Category Archives: Obituaries

Public graveside services for Dr. Julie A. Williams, 61, of Chamberlain, SD will be 1:30 pm Friday, April 3, 2020 at the Riverview Cemetery at Chamberlain, SD.

In lieu of flowers a memorial scholarship will be established in Julie’s name for student’s pursuing a degree in veterinary sciences.

Julie Ann Williams was born May 13, 1958 in Winner to Ruth (Thiede) and James Williams. She attended Riverside #32 Country School and later attended Winner High School in Winner where she graduated with honors in 1976.

After high school she attended Kansas State University for her undergraduate degree and then to Iowa State University for her Veterinary Degree graduating in 1982.

She moved to Chamberlain and began working with Dr. Dorwart at Chamberlain Veterinary Supply.

In 1983, Julie opened her own clinic, Mid River Veterinary, which she operated until 2012.

At a young age, Julie had a horse named Sugar and a cat Maxine which was probably the start of her love of animals.

On June 14, 1986, Julie was united in marriage to Larry Wagner at Pukwana, SD.

Around 1990, Julie initiated and was instrumental in establishing the BBL (Brule Buffalo Lyman County) Bootstraps. She was a member with the South Dakota Grassland Coalition helping with the management of grasslands and many of their other activities.

Julie was on the South Dakota Animal Industry Board for 30 years and a member of the Prime Cowbelles.

Julie enjoyed horses going on horseback rides and adventures on pack rides into the mountains.

Some of her hobbies included singing, cooking, and sewing.

Julie passed away on March 27, 2020 at the Platte Care Center in Platte, SD at the age of 61 years.

Gratefully sharing her life are her husband Larry Wagner of Chamberlain; her mother Ruth Williams of White Lake, SD; and her brother Gary Williams and wife Ya of Toney, AL; and aunt and cousins.

Preceding her in death was her father James Williams.

Sonny Boyd, 84, passed away on March 5, 2020, at his residence in Gilbert, Ariz., under the care of Hospice of the Valley and surrounded by his loving family.

Rosary and Celebration of Life Services were held at Horizon Funeral Care.

He was born on June 6, 1935, to Lloyd C and Adell (Bossingham) Boyd in Rosebud, South Dakota. He graduated from Mission High School in 1953 and from Huron College in 1957.

He married Winnifred (Yoyo) Cournoyer in 1952, and he married Shirley Frank Studenberg in 1968.

After college, Sonny taught high school and coached basketball at Marty Mission. He worked as a social worker for the State of South Dakota before moving to the Bureau of Indian Affairs Social Services Division in New Mexico.

He came back to South Dakota and served as assistant CAP director and education specialist for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and then as executive director of the Rosebud Housing Authority.

He also operated his ranch, Lazy SL, and a car dealership before locating in Rapid City and forming his own construction company, Thunderbolt Enterprises; he built houses on the Rosebud, Pine Ridge, and Eagle Butte Reservations.

In later years he thoroughly enjoyed being a substitute teacher for both the McLaughlin and Smee School Districts on the Standing Rock Reservation.

In 2010 he retired and moved to Gilbert, Ariz.

Sonny is survived by his wife, Shirley; children, Wayne (Kathy), Donnie (Alicia), Barb, Debbie (Clayton) Sully, and Kris (Kevin) Edwards; brothers Dick (Mary) and Bob (Barb); sisters Marie Waln, Carmen (Ed) Driving Hawk, and Donna Richards; his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews and their families.

He was preceded in death by an infant son Charles, sons David and John; grandsons Darrin and Travis; brother Ed; infant sister Theresa; and his parents Lloyd and Adell Boyd.

Sonny was a great story-teller, a loving husband, and an advice-giving father and grandfather. He will be greatly missed.

Avis Maureen (Olson) Clark of Lewisville, TX, passed away unexpectedly on March 17, 2020, at the age of 63. Avis was born June 2, 1956, in Winner, South Dakota.

Avis graduated from Winner High School, Winner, South Dakota, in 1974.

After graduating from Huron College, Huron, South Dakota, Avis devoted her career to being an advocate for abused children through Child Protective Services.

Her favorite place to visit was the Olson farm in Ideal, South Dakota, spending time with her brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and family friends.

She was always ready for a bonfire and a game of Black Wolf.

Avis is survived by her husband of 40 years, Perry Clark, her beautiful daughter, Kelsi (Cole) Moore, and grandson Jack, as well as brothers and sisters, Dorothy, George, Suzie, Sandy, Carol, Scott, Margie, and Heather, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by sisters Aggie and Mary, brother Duane, nephew Brad, and her parents Pete and Ruth Olson.

A family memorial service will be held at the family farm in Ideal, South Dakota, at a later date.

Brittney Hansen age 24 of Winner SD passed away peacefully with her parents by her side on Saturday March 7 2020 at her home in Winner, SD after a long battle with cancer.

Memorial service was held on Monday, March 16, 2020 at 10:30 am at the United Methodist Church in Winner, SD.

Burial will follow at a later date. 

Brittney Ann Hansen was born to Mike and Dawn (Horan) Hansen June 15 1995.  She joined 2 brothers at home who would forever be her protectors. 

She grew up on a farm west of Winner, attended school in Winner graduating with honors in 2014, then graduating from MTI in 2016 while fighting stage 4 colon cancer.

Brittney always had a love for the farm and she spent a lot of time with her dad and Grandpa Bob.  It was the start of her love for everything Ag. In high school she got a job working at All in One Shop for Frank and Lori Weaver. 

What started to be some yard work quickly evolved into working on trucks and this girl could work circles around most. She would come home covered in grease but loved every minute of it.

She also worked for Rick at the Pix Theater,(Rick always said she made popcorn almost as good as he did) 

In the summer of 2017 she did her internship at Grossenburg Implement in Philip SD. Bill Manke took her under his wings and taught her so much.

She also enjoyed working with all the employees there paying extra special attention to Bill Kelly seeing who could out prank the other, and Bobbi always new she was up to something by the look on her face.

She was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016 but still managed to graduate college. She wore many hats in her 24 years, she was a farm girl, a student, a theater employee, and even a bartender.

She had a personality that made everyone feel special and she could master almost everything she tried.

Her first job after college was at the Farmer Rancher Co-op in Ainsworth NE as a sales agronomist, the drive got to be too much so from there she worked at the Country Pride Co-op in Winner where she made some lifelong friends.

And then CHS opened in Winner she was offered a job there.  The cancer became more of a factor in her everyday life and she had to quit working and take care of herself.

She had a love for so many things, farm life, golfing hunting fishing reading and friends and family.  With family being the most important.

She leaves behind her parents and brothers Jason of Billings,  Mont.;  Joshua of Pierre SD and her fur baby SJ, Uncle Mark Horan (Cathy) of Mitchell, SD and their daughter Aubree(Jason) of Owatonna, MN  Jeff(Jeri) of Rapid City SD Karren(Dylan) of Ree Heights, SD Brad(Denetta) Horan of Rapid City SD  and grandmother Beverly Hansen of AZ. 

Brittney was preceded in death by her grandmother Delores Hansen that she never met and grandfather Robert Hansen and grandparents Jack and MaryAnn Horan.

Bonnie Eldridge, 85, of Winner, SD passed away on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 at the Winner Regional Health Care Center in Winner, SD.

Funeral services were  held on Saturday, March 14, 2020 at 2 p.m. at the Mason Funeral Home in Winner, SD. Burial followed in the Winner City Cemetery. 

Bonnie L. Sedlacek was born on June 27, 1934 in Winner, SD to Louie Sedlacek and Maude Johnson. Her childhood was spent on a farm site near Hidden Timber and the present site of Assman Implement.

Bonnie was the youngest of three children her brother Joe (Lucille), sister Lenora (Herb) Debuhr were older than she was.

As a child she sought out the company of the family pets to run and play with; which fostered a love of animals, especially cats, that lasted all of her life.

The family moved to Winner when Bonnie was about thirteen years old.

Bonnie met her future husband at her brother-in-law’s motorcycle shop. Bud Eldridge and Bonnie were married on Nov. 5, 1950.

Bud and Bonnie spent the first couple of years on Bud’s family homesite on Bull Creek; they then purchased a farm site about 12 miles east of Winner where they raised crops, chickens, and children; the three C’s of farming.

The children Jeannie, Brad, Ellen, and Laurie ran and played and weeded in mom’s garden until 1966 when they family moved to Winner.

Bud continued farming with his son in law Allen and grandson Travis the rest of his life. Bonnie had a position as a butcher assistant at the Westside Market until the store sold out.

At which time, she went to work at the nursing home in 1970 for Pete and Judy Gregor, first as an overnight CNA and later as a cook.

In about 1978, Dr. Greg Hermson sought out Bonnie to work at his dental practice as his main chairside assistant and later she took over as office manager until her retirement in 1996.

Between the years of 1969 and 2020: Jeannie got married to Richard Brickman and had two sons Michael (Cora) and James (Joan). Brad joined the National Guards and had a son Lonnie.

Ellen married Allen Schwandt and had a son Travis (Carissa), Laurie (Cam) had two children Brandi (Mike) and Logan.

Bonnie became and unofficial “mom” to her only granddaughter Brandie (Mike) Johnson.

Bonnie has numerous great grandchildren and great great grandchildren; Kaitlyn (Zack), Moya, Keely (Chris), Brianna (Quinten), Barrett, Sienna, Taylor (Kayla), Steffan (Destiny), Charyzma (Tyler), Kristen, Dustin, William, Natalia, Paisley, Bayn, Brent, Emma, as well as many nieces and nephews.

During these years, mom not only loved her expanding family but also her many changing and evolving flowerbeds which were the highlight of her springs and summers while they were in bloom.

In the fall she always had to add some little new thing to the bed to delight her the next year.

We her daughter’s will tend to and love her family and flowers so she can delight in them for years to come as she looks in from her next place.

Esther Assman, 98, of Winner, SD passed away on Sunday, March 8, 2020 surrounded by family at the Winner Regional Healthcare Facility in Winner, SD. 
Mass of Christian Burial was held on Saturday, March 14, 2020 at 10 am at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Winner.

Burial  followed in the Winner City Cemetery. 

Esther Assman was an amazing, beautiful, classy, quick witted, well educated, well read, lady that was passionate about current events, politics, her Catholic faith, and her family.

Although an amazing 98 year life is difficult to summarize in a few short paragraphs, she lived a century by being born in the roaring twenties, becoming very frugal because of the dirty thirties, doing what she could for the war effort in the forties, being a very busy wife and mother in the fifties, seeing a man land on the moon in the sixties,  surviving raising teenagers with hot cars in the seventies, overcoming the financial farm crisis of the eighties, seeing the country decline in the nineties and two-thousands, and now making America great again in 2020.

With a heavy heart, we have lost another member of the greatest generation.

On a cold winter solstice in 1921 (Dec, 21), Esther Elizabeth Einsphar was born in a sod house in Brewster NE to Fredrick and Hulda Blumenthal Einsphar.

She was the 5th child in a family of eight.  Early in her childhood, the family moved north to the Rosebud Indian Reservation after her father had read an ad about a tractor that was donated to the reservation from the government and an opportunity to farm.

The family moved south east of Mission on the Antelope creek and built another sod house where the kids would walk to school at the Lone Hill School.

Esther was always sickly as a child and her parents did not expect her to live. She was eight years old before she was well enough to go to school and was in the same grade as her younger sister Elsie.

She later went to high school in Mission and shortly after, WWII began.

Esther and her sister Elsie headed west to Washington State to help in the war effort working in a ship yard on Bainbridge Island off the coast of Seattle. 

Esther also attended the University of Washington in Seattle while she was there.  Several years later, she had the opportunity to travel to New York City for a summer with a lifelong friend.

On the way back to Washington, she decided to stop in South Dakota to visit family.

At that point, she decided the plains of South Dakota were home, never returning to Washington.

Shortly after her return to South Dakota, Esther went to work at the Todd County Conservation District.  A young handsome rancher by the name of Joe Assman came to the office and he would later get enough courage to ask her out on a date.

They were later united in marriage on Oct. 18, 1947, at St. Thomas Catholic Church, Mission, SD.

To this union of marriage 10 children were born, losing two infant daughters at birth and a son, Gordon, to a farm accident in 1965.

Esther was a lifelong learner and she never sat idle with all of the interests and hobbies she had.   Later in life she studied and passed her South Dakota real estate license and worked for Delores and Otto Littau.

She also worked at Jeanne’s Interiors in Winner, SD which was a good fit for her love of interior design.

Other hobbies included upholstering and refinishing antique furniture, collecting antique bottles, rock hunting, and she was also famous for restoring antique steamer trunks and she gave one to each child and each grandchild.

She kept meticulous scrap books for each child up through there adulthood.

She loved to play cards, dance, golf, and was always up for an adventure which could include a trip to Las Vegas or just a trip to Wood or Carter.

Due to declining health, Joe and Esther moved to Winner, SD when Joe entered the long term living center with colon cancer and Esther moved into the Golden Prairie Manor in 2014.

Both of them made the best of the situation they were in.  She was very appreciative of any visitor, no matter how short the visit was, it meant the world to her and was very grateful.

She was very grateful her 70 year old baby, (Greg), would visit every morning and her 60 year old baby, (Mary Beth), would visit every evening, making her days more bearable.

Esther was a very kind hearted, accepting, forgiving, and generous person, with a good soul that lived through her faith.

Grateful for sharing her life, she is survived by seven children, Greg (Cindy), Chris (Cathy), Ed, Brad (Debra), Dave (Diana), Mike (Darla), Mary Beth (Chris Lovejoy), 18 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren.

Proceded in death by her parents Fred and Hulda Einspahr, siblings Everett, Otto, Lyle, Pearl, Elsie, Ray, and Kenneth, husband Joe, infant daughters Kimberly and Jean, and son Gordon.

Funeral services for John “Jack” Broome will be held March 21 at 10 a.m. at the Gregory Auditorium with Fr. Jonathan Dillon officiating.

Burial will be in Graceland Cemetery in Burke.John “Jack” Robert Broome, affectionately known by many as “Oar” was born Feb. 13, 1946 to Walter and Marie (McMullen) and passed away at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls surrounded by his loving family on March 11, 2020 at the age of 74.

Jack attended Burke School.  He was active in football, basketball, and track, graduating in 1964 with many awards for his athletic abilities. 

Jack met the love of his life Marcia Seeley when he was a freshman in high school, and they continued to date throughout their school years. 

Upon graduating from Burke High School, Jack went on to the University of South Dakota and played football for the Coyotes while getting his BA in history education. 

During fall camp 1965, his coaches let him go home and get married.  Jack graduated from USD with his BA and continued his education during the years following to complete a master’s in educational administration and later his superintendent endorsement. 

Jack accepted his first teaching and coaching position at Burke School in 1969 and continued until 1976. 

He then accepted a teaching/coaching position at West Sioux School in Hawarden, Iowa from 1976-1979.  Jack then accepted a principal position at Anthon/Oto School in Anthon, Iowa from 1979-1981.

In 1981, his dream to come back home came true with him accepting a superintendent position at Burke School until 2006.  He then accepted a joint superintendent position for both Burke and Bonesteel schools.

This position lasted until July of 2009, when he retired.

In his retirement, he filled in as superintendent for Ethan & Platte school districts. 

While still teaching, Jack began his weekly article “From the North End”.  Every week Jack wrote of the many things he loved such as Gregory County history or things happening in Burke, his family, or his “school children’s” accolades.

He loved his “school children” like his own, in fact, when one of them lost their father followed by his mother suffering a stroke, Jack didn’t blink an eye and offered Wylie a new home (and a Dad) for his senior year of high school.

Everyone that met Jack became a lifelong friend who would forever be received with a smile, a slap on the back, or one of his famous bear hugs.

Following retirement Jack loved spending time with Marcia, fishing and creating memories every summer at their cabin in the Black Hills.  Jack and Marcia have three sons Pat, Wade, and Ryan; and Jack loved spending time with his boys.

They loved to fish, hunt, and go on Notre Dame football trips together.  Jack was so proud of all three of them.  In later years, he also loved spending time with his three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Jack also truly loved spending his spare time with his close fishing and hunting buddies.

Jack was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church.  In addition, Jack served on many boards throughout the State as well as serving many local community organizations.

Jack truly loved his hometown and would never hesitate to step up and offer his time to assist wherever needed.  He was a true historian when it came to South Dakota and especially loved the history of Gregory County.

Our lives have forever been changed by Jack’s love and contributions to his family, friends, and communities.

Jack is survived by his wife Marcia of 54 years; his sons: Pat (Tanya), Wade (Wendy), and Ryan; his grandchildren: Lindsey, John (Kelsey), and Jay; his great-grandchildren: Michael, Jaxson, and Lincoln; his sister Mary Ann (Terry) Klug; his brothers: Joe (Sharon) and Jim; his brothers-in-law: Greg (Mary Lynn) Seeley and David (Deb) Horst and his sister-in-law Mary Jane Green.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Marie.  Stepfather Howard Frey, sisters Kathy & Theresa, sister-in-law Linda, brothers-in-law Tom and Gene.

Larry Hanson, 80, of Fulton died, Friday, March 13, 2020 at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital in Mitchell.

Funeral services were at  10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 18, at Faith Missionary Church in Mitchell.  Burial was in Graceland Cemetery in Fulton, SD.

Larry Roger Hanson was born Sept. 3, 1939 in Tripp County to Ernest and Flora (Newland) Hanson.

Just out of high school he joined the National Guard, until he was called up on active duty for the Army.

In 1960, Larry married the love of his life. He knew he was going to marry her before they even started dating.

Larry was a rancher/farmer for many years until he felt the Lord wanted him to move to Fulton, and put his kids in Bible School.

He was a pastor at Shadley Valley and then Fulton, SD for a total of 25 years of preaching.

Larry called going to McDonalds with the guys his therapy. He loved visiting and telling jokes, and always looked forward to it.

In his later years his hobby was working on his acreage with his horses, driving his tractors, working with wood projects, etc.

He cherished his children and grandchildren, and enjoyed giving his grandchildren nicknames.

Larry is survived by his wife, Connie; children, Leslie (Annettee) Hanson, Darla (Bud) Vlieger, Stacy Hanson, Lynette (Tom) Schulz; honorary children, Micheal and Yvette Novak family; grandchildren, Jacob Hanson, Kayla Bird, Trevor Vlieger, Katelynn, Victoria, Mira, Clay Shulz; great grandchildren, Lily, Todd, Skyla; and siblings, Jane (Bill) Roby, Stanley (Lue) Hanson, Mildred (Denny) Weber, and John Hanson.

He is preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Richard and Rodney; and grandchildren, Leslie Todd Jr. and Samuel.

Funeral services for Violet Raschke age 95 of Gregory, SD will be held on Saturday, March 14, at 10:30 am at St John Lutheran Church in Gregory, SD. Burial will follow in the IOOF Cemetery. There is a prayer service Friday night at 7 p.m. at the church.