Category Archives: Obituaries

Kathryn Ann Lynass Rutherford was born on August 20, 1931 in Winner, SD to William and Geneva (Flickinger) Lynass. Kathy attended St. Mary’s Catholic grade school, graduating from Winner High School in 1950. She went on to attend Iowa State University where she received a degree as a dietitian. Kathy did her internship at Boston Massachusetts Hospital and later worked in New Orleans. She then returned to Winner and married the love of her life MJ (Pee Wee) Rutherford on July 18, 1960. Although they were not blessed with children, she and Pee Wee cherished and loved helping raise 15 nieces and nephews along with many other “special” children.

Kathy and Pee Wee owned and operated Rutherford Drug for many years. During that time, Kathy worked as a dietitian at the Winner Baptist Hospital. They later moved to their home in Mystic, SD, where she worked at the Rapid City Regional Hospital until her retirement in 2000. She was very active in ESA and the National Dietitian’s Association where she held many state and national offices. She loved camping, spending time in the Black Hills, playing bridge with her many friends, Mah-Jongg, and in her retirement having coffee with the girls. Do to the time she spent in Boston, she became an avid Red Sox fan. Most of all, Kathy loved spending time with her nieces, nephews, and all the great nieces and nephews. It was a special treat for her when her family gathered for pheasant hunting.

Gilbert Heth, age 64, of Winner, passed away Saturday, March 21, 2015 at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls.

Funeral service was held at 2 p.m. Wednesday March 25, 2015 at the Winner-Ideal Community Hall in Winner. Burial  followed at the Winner Cemetery.

Gilbert Allen Heth, 64, was born in Wagner, on  October 23, 1950, to Mildred Zephier and Basil Heth Sr.

He is survived by his wife Dorothy Heth of 35 blessed years. Gilbert’s good nature, sense of humor, contagious laughter, and unforgettable smile will be missed by all those who knew him. He made an impression on all who crossed his path. His grandchildren and children meant the world to him. He never failed to put a smile on someone’s face.

Kay Joyce (Snider) Karl was born on November  8, 1938 to Kenneth and Josephine (Jamison) Snider on a homestead south of Paxton, SD. Kay graduated from Gregory High School in 1957.

On June 1, 1957 Kay was united in marriage to Elmer Karl in Gregory. To this union three children were born—Michael, Cindi, and Sandi. Kay was a lifelong partner in Karl’s TV and Appliance with her husband Elmer for the next 57 years.

Kay’s greatest joy was family—three children, five grandchildren, two loved as grandchildren, and five great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends were the light of her life.

Kay and Elmer enjoyed traveling to so many amazing places around the world. She enjoyed reading, playing cards,  all things musical and theater, New Orleans jazz, champagne, (and we have to mention shopping—gifts for friends and family!), her beloved birthday group, and “red hat” friends.

Kay passed away unexpectedly on March 23, 2015.

Donna Mae (Kindt) Steiger, 85, of Winner, SD passed away on Monday, March 23, 2015 at the Winner Regional Long Term Care Facility in Winner, SD.  Funeral service will be held on Friday, March 27th, 2015 at 9 a.mn. at the United Methodist Church in Winner, SD.  Burial will follow in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Sioux Falls, SD at 3 p.m..  A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service Friday morning.

Donna Mae Bittner Kindt Steiger was born on February 19, 1930 to Everett and Minnie (Butterfield) Bittner. She attended school in Tripp County and graduated from Winner High School in 1949.

Donna married the love of her life, Donald Wayne Kindt, on April 11, 1949. To this union 5 children were born: Bobbe Schramm, Donita Kindt, Douglas Donald (died in infancy), Guyla Hohn, and Monte Kindt. Don and Donna enjoyed many happy times and travels with friends. One of their favorite pastimes was dancing. Don and Donna moved to Sioux Falls to raise their family. Don passed away on September 14, 1967. Donna worked at various jobs including telephone operator, drug store clerk, and B&G Milky Way.

Donna met and married LaVern Steiger of Winner on November 1, 1981. On July 20, 2009 she entered Winner Regional Long Term Care and resided there until her death

Eugene Smith passed away Sunday, March 15, 2015 at the Community Memorial Hospital in Burke, South Dakota, at the age of 78 years.

Funeral services were held March 20 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Burke with Fr. Godfrey Muwanga officiating. Burial was in the Graceland Cemetery, Burke.

Eugene Martin Smith was born January 31, 1937 at Burke, South Dakota to Elmer and Mary (Cerny) Smith.  At home, he joined his sister, Lila.  In 1941 a brother, Alvin, was born.  He passed away during infancy, leaving them a family of four.

Gene was baptized and confirmed at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Burke.  On September 24, 1959, he was united in marriage to Avis Hutchison.  Five children would be born to this union.

Gene served two years in the US Army, some of that time in Korea.  He was honorably discharged in 1962 and his family returned to Burke to join his parents in operating the family farm.  After his father suffered a heart attack, Gene and Avis operated the farm together, along with their children, as they became old enough to help.  Gene retired from farming in 2005, entrusting its care to his sons, Ken and Brad.

Gene loved farming, especially along side his wife and children.  He taught, by example, respect for the land, the value of hard work, satisfaction in a job well done and a desire to help others.

He enjoyed teaching his children, nieces and nephews how to hunt and fish.  He served on many boards, including the Burke School Board and Union Township Board.  He was active at Sacred Heart Catholic Church as a Lector and member of the Knights of Columbus.  He took pleasure in playing cards with family and friends, and traveling, especially with his “adopted” brother and his wife, Jack and Leona Hampton of Omaha, Nebraska.

Betty Sinkler 80, of Winner, SD formerly of Wood, SD passed away on Sunday, March 22, 2015 at the Select Specialty Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.  A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2015 at 2 p.m. at the Wood Community Hall in Wood, SD.  Burial will follow at a later date.  A prayer service will be held on Sunday, March 29, 2015 at 2 p.m. at the Golden Prairie Manor in Winner, SD.

Betty Darlene (Moore) Sinkler was born December 29, 1934, in Wood, South Dakota, to Allis and Agnes Moore.  She attended school in a “one-room schoolhouse” in the Wood area before her family moved to Homedale, Idaho.  When she was a sophomore in high school, the family moved back to Wood, where she graduated from Wood High School in 1952.

On June 11, 1952, she married her high school sweetheart, Warren Sinkler.  To this union five children were born, Cliff, Vickie, Cameron, Vanessa and Cory.  Betty was an active, busy woman while raising their children.  They owned and operated a café and Sinkler Market.  Betty also worked for the United States Postal Service as clerk in Wood and White River, finished her career in Pierre as a night clerk and retired in 1996.

After Betty and Warren retired, they moved to Rapid City in 1997 to care for Warren’s parents.  In 2005, she lost the love of her life when Warren passed away.  After several years, she chose to move to Winner to be closer to family.  In 2009, she moved into Golden Prairie Manor, where she resided until her passing.

Betty enjoyed bowling and the many friends that came along with it.  They attended many state and national tournaments together.  Her grandchildren and great grandchildren were very special to her and she always enjoyed their visits.

Michael “Mick” Strain, 78, of White River, SD passed away on March 12, 2015 at his home in White River, SD.

Funeral service was held on Saturday, March 28, 2015 at 1 p.m. at the White River Community, Center in White River.

Mick was born June 10, 1936 in Murdo,  and was the third son of Grace (Astleford) and Eugene Strain.

He attended South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota, receiving a B.A. in business, and then earning the degree of Juris Doctor from the University School of Law. He was a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics Training School, Washington, D. C, and also a graduate of the School for Special Prosecutors at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.

Mick served as assistant Attorney General to Frank Farrar from 1966 to 1969.  During his tenure he prosecuted and won most of the drug related criminal cases arising in the Attorney General’s Office and was responsible for investigating and bringing charges resulting from narcotic and dangerous drug violations.

Mick took a sabbatical from law and politics in 1970 to assist Jerry Collins in acquiring, rebuilding and managing the Portland Meadows horseracing track in Portland, OR.

He returned to practicing law in 1977 and was elected Mellette County State Attorney in 1992

In May 2013, the South Dakota State’s Attorneys Association honored Mick with a Life Time Achievement award.

He was a member of the South Dakota Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the Delta Theta Phi law fraternity. He was considered one of the best criminal attorneys in South Dakota and had an ardent sense of right and wrong, and sought to remedy injustice wherever he saw it. His passion for helping Native Americans in need brought him close with many traditional Native Americans. His down to earth manner in representing clients at trial won him many acquittals and the respect of the citizens of South Dakota.

Although he spent many hours on the road, and traveled over most of the United States, Mick never ventured far from the western prairie living he grew up in.  He was an avid horseman, raising several lines of quarter horses, cumulating in the Flyma Bars breeding line. He was also an occasional rancher, ardent follower and supporter of the White River basketball and football teams, and an estimable calf roper in his prime.

He was probably best remembered by friends and family for his seemingly endless repertoire of narratives and anecdotes, fraught with lore and local legend.  He conveyed these seemingly embellished stories with deadpan delivery and split-second timing, always ending in a humorous and usually ironic twist.

Ardath Mae Hinman, 89, of Carter, South Dakota passed away on Sunday, March 15, 2015 at the Winner Regional Healthcare Center in Winner, SD.

Funeral service were held  on Saturday, March 21, 2015 at 2 p.m. at the Carter Gospel Fellowship in Carter, SD.  Burial followed in the Winner City Cemetery.

Ardath Mae Hinman passed away Sunday, March 15, 2015 at the Winner Regional Hospital; one month before her 90th birthday. Ardath was born to Frank and Hattie (Blankenhagen) Hakl , April 15, 1925, at her parents’ homestead near Wood, SD.  Ardath attended grade school at the Rosebud Valley School and graduated from Wood High School in 1942 as the valedictorian of her class.  She attended the University of South Dakota for a year before teaching in various schools.  She finished her degree in 1949.  In each school she taught music along with other subjects.

She was united in marriage to Byron B. Hinman on July 2, 1950, the beginning of sixty-three years as a devoted and supportive wife; a great example to her family.  Three girls and a boy were born to this union.

Ardath will always be fondly remembered for her hospitality.  She loved to have family meals with everyone present.  She also loved to garden and had beautiful flowers in the yard.  Most important to her was her faith in her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, a faith she loved to share with others.  She was a member of Carter Gospel Fellowship Church and Gideon’s Auxiliary.  She taught Good News Club for many years and helped with Vacation Bible School.  She was also active in the Southern Bell Cattlewomen organization.

She and Byron enjoyed traveling and attending Farm Bureau and Gideon Conventions.  For many years they seldom missed the State Fair.

She always kept an interest in her grandchildren and their activities. She prayed for her family daily.  The family always came to her for advice on political issues and how to vote.

Phyllis Jean (Harmon) Godel passed away on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at her home surrounded by her family. Funeral service were held at 10 a.m.  Saturday, March 14, 2015 at the First Christian Church in Winner.  Burial  followed in the Winner City Cemetery.

Phyllis Godel was born to Ethel L. Johnson and Harold Hough in Randolph, NE., on February 19, 1934. In 1937 her mother married Connelly D. Harmon and with her sister, Betty, moved to Scottsbluff, NE. She attended grade school up to the 8th grade when in 1949 they moved to O’Neill, NE. Phyllis was active in all school activities and it was there that she met her future husband, Don. She graduated with the class of 1952.

After high school she went to work for Consumer Public Power District for 3 years at which time Don was discharged from the Navy in 1954. In 1955 Don and Phyllis were married in O’Neill on February 20. To this union seven children were born. After they were married they moved to Norfolk, NE. They were only there a short time when they decided to move to Onawa, IA where their first son, Randy, was born and resided there for one and a half years. They moved to Scottsbluff, NE. and lived with her parents while working for her father until late 1956. They moved to Omaha, NE.  where their second son, Rick, was born in 1957. Don was a shoe salesman while living in Omaha. Due to a life threatening car accident to Don’s father, Loyd, the decision was made to move to Holdredge, NE to hold the job open for his dad. Then in the spring of 1958 Don took a job with Prangs Apparel store in Winner where they have resided ever since.

While living in Winner the five remaining children were born. During Phyllis’s years in Winner she enjoyed playing cards, shooting dice, golfing, bowling, gardening, putting together jigsaw puzzles, collecting Cornhusker memorabilia, and especially looked forward to watching all her children’s sporting events. She also looked forward to the annual Godel Reunion every summer. During her years Phyllis was employed as a secretary for the Extension Office for Ray Eihlers and Home Extension agent for Dorothy Benson. She was the High School secretary for Frank Oschner for five years then went to work for the ASCS office (now known as FSA). She worked there for 25 years retiring in 1994. In 1997 she went to work for the Winner Advocate and was employed there until her health required her to step away.

Robert John Putnam (Bob), a long time Bristol resident, passed away near his home in Mesa Arizona on March 12^th, 2015, at the age of 83.

Born October 29, 1931 on a farm south of Dallas, SD, the eldest son of Francis and Bertha (Determan) Putnam.  He attended Sunnyside Grade School, a one room school house south of Dallas.  While attending Gregory High School, Bob worked for the Gregory newspaper.  After graduating, Bob joined the Marines and was stationed in Japan.  Returning from the service, Bob started working for the Gregory Farmers’ Union driving the gas truck.  He was hired as the manager of the Bristol Farmers’ Union and to Bristol was where he brought his bride, Mary Jane Lang Putnam.  Mary Jane was “quite” surprised when Bob informed her he had traded their house in town for a farm west of Bristol.  With five little children at this point, Bob decided they needed room to run.  The farm, the Farmers’ Union, and their family continued to grow.

Bob was an active member of the Bristol ST. Anthony’s Parish, and served as a board member.  He volunteered as Bristol Fire Chief and was also President of the Bristol School Board.  He loved sports, serving as a little league baseball coach.  He enjoyed watching his children play sports and perform.

At the age of 53, Bob and Mary Jane moved to California, where Bob began a new career in the Automotive business, working for his brother Joe.  He quickly became a manager, and continued in the automotive business until he retired.  Bob and Mary Jane moved to Mesa Arizona, where Bob soon became an avid golfer, often rising before dawn to play golf before the hot Arizona sun was too strong.