June Janette Lester, 74

June Lester, 74, of Rapid City, SD, formerly of Winner, SD passed away on Sunday, July 24, 2022 at the Monument Health Hospital in Rapid City, SD.

Funeral services were held on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022 at 11 a.m. at the Mason Funeral Home in Winner, SD. Burial  followed in the Colome City Cemetery in Colome, SD.

June Janette Lester left this world on July 24, 2022 at the age of 74. She died fighting the battle with cancer and was surrounded by her family at her time.

She was born in Winner, SD to Duane and Vera Patton and lived and attended school in Colome, SD. She eventually moved to Rapid City where she became a beautician and a very good one and loved what she did for over 40 years. She met the love of her life Gary Lester shortly after moving to Rapid City and they had one daughter, Jami Jo Lester. June had a huge heart and always thought of others. Some of her greatest joys were her grandchildren, Richard, Terrance, Shawntessa, and Christian. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and daughter.

She was preceded in death by her mother, her father, and 2 brothers.

She is survived by her daughter, her grandchildren, 7 sisters, 2 brothers, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Tallan Smith, 27

Tallan Smith, from Yankton, SD, passed away on June 4, 2022 at the age of 27. Tallan was hospitalized on June 2 after being resuscitated from drowning. She spent the following days surrounded by family and friends.

Tallan has chosen to be an organ donor and was able to provide others a better quality of lift through her generosity. A celebration of life will be held at Colome City Cemetery, Colome, SD at 12:00 p.m. Saturday, August 13, 2022 followed by a luncheon at the Colome American Legion Club at 1:00 p.m.


Tallan was born in 1994 in Rapid City, SD to Roxie Harter then from Colome, SD and Brady Knight from Winner, SD. Roxie and Tallan moved to St. John, WA in 1998. In 1999, Tallan gained a beautiful additional family when Roxie and Steve Smith were married. Tallan completed grades K-12 in St. John. Tallan went to South Dakota State University the following year then lived in Washington, Colorado, and California before moving back to South Dakota. Within each community, Tallan made life-long friends because of her fun, accepting, and loving personality.

Tallan was working at Rock Bottom Grillhouse at the time of her passing, and was blessed with an amazing work family there.

Many simple pleasures in life brought joy to Tallan. She especially loved scary movies, caring for any and all animals, collecting tattoos, and spending time with her friends and family. Tallan enjoyed the art of makeup and hair; she especially loved Halloween.

As a kid, she entertained her family with the many plays she wrote and directed using her younger sister and cousins as the cast. Tallan continued to love writing into adulthood. Tallan’s beautiful smile and belly laugh were infectious and she loved to talk your ear off from the time she was a toddler.


Tallan will hold a special place in all of our hearts. We will always remember her as the kind, funny, adorable, ridiculously photogenic, big hearted, Sunny-in-Philly quoting, Buffy the Vampire watching, Harry Potter obsessed, animal lover she was. She was uniquely fearless like a lion and scared of her own shadow at the same time. Most importantly, Tallan loved big…always.

Tallan is survived by her parents, Steve and Roxie Smith and sister Maggie of St. John, WA; her father Brady Knight of Vermillion, SD; her brothers Griffin Knight of Omaha, NE and Jacob Knight of Avon, SD; her grandmothers, Lisa Knight and Willa Kindt of Avon, SD; her grandfather and grandmother, Don and LaVonne Ring of Colome, SD; her grandmother Kay Smith of St. John, WA; her grandfather and grandmother, Bud and Gina Knight of Wright, Wy; her boyfriend Steve Koster of Yankton, SD; as well as many additional loving family members and more friends than one can imagine.

We miss you so very much dear Tal. We will keep your love, your kindness, and your compassion for others alive. You left your mark on all those who knew you. We are your new legacy of love.

Bernard (Barney) Ross, 86

Bernard (Barney) Ross, 86, of rural Millboro, SD passed away on Sunday, July 24, 2022 at the Winner Regional Long Term Care Center in Winner, SD.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, July 30, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Winner, SD. Burial followed in the Ascension Chapel Cemetery in Millboro, SD.

Bernard Ross was born on Aug. 12, 1935 at home in Todd County to William & Irene Ross. He was the youngest of 11 children. Bernard attended St. Francis Indian Mission School in South Dakota through the 9th grade. He served in the Navy from Jan. 28, 1955 – Sept. 18, 1957. He was stationed in Newfoundland. 

He married Shirley Bauch on Aug. 15th, 1960. Together they raised 3 sons, 3 adopted boys, and several foster kids. Barney enjoyed visits from his grandchildren, watching old westerns, and doing braiding’s and leatherwork.

Survivors include Wes Ross family; Shane and Kathy Ross family from Winner, SD; Travis Ross and 2 adopted boys, 9 grandchildren, and 15 great grandkids.

He was preceded in death by his father, mother, wife Shirley Ross, 7 brothers, 3 sisters, 1 granddaughter, and an adopted son.

BBQ winners

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Mardi Pederson serves up some food at the pit row BBQ on Saturday.

BS BBQ Rebels was the overall grand prize winner in the Winner Area Chamber of Commerce BBQ pit row on Saturday.

The results include:

Ribs—1. Checkered BBQ, 2. Guys and Grills, 3. BS BBQ Rebels

Pork Butt—1. Guys and Grills, 2. Packin Heat, 3. BS BBQ Rebels

Brisket—1. Roll N Smoke, 2. Porkwana BBQ, 3. BS BBQ Rebels

Side dish—Roll N Smoke

There was a kids contest. The winner of the 6 to 9 year old division was Braxton Olson and 10 to 15 was Owen Paul.

Winner summer help were honored by the Winner City Council

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
City of Winner summer help were honored by the Winner City Council. Pictured in front from left are Lila Balsiger, Katherine Jankauskas, Rylee Root, Gracie Root, Cora Moss and Shayne Day. Middle row from left are Sidda Schuyler, Josey Kludt, Melanie Brozik, Brindy Bolander, Rachelle Stephens. In back from left are Daisy McIntyre, Ellie Brozik, Tessa Sieh, Jenna Hammerbeck, Lilly Barfuss, Kelby Meiners, Karlee Brozik, James Gregg, Caleb Boerner and William Boner.
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Winner City Council recently honored public works employees

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Winner City Council recently honored public works employees. In front from left are Rich Stevens, Billy Siems, Mark Leibrich, Ray Bryant and Kelly Duffy. In back from left are Braden Walton, Curtis Haakinson, Ty Bennett, Dennis Fiala, Ricky Hespe, Matt Schroeder, Trevor Mead, Jerrel Tyburec, Justin Brunmeier.
summer help honored

Winner Masonic Lodge and Roseland Chapter Order of Eastern Star presented $500 scholarships

Submitted Photo
The Winner Masonic Lodge and Roseland Chapter Order of Eastern Star presented $500 scholarships to Madaline Watzel and Adrienne Lewis. Watzel will attend Black Hills State University and Lewis will attend Augustana University this fall. Pictured from left are Jack Frantz, past master; Watzel, Lewis and Coleen Patmore, worthy matron.

Mid Dakota Fair opens Aug. 2

The Mid Dakota Fair in Winner will open Aug. 2 and run through Aug. 6.

On Aug. 2, open class exhibits will be entered from 5-7:30 p.m. at the 4-H center.

The 4-H display exhibit judge orientation will be at 5 p.m.

The entering and interviewing of 4-H exhibits will be from 5:15 to 7:30 p.m.

A consumer decision making contest will be held from 5-7 p.m.

Silent auction items can be dropped off from 5-7 p.m.

The rocket prep will be at the 4-H center at 5 p.m. on Aug. 3 this will be followed by the rocket launch at 5:30 p.m.

The 4-H dog show check in will be at 5:45 p.m. on Aug. 3 followed by the dog show at 6 p.m.

County 4-Hers can check in rabbits and poultry from 6-8 p.m.

There is much more to the fair Thursday through Saturday and all that information will be in the Aug. 3 Winner Advocate.

The Mid Dakota Fair is a community event. Be sure to take in all the fair activities.

Another born and raised hometown professional returns to Winner.

Winner Regional Health announces the hiring of Chelsea Hennebold Bern, APRN, CNP. She will be joining Winner Regional Health on Aug. 15  with seeing patients shortly thereafter.  Bern graduated from Winner High School in 2005. She joins the Winner Regional Health team with vast experience in surgery and cardio thoracic care. 

Bern graduated from Presentation College in Aberdeen, South Dakota in 2008 with a certificate as surgical technician. She began her career at Sanford Health – Sioux Falls in 2008 as a surgical technician, while attending the University of South Dakota to get her bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN). After receiving her BSN in 2012, she worked for the University of South Dakota Medical Center in Sioux Falls in the intensive care unit (ICU) until 2018. Since 2018,  Bern has been employed with the Sanford Cardio Thoracic Surgery Group in Sioux Falls. During her tenure at Sanford Cardio Thoracic Surgery Group, she completed her master’s of science as a certified nurse practitioner (CNP).

Bern is the daughter of Brad and Julie Hennebold. Julie Hennebold has been part of the Winner Regional Health team since Oct. 5, 1992.  Hennebold previously served as the chief nursing officer (CNO) from March 2016 to November 2021, until she elected to take on a new role within Winner Regional Health as the utilization review/discharge coordinator.

Bern and her husband decided to move back to Winner to be closer to family and to raise their three children (a five year-old son and two three year-old twin daughters) in a community with a strong educational program, great values, and to continue the high quality of healthcare services provided by Winner Regional Health. Her husband will be employed at CHS in Winner as a propane truck driver. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and being outdoors.

When visiting with Bern about her new career move, she expressed that she is beyond excited to be part of the Winner Regional Health’s team and to raise her family in a great community, where she grew up. As a family nurse practitioner, she looks forward to offering high quality care to the surrounding rural communities.