. 4, 1929.  She passed into the presence of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Aug. 20, 2022.

Geri (Geraldine) attended her first year of school in Spencer, NE and eleven years in Winner Public Schools graduating from Winner High School in 1946.  After graduating from high school, she attended North Central Bible College in Minneapolis for three years.

In September 1952, she began employment at Schramm Furniture as a bookkeeper and worked there for 50 years.  Upon retirement, Geri volunteered at the local thrift store.

Geri found Jesus to be her personal Lord and Savior at a  revival meeting in Gregory, SD at age 16. 

She was one of the founding members of Winner Assembly of God Church where she worshipped God faithfully and served in many capacities until health dictated otherwise.  Geri was a tremendous encourager and supporter of her church and community.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Paul, her sister Lillian Flescher, and her sister Marian Morris. 

She is survived by her niece Louise Palovitch and her great-niece Deb Estes, both of Fontana, Calif.