Category Archives: Obituaries

Amelia Pusl, 107, passed away on July 31, 2022 in Omaha, NE.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, Aug. 22, 2022 at 10 a.m.  at the Winner United Methodist Church in Winner, SD. Burial will follow in the Colome City Cemetery in Colome, SD with a lunch to follow back at the Winner United Methodist Church basement. Visitation will be held on Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022 from 5-6:30 p.m. with a 6:30 p.m. prayer service at the Winner United Methodist Church.

Amelia C. Pusl, always known as Pat or Patsy, was the oldest child of George and Alvina Manthey.

She was raised as a child of pioneers who were among the first homesteaders to acquire land in 1912 in the newly opened Rosebud Reservation in Tripp County, South Dakota. Their new town, Colome, six miles away, was at the end of the newly constructed Chicago and Northwestern Railroad line.

There were no roads, only trails or other community improvements. Her parents, together with other new families, helped establish roads, build a school, church, and a telephone system along with other improvements needed to establish a community.

She attended Colome’s new country school, (Liberty School District No. 25), then in 1932 graduated from Colome’s newly established high school. Following that she spent a year with an uncle and aunt in Altamont, Kansas while attending a vocational school. Then the Depression years came, and she was unable to find immediate employment. When she did, her first job was at the Tripp County Courthouse as one of the clerks of President Roosevelt’s National highway building programs. She made $12.00 a week.

In 1935 Pat and Frank Pusl were married in Winner, SD. Shortly afterward they moved to the Rosebud Indian Agency in South Dakota where Frank opened a barber shop, and they established a home. Pat found a job as Clerk of the Todd County Selective Service Board. They lived in Rosebud until the first month of WWII when Frank enlisted in the Coast Guard and was stationed in St. Louis, MO. While living in St Louis, she became an employee of the Corps of Engineers involved in inspection and shipping of war supplies.

After the war ended, they made their home in Omaha, NE where their daughter Beth was born. A few years later, she gained employment once again with the Corps of Engineers. She worked for the district office, retiring in 1976 after 29 years. Retirement provided time to better enjoy her beloved family. She always felt having them close by was a special blessing.

Pat was a member of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE), American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), and RODEO (an association of Corps of Engineers retirees). For ten years she served on the Board of Habitat for Humanity.

She enjoyed several things including traveling with family or bus groups, collecting rocks, fossils, and family ‘treasures’ entrusted to her and now a welcome source of information for the younger members of her family. She refinished all the woodwork, removed wallpaper, and painted the walls in their home numerous times over the years. This was a source of considerable pride to her. She corresponded with quite a few people including some from her country school years and remained close to her South Dakota land and roots. Gardening, yard work and maintaining quite a few varieties of plants both inside and out were a special source of fun to her throughout the years. She always had a beautifully groomed yard! She enjoyed listening to music and entertaining guests, both family and friends throughout the years, yet always set aside time for sewing, knitting, crocheting, reading, a bit of volunteering and devoting time to her beloved church.

Pat was preceded in death by her husband Frank Pusl, parents George and Alvina Manthey, her brothers, and sisters-in-law Jack (Donna) and Mike (Vivian) Manthey, and son-in-law Jerry Schueler Sr.

She leaves behind those loved ones who were part of her life: Daughter Beth Schueler, granddaughter Dawn (Keith) Nelson, grandsons Skip (Sarah) Schueler and Jay (Meggie Bravo) Schueler, great-grandchildren Heather (Zach) Gerch, Derick Nelson, and Jilliann Schueler, and great-great-grandchildren Amelia and Maddux Gerch, along with nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

She will be laid to rest in her hometown of Colome, SD, Aug. 22, 2022.

Our loved one asked to be remembered by contributing to your favorite charity in lieu of flowers.

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, 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, 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.

Richard (Cody) Lloyd McKenzie, 45, longtime resident of Winner, SD, passed away on Saturday, July 23, 2022 at the Avera Gregory Hospital in Gregory, SD.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 10 a.m. at the Winner United Methodist Church in Winner, SD. Burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery in Winner. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at the Winner United Methodist Church from 6-7 p.m. with a prayer service beginning at 7 p.m.

Cody was born on June 20, 1977 in Winner, SD to Richard (Dick) and Vicky (Debus) McKenzie. Cody was the second oldest of four children. Terri, Cody, Wade, and Dusty.

He attended school in Winner where he graduated in 1995. Cody was involved in wrestling and baseball. In 1996, he met his wife LaCosta (Koth) and in 1998 they got married and in union three children were born; Haley, Natalie, and Carter. In 2000, Cody started working at Harry K Ford where he worked right next to his dad. He was constantly talking about how Dick would never get any work done with all the old tools he had and how they were constantly arguing about which radio station they were going to listen to.

Anyone who knew Cody, knew that he loved to have a good time. In his toolbox he had a box full of firecrackers and he was always shooting them across the shop. Along with loving to have a good time, Cody’s other favorite thing was helping people. He was always the first one to show up and was the last one to ask for help himself.

In 2001, Cody joined the Winner Fire Department and became one of the assistant chiefs in 2016 till 2021. He devoted a lot of his time doing maintenance on trucks, preparing for steak nights, and serving his community through firefighting. It truly was his home away from home.

Cody was a busy body. He was always hunting, fishing, bowling, golfing, cooking something, or simply just sitting around with his friend’s drinking beer. Cody has two grandkids, that were the light of his life. The happiness they brought to him was very obvious when he would talk about them. Baseball also played a very important role in his life. He loved spending his nights and weekends watching Carter do his thing on the field. When Cody got sick, there were many days he didn’t feel well but he never missed a game.

He is preceded in the death by his dad Richard (Dick) McKenzie, Kevin Debus, his grandparents Vern and Joyce Debus, Floyd and Ila McKenzie and his great uncle, Larry Debus.

He is survived by his wife LaCosta (Koth) McKenzie, his three children, Haley (McKenzie) Paulson, her husband Jordan Paulson, their two kids, Berklee and Madden Paulson; Natalie McKenzie; Carter McKenzie, his mother Vicky (Debus) McKenzie, his siblings, Terri (McKenzie) Tracy, her husband Darrel Tracy, their kids Tori (Tracy) Melius, Blake Tracy, and Destiney Tracy; Dusty McKenzie and his children Kayden and Slade McKenzie; Wade McKenzie and his children Riley, Phoenix, Payton, and Aria. As well as many extended families.

Funeral services for Margie Ann Klein were held July 25 at Clausen Funeral Home in Burke. Burial was in the Graceland Cemetery, Burke.

Margie Ann Klein was born Jan. 2, 1934 at Chamberlain, South Dakota to William and Erma (Girton) Mlady and she died July 19, 2022 at the Community Memorial Hospital in Burke, South Dakota at the age of 88 years.

She attended Eagle Center Grade School in Brule County, South Dakota, graduating from Chamberlain High School.

She married Norman Klein in August of 1951at Chamberlain, where they resided until 1954 when they moved to Corvallis, Oregon.  In 1958 they moved back to the family farm south of Burke, South Dakota.   Norman passed away in 2007 and Margie continued to live there until her passing.

Margie kept very busy raising her four children.  She milked cows and always had a large garden, from which she canned.  She also raised chickens, ducks and geese.  Then later in life, she also worked as a bookkeeper for the Rosebud Cheese Plant in Burke.  And also as an aide at the Gregory Nursing Home and The Burke Hospital.  She enjoyed many hobbies including her flower gardens, sewing, crocheting, knitting, tatting, making quilts, pictures painting, stained glass and puzzles.  She made crocheted blankets for each of her grandchildren with their favorite football emblem on them.  She was an excellent cook, you never left her table hungry.

She loved family gatherings with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and loved spoiling them all.

Margie was preceded in death by her husband, Norman; her son, Brad; her parents; her sister, Francis Schauss; sisters-in-law: Becky Mlady and Denise Mlady; and her brother-in-law, Shorty Schreiber.  

Margie is survived by her children: Doug (Joyce) Klein of Winner, SD; Deb (Pat) Walker of Chamberlain, SD: Kelly Klein of Rapid City, SD; her grandchildren: Cody Klein and fiancé Michaela, Dustin Klein, Casey Klein, Aaron Vomacka (Chrystal), Kary (Justin) King, Carleigh Klein and Bryce Klein; her great-grandchildren: McKenzi, Avaya and Chester Vomacka, Tyler Beutz, Quade and Brynlee King; her siblings: Norma (Jim) Kerr, Bill Mlady, Saundra Schreiber and Dennis Mlady.

Margie will be greatly missed by her family and friends and her furry pet “Miss Kitty”.

Gloria Rowe, 83, of Carter, SD passed away on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at her home surrounded by family. 

Funeral service will be held on Friday, July 29, 2022 at 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Winner, SD.  Burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery.  A visitation will be held on Thursday, July 28, 2022 at the First Baptist Church from 6-7 p.m. with a prayer service beginning at 7 p.m.

Gloria was born to the late Melvin Eugene Nelson Sr. and Vivian Jager Nelson, in Winner, SD on Dec. 11th, 1938.  Gloria was a homemaker while working alongside Keith on the family farm/ranch.

Gloria was blessed with a loving family.  She married her best friend and fellow classmate, Keith Larry Rowe on July 4, 1957.  To this union they had two sons, Mickey Larry and Douglas Lee.

Some of the best times for Gloria were “When we worked together as a family combining, meals in the field, and working with the cattle.”  Gloria said “working with the hogs-not so much!!!”  Gloria loved Christmas Eve with all her family.  Gloria enjoyed going to all of the activities that her kids, grandkids and great-grandkids were involved in.  She would say that one of her fondest memories were the wiener roasts outside the old house that her boys grew up in.  Gloria enjoyed flower appreciation with her family before breakfast every morning.

Gloria’s hobbies included golfing, traveling, her flowers, sewing and making buns.  She also loved being involved in her church, Wednesday morning church group, Treddle Trippers, Sisters and Survivors, and her coffee gatherings with her 1956 classmates.  Gloria was very strong in her faith.  As an adult Gloria was baptized in the Missouri River joining the Baptist Church in Winner.

Gloria is survived by her sons, Mick (Betty) Rowe and Doug (Bonita) Rowe; grandchildren Amber (Christian) Moody, Michelle (Judd) Alberty, Autumn (Mark) Tucker, Kip (Lea) Rowe, Ryan (Shaneyl) Rowe and great-grandchildren Gavin and Gage Tucker, Ashlynn McPhee, Sid and Max Rowe, Kane and Wren Rowe, Vivian and Lauren Alberty.  Brother Melvin Jr. (Donna) Nelson and sister-n-law Jeanne Rowe-Hansen and other family members.

Gloria is preceded in death by her loving husband Keith Rowe, parents Melvin Sr. and Vivian Nelson, in-laws Frank and Edith Rowe, brother-in-law Gay Rowe, sister-in-law Helen Zemina, and grandson Nathan McPhee.

Wade Nieman, age 62, of Pierre, South Dakota, died on Saturday, June 18, 2022 in Philip after a courageous battle with cancer.

Wade Allen Nieman was born May 18, 1960 to Leonard and Thelma (Evans) Nieman in Winner, South Dakota. The family lived in Winner, Murdo, and Pierre. Wade enjoyed buying and trading cars and hunting with his dad and brother Brett. Wade always had a dog or two or three.

Wade is survived by his mother Thelma Hardt of Philip; two sisters Deborah (Mark) Hiatt of Pierre and Valerie (Roger) Williams of Philip; brother Brett Nieman of Philip; nephews Dan (Melissa) Hiatt, Justin (Morgan) Nieman, Karson Nieman, Colter Nieman, and Kaden Nieman; nieces Erica Williams and Katie (Mike) Schultz; seven great-nieces and one great-nephew; good friends Vic Baker and Goldie Kelly; his dogs Bud and Morgan.

He was preceded in death by his father Leonard Nieman, niece Rebecca Hiatt, and great-niece Bethany Schultz.

Memorials may be sent to Val Williams P.O. Box 74 Philip, SD 57567.

Interment with his father Leonard will be held 9:30 a.m. CDT Saturday, July 30, 2022, at the Winner Cemetery in Winner.

Arrangements are with Rush Funeral Home of Philip.