Category Archives: News

Bertha “Cricket” (Davis) Zweifel, 69

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Bertha “Cricket” (Davis) Zweifel, age 69, of Wall, South Dakota, died on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021 at her home near Wall.

Bertha “Cricket” Mae (Davis) Zweifel was born Oct. 2, 1952 in Valentine, Neb., to Hanson and Grace (Hayford) Davis.

Cricket grew up in Millboro, SD. She attended New Huggins school in Millboro, SD. She left school in her early years to help her family after her mother passed away at a young age. Cricket lived various places throughout her life and later considered her home to be Rapid City, SD. She raised three children on her own as a single parent. Cricket worked at various jobs but primarily waitressed, worked for herself as a security guard, and later medically retired from her position at SCI Systems. Cricket worked hard all her life and she showed her children and everyone around her what hard work looks like.

Cricket received a special gift that provided her with second chance at life receiving a lung transplant in 2017. She was the toughest woman we knew – also beating Covid in 2020. You could never count her out as she always bounced back regardless of what was thrown her way. She loved drinking coffee with her Morningside Café friends, playing cards with family, western dancing, and singing karaoke. Cricket was incredibly fond of her pets, to include her beloved dog Matonka. The most special people in Cricket’s life were her grandkids and great-grandkids – probably more than her own children!

Survivors include a son Darrel (Rochelle) Davis; two daughters Jacqueline (Bill) Davis and Savannah (Jeff) Williamson; bonus daughter Donna Brave Boy; grandchildren: Nathan (Jen) Swallow, Stephon “Brian” Grimm, Tyann (Nathan) Sturdevant, Justin (Bri) MIller, Melissa Delker, Trevin Williamson, Kayja Murphy, Dante Murphy-Davis, Kaleb Murphy, William Housman, Kayla (Ryan) Fischer, Deanna Brave, Kira Left Hand Bull, Braidon Brave Boy, and Briana White Buffalo; great-grandchildren: Annastasia Delker, Hannah, Talan, and Trenton Sturdevant, Kai Murphy, Elizabeth Fischer, Kiyann and AJ Miller, Sidney and Evelyn Garcia, and Georgina McWhorter; sister Lue (Stan) Hanson; three brothers: Cecil (Carol) Davis, Charles (Susan) Davis, and James (Linda) Davis; and a host of well-loved nieces, nephews, cousins, and other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents Hanson and Grace Davis; sisters Helen (Norbert) Schutz and Berniece Gallatin; brother Duane Davis; granddaughter TishaMarie Sandberg and great-granddaughter Shelby Sturdevant.

Cards and memorials may be sent to P.O. Box 201 Wall, SD 57790.

Celebration of Life services were held at 3:30 pm Wednesday, Oct. 27, at Behrens-Wilson Funeral Home in Rapid City. A light meal was served following the service at the VFW 420 Main Street.

Arrangements are with Rush Funeral Home of Philip.

Buckmiller/Schwager Win the 2021 Iowa Blues Challenge

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Winner High School (1992) graduate Tom Buckmiller and Brian Schwager (West Des Moines, IA) recently were named winners of the 2021 Iowa Blues Challenge held at Lefty’s Live Music Venue in Des Moines, IA. 

The annual event was hosted by the Central Iowa Blues Society, an affiliate of the Blues Foundation. Acts in the competition performed for a panel of independent judges and were scored using the same criteria used by the International Blues Foundation. 

Buckmiller and Schwager will now compete in the International Blues Challenge held on the famed Beale Street in Memphis, TN on Jan. 18-22.  For more information on the duo, go to www.buckmillerschwager.com

Buckmiller currently lives in Waukee, IA and is a Professor of Leadership Studies at Drake University in Des Moines, IA.  

Opening Weekend Pheasant Hunting

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No one could have asked for better weather for the opening weekend of pheasant season.

This Saturday and Sunday in state and out of state hunters enjoyed the sun and the chance to shoot some birds.

Warm weather, clear blue skies and some strong cover after recent moisture helped to make the opening day spectacularly beautiful and great for hunting.

Hunters who ate breakfast Sunday at the Tripp  County 4-H Center were divided on the success of the opening day.

Many said it was great and they really appreciated the nice weather Tripp County dialed up for them.

There were some who said it was a difficult day. They love the outdoors but the birds were not easy to find.

That may be in part to the drought that killed off many chicks.

 A television story on KELO  talked about planes and pheasants in Winner.

Pheasant hunting season is a busy time at the airport.

“The majority is jets or turbo props,” said Tessa Howard of the airport traffic. She and her husband, Dave, have been the operators at the airport since 2014.

The Howards handle the airport operations including landing and department aircraft. They are also mechanics and can fix aircraft as needed.

“It can be challenging,” said Tessa. “It keeps you on your toes.”

Hunters fly all over the state but the area around Winner usually ranks fourth or fifth in pheasants harvested each season which makes it a consistently top place to hunt.

Tripp County had 3,598 nonresident pheasant hunters in 2020 according to the S.D. Department of Game, Fish and Parks. Those hunters harvested 32,361 pheasants.

Tripp County also had 989 resident hunters that harvested 11,294 birds in 2020.

Examples of those who benefit from pheasant hunting include landowners who may lease hunting land, hunting lodges, restaurants, motels and local businesses.

“Anytime hunting comes around there is an economic impact to the area,” said Chandra Phillips, city of Winner finance officer.

Wide open spaces, hospitality and friendly people keep these hunters coming back to this area year after year.

Eric Storms Benefit Bass Fishing Tournament

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Todd and Shane Stiehl won the Eric Storms benefit bass fishing tournament on Oct. 9.

On Oct. 9, 13 two person teams participated in a Benefit Bass Fishing tournament on the Missouri River out of Springfield.

The tournament was setup to help defray medical costs for Eric Storms of Chamberlain, formerly of Winner. Storms had to undergo organ transplants in the recent past. Participants came from South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

Todd and Shane Stiehl won the tournament.

Winner to face Clark/Willow Lake in playoffs

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Winner football team will play Clark/Willow Lake in the first round of the football playoffs on Thursday, Oct. 21 in Winner. The game will start at 7 p.m.

Winner enters the game undefeated with an 8-0 record this season. The Warriors are the No. 1 seed in Class 11B.

Winner football coach Trent Olson says Clark/Willow Lake is a battle tested team.  They have beaten the No. 4 and No. 6 teams in Class 11B this season. “They create a lot of big plays on offense. They run a lot of perimeter plays and misdirection plays. They love to throw the ball down the field looking for the home run,” said Olson. “Defensively, they are super aggressive up front. We will have to prevent penetration,” said Olson.

Hometown Hero at the Cherry Hills Estates

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Glen Huddle of Valentine, Neb., was named the Hometown Hero at the Cherry Hills Estates assisted living during the annual football supper and pep rally. Huddle is pictured with his wife, family and grandkids.

Cherry Hills Estates Assisted Living, Valentine, NE and Modern Woodmen of America honored this year’s Hometown Hero, Glen Huddle, at the annual Football Supper and Pep Rally held at Cherry Hills.   

Glen graduated from Winner High School in 1946.  During his high school career, he competed in football as a guard and in track on a very successful relay team.  The highlight of his sports career was boxing in Norfolk in a Golden Gloves match in which he qualified to box in Omaha at the Golden Gloves Championship competition. 

In January of 1951 he enlisted in the Air Force.  Initially he completed his basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.  Because of his high school resume which stated he had completed two years of typing he was recruited to take a 6-week clerk/typist training at Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, WY. 

In 1952 Glen and Darlene were married in the Base Chapel and started their family. 

  Glen remained at Warren Air Base for the duration of his military career.  His duties included the Morning Report and keeping accurate service records for each service member.  Glen retired as Staff Sergeant in early 1955.

Glen, Darlene and their two little girls moved to the Huddle Ranch and raised a commercial herd of Angus cattle until their retirement.  Their son Randy and grandson Chris now manage the ranch.  Some of Glen’s best memories were during his involvement with the 4-H Club and the local Teener Baseball team. 

Glen was a 4-H Club leader as well as a beef and horse project leader for several years.  The Sunday trail rides and picnics were his favorite memories.

As a Teener baseball Coach Glen recalls hiring the pitcher to come work at the ranch for a couple of summers.  While coaching the team, Glen had an integral part in fundraising to build a very nice lighted ball field in Clearfield.  It was during this time that at least twice a week everyone got to leave the hayfield early to make the trip to Clearfield to play baseball.  The team had many wins and were fortunate enough to even make it to the state championship.  

Glen and Darlene have been married for 69 years.  They are proud of their two daughters Glenda and Jane and their son Randy.  They have been blessed with 8 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.  Following the Hometown Hero presentation and Pep Rally, the team and cheer squad enjoyed a spaghetti dinner on the Cherry Hills Football Field.

Josephine Alice Klein, 89

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Josephine Alice Klein died Sept. 20,2021 in the Avera Rosebud Country Care Center. Jo, or gramma Jo as she was called by many, was from the Hidden Timber Area, SD, but with a Valentine, NE address.


Jo was born to Florence (MacDonald) and Herbert Gregg on February 18, 1932 in room C of the Carter Hotel being run by her grandparents. She grew up on a farm north of Carter and attended country school in Carter. There she learned to care for her younger brothers and elk wit chores and gardening. Jo attend and graduated high school in Winner.

After high school she worked as a telephone operator. Jo’s high school friend Gladys introduced Jo to her brother Lawrence Klein. Jo and Lawrence were married on May 25, 1951. Lawrence finished his term in the army in 1952 and they moved home to work with his family in the Hidden Timber area. They had four sons: Randolph, Rory, Roderick, and Rockwell.


She was always up for an adventure and when Lawrence said “Let’s go” she could pack up four kids and be ready to go at the drop of a hat. It might be deer hunting in the Hills or rock hunting in western SD.


In the mid 60s she started a career as secretary/receptionist in the Todd County School District. Duties included starting a library at the South Elementary. She worked with many who became long time friends.


She was a typical school mom and helped with many school functions, grade school parties and proms.


She was an active member of the United Methodist Church teaching Sunday School and vacation bible school.


She was always helping others and took in the neighbor kid while his mother finished her teaching degree. Later on she took in a high school gal who had a baby when her family chose to ignore her. Set up a bed in the corner of the living room for mother and baby.


She always had a listening ear, and withholding judgement, would condole the heaviest heart.


She loved things with dinosaurs and windmills.


As her sons got married, she got the daughters she never had. She said she didn’t know what to do with girls. She soon learned. She also got grandchildren who she had special bonds with them all.


Jo was preceded to heaven by her husband Lawrence, her parents, Lawrence’s parents George and Coral Klein, her brother Jim and his wife Marion; brother-in-laws Raymond Anderson and Francis Kramer; sister-in-law Loyce Gregg; sisters-in-law and husbands; Eleanor and Bill Chauncey, Clarice and LeRoy Chauncey.


Jo is survive by her hour sons Randy (Vicki), Rory (Kathy), Roderick (Peggy), and Rocky (Yvonne); her brothers John (Jeanne) Gregg and Dennis (Kay) Gregg; sister-in-law Gladys Kramer, 11 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, and numerous nephews, nieces and their families.


Jo wanted it said: She lived, she laughed, she loved, she died!

Stan Roubideaux, 26

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Stan Roubideaux, 26, of Winner, SD passed away on Monday, Oct. 11, 2021 at the Winner Regional Healthcare Facility. 

Funeral service will be held on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021 at 1 p.m. at the Winner/Ideal Community Hall in Winner, SD.  Burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery. 

Wake service was held on Tuesday and Wednesday Oct. 19, and 20 at 7 p.m.  at the Winner/Ideal Community Hall.

Stan Robert Roubideaux started his journey to the Spirit World on Oct. 11, 2021.

Stan was born on Oct. 28, 1994 to Cathy Small and Eric Roubideaux.  The oldest of all his siblings and Cathy’s only son.  He was his mom’s and sister’s protector, he would go to war with anyone who came their way.

You could always find Stan at the city park basketball courts, playing ball with his cousins and friends until dark.  Sometimes the would even play with only the street lights on.  Stan often worked at a bee farm or odd jobs here and there.

In 2013 Stan became a father to a baby girl Ava Jane, whom he got to name.  Ava was his everything.  In 2018 Stan was blessed with twin boys Issac and Elliot, he was so happy to have boys of his own!  Lastly he had one more baby girl in 2020 Kamryn, he loved all his children.

Stan is preceded in death by his very close aunt Crystal Peneaux and his grandparents Veryl and Elsie (Fast Horse) Peneaux.

Stan will be greatly missed

Lois Duffy, 93

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Lois Duffy, 93, of Rapid City, formerly of Winner, SD passed away on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021 at the Monument Healthcare Facility in Rapid City, SD.

  Funeral service will be held on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at the Winner United Methodist Church.  Burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery.  A visitation will be held one hour prior to funeral service.

Lois Duffy passed on to her eternal home on Oct. 16, 2021 in Rapid City, SD at the age of 93. She cheerfully and optimistically fought a long battle with cancer always believing in God’s healing power.

Lois Marie Leat was born on Sept. 22, 1928 to Freda (Schelske) and Clarence Leslie (Ted) Leat. She was born at home on the Savage ranch near Hamill, SD where her father was employed.

While an infant her family moved to Winner, SD. She attended school in Winner graduating from Winner High School. In the fall of 1948 she moved to Redding, CA working as a Bell Telephone switchboard operator. She was transferred to Lake Tahoe for a summer which became a very memorable time in her life. She returned to Winner in the fall of 1951 where she continued working for the telephone company.

In 1952 she met Jr. Duffy and they were married Aug. 26. They initially resided in Winner moving to Clearfield after the birth of their first child. They had 5 children, Terry, Susan, Patrick, Rollie and Thomas.  They moved back to Winner in the fall of 1964 where they remained until Jr.’s death in 2013. Lois moved to Rapid City to live with her daughter in 2015 where she remained until her death.

Lois got her love of gardening from her parents and had large flower gardens that were enjoyed and admired by all her neighbors .She and Jr. both enjoyed sharing vegetables from their garden with family and friends. She often had a jigsaw puzzle going on her table. She loved a good tart lemon pie and was well known for her pies, cinnamon rolls and chicken noodles. Visits with family and friends were most important and nothing made her day more than a call from an old friend or one of the grandkids.

She looked forward to her weekly bible study and prayer meetings and up until her last few years was active in the Methodist church. She had a deep and unwavering faith in God and her common refrain was always “God takes good care of me.” And he did to the very end.

Lois was preceded in death by her husband, son Rollie, her parents, two brothers, Merlin and James and three sisters, Sandra, Nancy Olsen and Aileen Hopkins.

She is survived by her siblings Donald (Shirley) Leat of Sioux Falls and Patsy (Chuck) Fyler of Rapid City: her children Terry (Greg) Bennick of Gillette, WY, Susan Duffy of Rapid City, Patrick (MyraLee) Duffy of Moorcroft, WY and Thomas (Annette) Duffy of Hill City; six grandchildren, Josh (Karrissa) Bennick of Vancouver, B.C., Joseph (Rebekah) Bennick of Casper, WY, Paul (Kristi) Bennick of Buffalo, WY, Miranda (Sean) Schelske of Rozet, WY, Megan (Joe) Rosenau of Gillette, WY and Miles (Sharlet) Duffy of Torrington, WY.; and 10 great-grandchildren.

She is also survived by sisters-in-law Mary Alice Short, Donna Rae Duffy, Maxine Duffy and Delores Duffy, five step-grandchildren, James (Brooke), Jeff, John (Renae) and Joe (Darcy) Fleming and Maggie Kuehler, and 11 step great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.