Category Archives: Obituaries

Bernice H. (Lawyer) Hermanek was born on November 28, 1929 in Wagner, SD. She was the second daughter of three to Elmer and Helen (Hrdlicka) Lawyer.

Bernice attended school in Ravinia and graduated from Lake Andes High School in 1947. Bernice received her teacher’s certificate from Southen State Teachers College in Springfield, SD in 1947. She taught country school for 3 years. Bernice met Norman Hermanek at a dance in Lake Andes in 1943. They were united in marriage on a Sunday evening, June 20, 1948 at the Geddes Methodist Church. Bernice and Norman made their home east of Geddes on a farm for over 44 years. In 1992, they moved to Geddes. Two children were born to this union.

Bernice and Norman started square dance lessons in Pickstown, SD in 1956 which led to over 40 years of dancing all over South Dakota and several states, including Hawaii, California and Washington. Since she was the caller’s wife, she rarely sat out a dance, which probably contributed to three knee replacements over the years. During this time she found time to start a wedding business in 1968 making hundreds of large wedding cakes and cakes for all occasions along with wood-fiber flowers for weddings; quilting, crocheting, sewing her own square dance dresses, crafts of all types, canning and gardening. Family gatherings meant so much to her. She loved the holidays when the entire family would gather. Playing with her grandkids and holding her great-grandchildren. Bernice died at Armour Care & Rehabilitation Center on Friday, January 6, 2017 at the age of 87.

Dennis was born in Burke on Feb. 26, 1955 to his parents Andrew W. and Eleanor R. (Herndon) Klein. He graduated from Burke High School in 1973. He had various jobs, but his primary occupation was truck driving.

In May of 1975 he was united in marriage to Vickie Stoltenburg. To this union a daughter, Katie, was born. This marriage later ended in divorce. Dennis then married Mardella Graf and to this union a son, Nicholas, was born.

Den was often described as having a heart of gold. His hobbies included fishing, coin collecting, volunteering at the Butterfly House in Sioux Falls and attending church activities.

Leo was born Winner, SD on June 2, 1952 to Robert and Vera (Pastian) Mansheim as the fourth of six children. He attended rural Gable School for his elementary years and graduated from Colome High School in 1971. He attended Mitchell Vo Tech before returning to Colome to join his father and brother Donald in the family farming tradition. Leo married Retta Dale Wilms on Nov. 24, 1972. They made their home on a farm north of Colome where Leo resided with Retta and their son Travis until Leo’s disabling stroke in October 2008, after which he resided at nursing homes in Gregory, Armour, and Winner.

Following the example of his father and grandfather, Leo’s life prior to his stroke, revolved around building a successful farming, dairy, and ranching operation with his family. Retta was in charge of milking cows and Leo was the “field” man.

Leo always enjoyed spending time with his numerous cousins, nieces and nephews that visited the farm for horseback rides, rides in his big Green Tractor and even rides on a pet dairy cow. A couple of his hobbies were bowling and snowmobiling. He looked forward to pheasant hunting season and all the good times and laughs with relatives and friends from across the country. He thoroughly enjoyed visiting. He could always tell a good story and enjoyed a good laugh.

Leo was a man of the soil and a hard worker. He wanted work done right and his way. Leo was a member of the Knights of Columbus and became a Fourth Degree Knight. He also worked with the Colome Jaycees and was very involved in 4-H.

Dr. Kenneth Homer McKenzie, son of Homer E McKenzie and Esther Pearl McKenzie passed away to his heavenly home on Jan. 5, 2017 at the Avera Gregory hospital after a courageous 6 month battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Kenneth was born on Oct. 11th, 1934 in Tripp County southwest of Dallas, South Dakota. Kenneth was raised on the family farm and during this time developed a deep interest in and love of animals of all types. This laid a foundation for his choice of profession in Veterinary Medicine.

Kenneth attended High School in Gregory, South Dakota, excelling in academics and sports. He was a natural athlete, earning multiple medals and lettering in both track and football in both high school and college.

Following high school, he attended SDSU in Brookings, South Dakota completing a BS in Agriculture in 1956. He was accepted into Veterinary Colleges at the University of Minnesota, Iowa State and Kansas State. He enrolled at Iowa State and graduated in 1960 with a Doctorate in Veterinarian Medicine.

Kenneth married his high school sweetheart Mardis Rae (Kimball) McKenzie on Aug. 14, 1955. Kenneth began his Veterinary career in Rapid City, following graduation from Iowa State in 1960. In 1964, Ken, Mardi and growing family moved to Burke, South Dakota after purchasing the practice from Dr. Hans Neuman. Ken worked from an office in the basement of his home until 1968 when he built his veterinarian clinic . In 1973 Ken and Mardi built their home on property adjacent to the clinic, from which they both lived until their deaths. Kenneth worked tirelessly serving the community at all hours of the day and night. He served on the Burke School Board and frequently attended his children’s basketball and football games, wrestling matches, baseball games and track meets. An avid fisherman, the family spent many wonderful times together on the Missouri River, boating, fishing, skiing and swimming.

After retirement in 1999, he devoted time to the development of game habitat at the family farm. He was an avid researcher and historian, with vast knowledge of Native American history and family geneology. Having family origins in Scotland and Ireland, he traveled to Scotland with family in 2014 and described it as the most wonderful trip he ever had. Kenneth loved spending time with his family and grandchildren and blessed them with his love and devotion.

Barry Lynn Sinkular was born on Dec. 21, 1949, in Winner, SD, to Woodrow and Elsie (Schmidt) Sinkular, joining twin brothers Ken and Kent. He graduated from Gregory High School in 1968 and from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in 1973 with a degree in Civil Engineering.

Barry married Carol Dykeman in 1985 and they later divorced.  He married Jeannette Adams on Aug. 3, 1991.

Barry was a lifelong farmer and rancher until his retirement in March 2010.

When he wasn’t farming or ranching, Barry loved to fish, golf and play cards, which made his transition into retirement an easy and enjoyable one. His favorite summer pastime was walking in the mornings in Gregory with Clarence Ehnes and Perry Powell and then heading to the course for a round of “geezer golf” and then back to the course on Wednesday afternoons for league play. He also made uncountable trips with brothers-in-law and friends to the Missouri River for walleye fishing and fished the local bass dams if the walleye weren’t biting. When the weather didn’t cooperate for fishing or golfing you could find him socializing and playing cards at the Dallas Mini-Mart. He also spent many hours playing Hearts and FreeCell on the computer. Barry liked to watch football and baseball (Minnesota Twins mostly) on television but his all-time favorite TV show was “All In The Family”–Archie Bunker made him laugh out loud. Barry also enjoyed watching Gregory High School Football and attended regularly.

Barry liked to travel and he and Jeannette enjoyed vacations to Mexico, Florida, Arizona, Washington State, Oregon and Canada. He, along with relatives and friends, took several fishing trips to Alaska, also.

Barry passed away suddenly on Jan. 1, 2017, in Vermillion, SD, at the age of 67 years.

Everett was born May 5, 1920 on the Terca homestead south of Presho. He was the 5th of 6 children born to James and Gertrude Terca. He attended school through the 8th grade.

He married Frances Terca on Feb. 5, 1943. To this union two daughters were born, Sharon 9-1-1943 and Lorna 11-2-1944.

He was a farmer and rancher all his working life. Starting from the time he was a boy, until he retired at the age of 80. He loved nature, cows, pigs, chickens, farming, the smell of dirt, gardening and just being outside. There was only one thing he didn’t like, a Shetland Pony. The pony bit him and he sold it! He raised cattle for many years and loved to garden, always raising a very large garden. Mother informed him it was too large, if it was green he could make it grow.

Neither he nor mother were happy with South Dakota Winters, so they spent many years traveling throughout the world, during winter months.

In 1967 dad built mother a new home, just north of the original homestead. They lived there until 2006 when they moved to Valentine, Neb., to be close to their daughter Lorna.

Dad loved to read until his eye sight went bad. Then he took life as it came, never complaining. He was the kindest, gentlest and forgiving man I know. He was always positive and looked at the good side of everything, always the optimist.

Dorothy Jean Wales was born in Ainsworth on July 25, 1933 to Charles and Gatha (Jackman) Berckhemer.  Dorothy had two brothers and one sister. Dorothy grew up in the Ainsworth area and attended school there. She graduated from Ainsworth High School in 1950.

Dorothy married Richard Wales at the Ainsworth Congregational Church on Jan. 7, 1951. To this union three children were born, Vicki Dee, Kimberly Lee, and Wesley Wade. They worked the farm until 1981 when they moved to Millboro, SD. Rick passed away on Oct. 11, 2000. Dorothy continued to live on the farm until her health failed and she then moved to Winner Long Term Care in the fall of 2016.
Dorothy helped on the farm when needed but she really enjoyed her garden and her flowers the most. Dorothy thought that weeding in her garden was a therapeutic thing to do. Dorothy’s mom died when she was 16 and she learned to cook from her mother-in-law. She was known for her fruit cake that would take her thirty days to make and her oatmeal raisin cookies.

Dorothy was active in several groups over the years including Job’s Daughters, Girls Scouts, and 4-H with her children. Her hands were never idle and she loved to knit and crochet. Her last knitting project was a baby blanket for her newest great granddaughter, asking her daughter Vicki to help finish. Her future dream was to make everyone a new blanket.

Bible studies and talking about her faith and its promises was very important to her.

She found great fun when someone commented on her wild nail colors , especially green. She loved the nail polishing sessions at long term care, along with bingo, enjoying every time she won a prize.

She often reminisced about her Extension club days and when she worked around the community. Dorothy loved her grandchildren and will be missed by many.

Dorothy passed away at Winner Long Term Care on Jan. 2, 2017 at the age of 83 years.

Leonard was born to Daniel Dickhaut and Rose Sayler Dickhaut at Lesterville, SD on Nov. 28, 1936. He moved to Tolstoy, SD with his family as a young boy and moved to Roscoe, SD as a young man.

Leonard was released from active duty training and returned to State control as a member of the Army Reserve to complete his remaining service obligation of 5 years and five months after his father passed away in 1961. He took over the farm and took care of his mother until her death in 1966.

He married Mona Genzlinger on June 15, 1966 at Howard, SD. They lived in Madison and Howard before moving to Winner in 1976. He was a lumber yard manager and was an interior and exterior painter in Winner.

Sandra Jean Cahoy, was born on June, 23, 1942 to Ted & Dorothy Frasch in Lynch, NE. She passed away Dec. 30th, 2016, in Norfolk, Neb, at age 74.

Sandy was a beautiful, strong, and independent woman. She attended high school in Fairfax, SD. Sandy went on to earn a business degree at Gale Institute in Minneapolis, Minn. She worked several years for the South Dakota State Highway Department. In 1962, Sandy met and married the love of her life, Don Cahoy of Bonesteel, SD. Together they had 4 children and raised them on a farm near St. Charles, SD. Sandy was a devoted Catholic and a member of Immaculate Conception Altar Society in Bonesteel and the Sacred Heart Parish in Norfolk, Neb. She was instrumental in starting the Chaplet of Divine Mercy in Norfolk and a Pro-life supporter. Don and Sandy are strong pro-life advocates and received an award for outstanding support. Sandy was an avid Green Bay Packer and Nebraska Husker fan. She loved watching sports! She also enjoyed spending time with family & friends. Sandy loved traveling the world, dancing, going to movies and doing word searches. In recent years, Sandy and Don spent their winters enjoying all of her favorite activities with their new friends that became family to them at their home in Yuma, Arizona.

Douglas R Simkins was born October 25, 1952 to Ervin “Hun” Eli Simkins and Arvis Echo Nyberg Simkins. The family lived near Mission in Doug’s early years. He was baptized in the Mission Lutheran Church.

Doug enjoyed observing and learning new things. He always loved nature and felt most at home in the country.

Doug was voted class president his junior year of high school in Witten, SD. He had hoped to graduate from Witten but the high school closed in the spring of 1969. Doug graduated from Winner High School in 1970.

His two best friends were Scott Bridgman and Duane Adel. He spent a lot of time at the home of Harold and Margaret Bridgman.

Doug attended Mitchell Vo Tech, then enlisted in the United States Marine Corp. One of his ocean deployments was Display Determination. Among others, he was on the ship U.S. Inchon. Doug was a head cook who organized many cooks under him.
When he spoke of his travels, he told of the beautiful colored water off the Island of Cyprus, and of visiting Valencia, Italy, and Barcelona, Spain.

He attained the rank of sgt. E-5. He was awarded several medals: National Defense Service Medal, two Good Conduct Medals, and Letter of Appreciation.

Doug married Cheryl Ulmer. He adopted her son Brent, and they had two more children, Barry and Billy Jo. He loved being a dad, and enjoyed taking his sons hunting. During this time, Doug built and designed his barn and built the home, all while working full time. In the mid 1980’s Doug and Cheryl divorced.

Doug was always a hard worker. He worked as a mechanic and welder on large farm equipment. Those who knew Doug well, knew how responsible, intelligent, organized and capable Doug was. He designed and built many trailers, fixed up antique tractors and was well known for his ability to fix up the old square-bale balers.

He was an avid reader, and especially enjoyed learning about the Civil War and WWII.

In 1995, Doug married Lynne Lenker Hallberg. They were married in Roger and Dawn Bridgman’s back yard in Utah. Doug chose for their special song, “Keeper of the Stars.” He believed, as the lyrics say, that it was no accident they found each other.

Doug celebrated sixteen years of sobriety on November 25, 2016.

Doug was a member of the Witten Baptist Church and was on the deacon board. The last year and a half he hardly missed a church service or Bible study. Doug was a lifetime member of the Winner American Legion.

When COPD became a part of his life, it complicated things, but Doug paced himself. Even tethered to an oxygen bottle, he resided the south side of the barn this summer and replaced the barn windows.

Doug passed away peacefully with family present on the evening of December 27, 2016 at the Avera McKennan ICU in Sioux Falls, SD.
Doug was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, and infant brother, Alfred.