Category Archives: Obituaries

Bonnie Mae (Perdue) Arris was born June 5, 1918, in Witten, South Dakota to parents John and Katherine Perdue. She was the second of twelve children. Bonnie passed away at the Good Samaritan Society Nursing Home in Loveland, Colorado on November 26, 2016 at the age of 98 years.

Bonnie married Pete Arris on October 17, 1937, in Gallup, New Mexico. After a short time in New Mexico, Bonnie and Pete traveled to South Dakota to visit Bonnie’s family. Pete helped with various projects before they traveled back to New Mexico. A year later after Pete was offered a job with Terrell’s Appliance in Winner, Bonnie and Pete moved to Winner where they bought a home and raised two sons, Robert and Monty. When Monty was in his early twenties, the Arris family lost him, a dear son and brother, to cancer. Bonnie and Pete remained steadfast in their faith and united in marriage for 71 years until Pete’s passing on June 20, 2009. Upon having sold their home and moved across town to Golden Prairie Manor in February 2009, Bonnie remained at Golden Prairie Manor until April 2012. Her son Bob then moved her to the Good Samaritan Society Nursing Home in Loveland, Colorado to be closer to him.

Bonnie worked at Terrell’s Appliance (which eventually became Winner Gas and Electric). She also worked as an aide at the Winner hospital.

She was strong-willed, matter-of-fact, outgoing, friendly, very caring, loving, and in turn, was deeply loved by many. Her choice of jewelry and bright clothing helped express her personality.

Bonnie had a very strong faith and eagerly shared her faith in Christ with others. Bonnie (along with Pete) was a charter member of the Assembly of God Church in Winner. Bonnie loved her church brothers and sisters and spent many hours in the church where she was a Sunday School teacher for the young teens and active in women’s ministry groups. Bonnie, with loving open arms, welcomed adults and young people alike into the church and into her home. She was involved in the local Christian Women’s Club and traveled with friends to nearby communities to attend Women’s Aglow meetings. She enjoyed reading and sharing her favorite inspirational books with others. Bonnie enjoyed leading Bible study/prayer groups and was known as a spiritual mother/grandmother to many.

Bonnie loved her family deeply and was thrilled when any of them would travel the distance to visit or if she and Pete could travel to their homes. Bonnie was especially thankful to have lived near her son Bob the last 4 ½ years of her life.

Sarah Kindt, 96, of Bridgewater, SD formerly of Winner, SD passed away on Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016 at the Diamond Care Center in Bridgewater. Graveside service will be held on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016 at 11 a.m. at the Winner City Cemetery. Visitation will be held on hour prior to graveside service at the Mason Funeral Home.

Sarah was born on June 25, 1920, to Jasper and Tillie (Routenberg) Simkins of Carter, SD. She was married to Henry Kindt and lived on a farm southwest of Winner. To this union, 2 children were born. Karen Kindt and Terry (Marcia) Kindt .

Rod was born Feb. 15, 1956 to Richard and Shirley (Chambers) Hoffer in Winner, South Dakota. He grew up and graduated from Winner High School. He met and fell in love with his high school sweet heart, Judy VanMatre. They were married Feb. 28, 1975 and resided in Winner most of their married life. They were blessed with 41 years of marriage. To this union they had two children, Nichole and Marie.

Rod loved spending time with his grandchildren and his four legged companions. He was an over the road truck driver. To pass his time on the road his favorite thing to do was write stories for his family. Rod and Judy moved to Rapid City in 2009 to be closer to their grandchildren. Rod worked for Western Provisions out of Sioux Falls at the time of his passing.

DeLores Marie Wilson was born in Colome, South Dakota on Feb. 8, 1935, to Walter and Nellie (Schnabel) Blakkolb. She passed away on October 10, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona.

In 1950 Dee and her family moved to California for one year. Although the family moved back to Winner, Dee remained in California with her grandparents until she graduated from Sacramento High School in 1953.

She then returned to Winner where she met Chalmace G. Wilson, married, assisted with operating the Rosebud Motel, and raised their three children, Tracee, Linc, and Shannon. In 1963 Dee and C. G. built their dream house, ‘the house on the hill with the orange doors’. Dee applied her skills to make it a one-of-a-kind home that highlighted her creativity, love of color, and flashy style. Her home was a welcome environment to all, as many will attest.

Dee loved meeting with the ‘girls’ for coffee, playing bridge, taking photos, reading,
listening to music, dancing, working in her rock garden, sewing, knitting, crocheting, attending the Trinity Episcopal Church, watching games at Leahy Bowl, and hosting family, friends, and the Texas pheasant hunters.

She also enjoyed her jobs and co-workers while working at J.C. Penney’s, and as a secretary at Winner High School, Winner Police Station, and the State’s Attorney’s Office.

Dee and C.G. loved to travel and golf together. Eventually they found themselves spending winters in Arizona where they enjoyed golfing and warm weather.

Following C.G.’s death in 2002 from ALS, Dee remained in Arizona where she filled her life with books, music, and fresh flowers in every room. She developed a strength and positive attitude that impressed everyone that knew her. She would say, “Life is good, Everything is under control, I’ve been so lucky.”

Orval Graber, age 72, of Winner, passed away on Nov. 16, 2016 at the Winner Regional Healthcare Facility.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016 at the First Baptist Church in Winner. Burial followed at the Winner City Cemetery.

Orval Dean Graber, 72, peacefully went to his heavenly home on Nov. 16, 2016, with his family by his side.

Orval was born on Dec. 7, 1943, to Elmer J. and Clara C. Graber. He was the youngest of four children. Orval accepted Jesus Christ as his savior and was baptized on May 17, 1959, at Salem Zion Mennonite Church, Freeman, SD. He attended country school, graduated from Freeman Academy, and went on to receive his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural education from SDSU.

On Aug. 10, 1969, Orval was united in marriage to Diane Tschetter. One week later, they moved to Winner, SD, where he had accepted a teaching position as the vocational agriculture and FFA instructor. After 25 years, he retired from teaching and worked for the city of Winner.

During their 47 years of marriage, Orval and Diane were blessed with three children: Cherie Annette, Carla Ann, and Cory Dean. Their church memberships were transferred to the First Baptist Church of Winner where he remained active serving in many capacities until his death. He was also a member of the Gideons.

In his free time, Orval enjoyed hunting, fishing, singing with the A’Cafellas Chorus, and spending time with his five grandchildren.

Berniece Burtz formerly of Winner, went home to be with her Lord on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016,at the Elms Nursing Home in Macomb, IL where she has resided for the past 5 years. She was 90 years old. She was born Opal Berniece Ruf, daughter of John and Mae Ruf, on the family homestead in Greenwood Township, Tripp County on Aug. 26, 1926. She joined two older sisters, Ariel, born in 1914, and Doris, 1918. In 1932 the family moved to Millboro where John Ruf became pastor of the local church. Four years later in 1936 the Ruf family moved to Rockerville, and the next year to Lake City. In 1939 they settled in Dannebrog, NE where in 1944 Berniece graduated from Dannebrog High School. Following high school Berniece attended Omaha Bible Institute for 3 years graduating in 1948.

Berniece was married to Raymond Burtz of Winner, on June 20, 1948 in St. Paul, NE, and the couple made their home on the Burtz Brothers Ranch in northern Tripp County. The couple’s first son, Durwin Keith was born on March 19, 1951. He was joined by sister Koreen Kay on October 4, 1954, Wendell Ray on July 26, 1956, and Ronald Gene was born April 4, 1960. Through the years Berniece was active not only as a wife and mother, but as pianist for the Witten Baptist Church and the Presho Community Bible Church, as a Sunday school and Vacation Bible School teacher, piano teacher, club member, Women’s Bible Study leader, and church treasurer. She was active in the Gideons Auxiliary, and loved to read and teach the Bible, play the piano, garden, embroider, and sew. Beginning in 1976 Berneice worked alongside her husband Ray and their children to move and remodel a former one-room schoolhouse into a cabin the family enjoyed with friends and neighbors on their farm along the White River for many years. Raymond preceded her in death in August of 1999, and several years later she moved from the farm to Winner where she enjoyed playing with the local Kitchen Band, and continued as pianist for the Witten Baptist Church as long as she was able.

Lee Eddie, age 93, of Winner, passed away on Nov. 17, 2016 at the Winner Regional Healthcare Facility.

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 21, 2016 at the United Methodist Church in Winner. Burial followed at the Winner City Cemetery. Ivor Lee Eddie, of Winner, SD, passed away on November 17, at the Winner Regional Healthcare Center after suffering from complications of a stroke a few days prior. He was 93 years, 1 month, 2 weeks, and 6 days old.

Ivor Lee Eddie, known to all as Lee, was the son of George and Gretchen (Rethwisch) Eddie. He was born on Sept. 29, 1923 in Winner. Lee grew up in the Winner community and attended the South Sunnyside School. He graduated from Winner High School in 1941 and then engaged in farming on the family farm. On Sept. 24, 1947, he united in marriage with Irene Carol Fast and they raised five children: Linda, Dennis, Randy, Ron and Darla.

As a youth, Lee participated in 4-H showing cattle and horses. The Eddie family was community oriented with the local baseball league (including Lloyd and George Blomstroom, Ernie and Emil Konvalin) which were followed with barn dances mainly in John Hruska’s barn. After marriage to Irene, he started taking over the family farm in 1947.

Lee took pleasure in taking his family to Basin League baseball games at the Leahy Bowl and Family reunions in O’Neil, NE. His life centered on his family and the farm. It was not uncommon to host large family suppers on the farm during holidays. When traveling on family trips he never took the same road twice and was quick to notice details to say that he had an “Eagle Eye”.

Later in life, he enjoyed challenging Jumbles and Crosswords and commonly helped his sister Blanche when she was stumped. Saturday nights were spent at the VFW for supper followed with a game of cards with Ryal and Peg Vanneman along with Bob and Fern Ringstmeyer. An avid bowler he enjoyed his Bowling league Wayne Heller, Bud Mayes, and Dale Johnson. Enjoyed taking several Co-op trips across the country including Hawaii. Family vacations were taken with Wayne and Lois Heller as they played cards while their daughters played. In retirement, they enjoyed traveling to casinos with friends. His final years at Golden Prairie, he made lasting friendships at the meal table with his sister, Berniece Hanson, Florence Fisher, Rosie Glynn and Jim Jares. They were known as the fun table at the manor and dad’s humor and finger pointing will be missed by his table mates and staff.

Lee’s thirst of knowledge and learning paired with a curiosity for life was something instilled in all his grandkids. When it came to Lee’s grandkids he enjoyed challenging them to be the best they could be. You could always find Lee watching a western show and loved reading western novels.

Marie Holub was born on April 17, 1927 to Frank and Mary (Vavra) Cervenka in Mosher, SD. At the age of two they moved to a farm northeast of Winner. She completed her eighth grade in a rural school. Marie attended Gregory High School, graduating with the Class of 1944.She was united in marriage to Frank Holub on August 30, 1948 and to this union two children were born-Duane and Terry.

Marie was born on Easter Sunday, which explains her “Esther” middle name. Her birth date/Easter coincided three more times: 1938, 1949 and 1960.

Child of the Depression, Marie learned to do a lot with a little, lessons she held tight across nine decades of life. She enjoyed life’s simplicity, if not its modesty. She profiled life’s sincerity. One of her favorite retells was that of receiving a paper cut-out doll for Christmas, that year’s only present.

Her first job out of Gregory High School was at Winner’s Omaha Cold Storage, one of nine bookkeepers so employed at the time. The job’s specifics: 40 cents an hour, nine hours a day, six days a week; five vacation days, no sick leave. Marie paid $2.00 a week for a room in Winner at that time. A group of women friends would meet at the Sweetshop (later Andy’s Jewelry) for a $1.50 lunch.
Following five years at the Cold Storage, Marie worked two years at Beaulieu, Backus and Bailie Hardware, three years at McCormick Hardware, then a year with the Union Credit Corporation. During all this time she was heralded for her accuracy and speed with stenography (shorthand).

Come 1960 she joined the staff of the former ASCS office in Winner. She was the wheat and feed grain clerk. During this tenure she endeared herself to area farm families by her dedication to detail and astute comprehension of ever-changing government programs. Due to cutbacks insisted by the Nixon Administration, Marie lost her ASCS job in 1973.

A woman of her temperament would not be unemployed long. She was not. Within short order First Fidelity Bank came calling. Marie started another chapter that 1973 by accepting a job to the bank’s bookkeeping department, a place she’d work the next 22 years, ascending to head bookkeeper. There were nine bookkeepers when Marie started, and almost all the work was done manually. (Remember when you received cancelled checks in the mail? Whom do you think did that?)

The 1970s begat the 80s and its techno revolution. First Fidelity’s bookkeeping department installed its first computer in 1981. Subsequent years required updates to the upgrades. Marie retired from First Fidelity in 1995, culmination of a 46-year professional career in Winner. But per her want to give and share and stay active, Marie’s work career would take one last turn when, post-Fidelity, she began a 14-year stint at Golden Prairie Manor where she qualified as a medication aide and also as a food server.
She freely gave time, leadership and support to the Winner Senior Center, relinquishing her treasurer duties but two weeks before her death.

Marie cared and took care. As siblings and friends fell victim to age and illness, she volunteered time and loved to assist in manners intimate to each. Travel distance mattered not. The more Marie was needed the more Marie needed to be there.
Marie enjoyed grandson Matt’s plays at the Mason City Community Theatre; chartering Nevada flights with grandson Chris to engage in wholesome casino-related activities; reviewing and attending screenings of grandson Grant’s Black Hills Video airings; attending witness to granddaughter Jacie’s rise within respective Air Force/Air Force Reserve and nursing careers; the birth and growth of great-grandsons Gavin and Liam, and great-granddaughter Addison.

Marie bowled many years. Hosted and attended numerous card parties. She absolutely loved to dance, recalling with fondness the old South Hall and present- day Carlock. Her last dance was Labor Day weekend at the Winner Legion. Marie and Frank’s 40th Anniversary dance in Dallas remains a seminal moment.

The VFW and American Legion and Auxiliary were important to her; at times, it appeared, she could not volunteer enough. A lifelong Catholic, she dutifully gave time and effort and experience. Professional and personal awards and honors too numerous to mention. She hosted Christmas at her Lincoln Street home, and an every-other-year Thanksgiving gathering enjoyed by Frank’s side of the family. Following Frank’s death, Marie enjoyed casual companionship with friend Walt and then Tom.

Marie traveled through each of the lower Forty-Eight. A fan of country music, trips to Nashville and Branson were, in a word, mandated. As were polka bands across the Upper Midwest. Marie and Frank pulled a small trailer to many a state park for weekend camping and fishing excursions, oftentimes accompanied by their grandchildren. Marie loved her time on the ‘van’ with friends en route to Rosebud or Radar or Flandreau. She will miss you all so very much.

Marie belonged to numerous organizations. She held offices in Catholic Daughters, American Legion Auxiliary, VFW Auxiliary, Business & Professional Women, Past President Parley American Legion, and was a 10 year Counselor for Jr. Catholic Daughters.

Maurice “Jack” Earll died Nov. 13 at the age of 95 at the Trinity Care Center in Farmington, Minn.  Memorial services were held on Nov. 19 at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Winner.  Maurice Edwin Earll was born to Floyd A. Earll and Minnie F. (Odin) on Feb. 19, 1921 in Carter, SD.

In January 1943 Jack entered the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 45th Infantry Division at Ft. Sill OK as an artilleryman. Jack fought with the 45th starting in North Africa, then on to Anzio, Italy and the Rhine River in Germany where he was wounded and awarded the Purple Heart. Jack underwent experimental bone graft surgery at Fitzsimons General Hospital in Denver, CO and was honorably discharged in 1945.

Jack married Lydia L. Pajl on Nov. 6, 1948. They resided in Witten, SD and then Winner. To this union they had two children, Marlene Earll, Burnsville, MN and Sharon (Steve) Wade, Burnsville, MN. Jack & Lydia moved to Burnsville, MN in 2014 to live with Marlene and be close to their family. They have 3 grandchildren: Laura Wade, Tracy (Brian) Christianson and Jeff Wade; and 3 great grandchildren: Delaney & Brennan Machacek and Maggie Christianson & new baby to arrive in January.

Inez L. Schoulte was born on August 4, 1916 on the family farm south west of Presho. She was the third child born to William G. Schoulte and Catherine (Clausen) Schoulte. Inez had a goal of reaching her 100th birthday which she celebrated in August.

Inez attended elementary school at the country school (Schoulte School) one mile south of her home. She attended Presho High School graduating in 1934. She received her elementary teaching certificate from Aberdeen and Springfield. She graduated from South Dakota State University in Brookings with a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics in 1942. Inez received a Master of Science degree in Foods and Nutrition from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1952. She pursued a doctorate degree at the University of California in Berkley.

Inez first teaching job was 5th & 6th grade in Wood S.D. She then taught home economics at Parkston High School. Inez also worked as a dietician in Charity hospital in New Orleans, Orange County Medical Center in California, Greenville North Carolina. She was associate professor of food and nutrition departments in both University of North Dakota and Utah State University. Inez dedicated her life to education and continued to study and learn her whole life. In 1963 she left the teaching profession to care for her elderly parents in California.

When Inez health began to fail in 1994 she moved back to South Dakota to be near family. She resided a Lou Hagels assisted living and then moved to Parkwood in Pierre where she lived for 14 years, then due to the flood in 2011, she moved back to Presho to New Life Boarding and then to Dakota Heritage in Pierre. In September of 2014 her health made it necessary to move to the Winner Long Term Care Facility in Winner where she passed away Nov. 15.

Inez will be fondly remembered for her stories of all the places she had been throughout her long life. Some of Inez favorite quotes were: Better days are coming, this too shall pass and just take one day at a time.