Category Archives: News

Linc Wilson, age 63

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Linc Wilson, age 63, formerly of Winner,  passed away on Sept. 30, 2021. Linc loved his family and his cats. Family and friends called him the Lincster and /or Hopper. He loved to have fun with people and make everyone laugh.

Linc enjoyed hunting deer and pheasant it was something he did every year with his family. In recent years he started metal detecting and found some very interesting treasures like real silver dollars and helped a couple find an engagement ring they had lost at a park. Linc also enjoyed hiking all over Arizona. He collected Mickey Mouse memorabilia and was frequently seen wearing one of his many Mickey T-shirts.

Linc was a glazier and installed glass in high rise buildings, the heights didn’t bother him. He also contracted to put the banners up at Sun Devil Stadium for the Fiesta Bowl games and for the Super Bowl game. Before moving to Arizona Linc worked for the Burlington Northern Railroad. He grew up in Winner, South Dakota.

Linc is survived by his wife Margo, his sister Tracee Ford, her husband Greg their children, Shae, Layne, Reed, Teeyl, and Jais. His brother Shannon and wife Cindee. Linc adored his grand nieces and nephews Gunner, Bristol, Maive, Rhen, Ophelia, Tanner, Piper, Peyton and Ashton. He would have them laughing and screaming with delight within minutes. He was always a kid at heart.

Linc was a hobby artist and created some fun pieces using glass and wood. He made beautiful fairy houses for many of us. He also collected Native American pottery. His collection will be donated to local museums.

Donations to ASPCA and the Arizona Humane Society.

Linc was well loved and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Funeral service was held at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021 at 12 p.m.  Condolences may be expressed at www.whitneymurphyfuneralhome.com

A memorial service will be held in the spring in Winner, SD.

Don Vaughn, 89

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Donald Vaughn, 89, of Winner, SD passed away on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021 at the Edgewood Assisted Living in Mitchell, SD.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at the Mason Funeral Home in Winner, SD. Burial followed in the Winner City Cemetery.

Funeral services will be live-streamed through the Mason Funeral Home Facebook page.

Donald Lee Vaughn was born on Nov. 20, 1931, in Paxton, South Dakota where he was the first child of Dallas and Dorothy (Bennett) Vaughn. Don was blessed to grow up with his 11 siblings and attended rural schooling in Gregory County until the 8th grade.

He married Luella Ulmer on June 14, 1953. To this union, three sons were born; David Lee, Gary Dean, and Bradley Don.

Early in the marriage between Don and Lue, they lived south of Carlock, SD and worked for the Bill Steppat family. For a short time, they lived near Moser, SD and worked for Chet Weaver. Don and Lue moved to the banks of the Keya Paha River, where many great memories were made when the boys were younger. Don was working for Bob Brazena. Aftertime, they relocated to their place on Rahn Lake Road in 1969. On their farm, the couple continued farming, milking cows, raising sheep and chickens, until their retirement. One of Don’s greatest passions was to own, raise, and ride horses, which was a passion that he shared with the rest of his family.

When they decided it was time to move to town, Don and Lue purchased a town house in Winner, SD. The doors of their new home were always open for company, coffee and fresh banana bread were always hot and waiting. Don loved to have company, he could always be found visiting with friends and family. At the time of his passing Don and Lue were residents of the Edgewood Living Center in Mitchell, SD.

Don was always proud of his family, especially his grandkids and great grandkids. He was the first one to tell you what they were up to and how they were doing if you were willing to lend an ear to listen. Don was overjoyed to meet his great-great granddaughter, Wakely, and was proud to be a part of 5 generations of family.

Donald passed away peacefully on Oct. 2, 2021, in Mitchell, SD surrounded by his family. Preceding Donald into Heaven were his parents, Dallas and Dorothy, and his in-laws Albert and Hilda Ulmer, sisters Belle Ravelette & Lois Fode, & brothers Billy Vaughn, Merle Vaughn, & Leo Vaughn; and numerous brother and sister-in-laws.

Don leaves behind his loving wife Luella of 68 years, Sons; Dave (Bev), Gary (Debbie), Bradley (Jil), grandchildren Domini Turnquist (Blake Benedict), Melony (Cody) Bertram, Tommy (Dayris) Vaughn, Jordan (Krista) Walton; Sequoya (Dan) Rohrbach, Taylor (Jeremy Huber) Vaughn, Brady (Taylor Ann) Vaughn, Cooper Vaughn and Rahni Vaughn. Great grandchildren; Baleigh (Forrest) Cerv, Cohl (Dacey Kocer) Turnquist, Trevor Bertram, Wyatt Turnquist, Kenndal Turnquist, Brayden Malsam, Chandler Benedict, Kayln Rohrbach, Legend Benedict, Reagan Vaughn, Addison, Kayson and Teegan Walton, and Kinsley Vaughn. Great great granddaughter Wakely Cerv. Siblings; Derald (Jo), Lloyd (Sally), Jim (Judy), Jerry (Bev), Dennis (Cindy), Randy (Jean), and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Rest in those heavenly acres Grandpa Farmer. We love you.

Winner, Colome FFA members receive jackets

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Winner and Colome FFA members were presented with blue jackets.

Receiving jackets from Winner were Austin Blare, Sierra McCall and Emily Sachtjen.

Colome  recipients are Raylynn Dehning, Landi Krumpus and Emma Vandenbark.

This fall 319 South Dakota FFA members from 75 chapters received their jackets through the SD FFA Foundation Blue Jackets Bright Futures FFA program.

The jackets were sponsored by various individuals through the SD FFA Foundation.

Scarecrow contest to welcome hunters

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Pheasant hunting season is just around the corner and Winner Area Chamber of Commerce wants to give a proper welcome to all the hunters who come to the Winner area.

“We want to do a better job of welcoming hunters,” said Mike Scott, executive director of the Chamber.

He said the Chamber is trying to improve its visibility in welcoming hunters to the area.

One of the ways to do this is to host a scarecrow making contest.

The contest is open to all businesses, organizations or individuals. The scarecrow is to be made with a welcome hunter’s theme.

The deadline to enter the contest is Oct. 15. A picture of the scarecrow must be sent to the Chamber office by that date.

Applications can be obtained at the Chamber office or on line. Persons are asked to fill out the bottom portion of the application  and return it to the Chamber.

Scott says the displays can inside or outside. If they are inside, they should be somewhere that is visible to the customer.

There will be a first, second and third place winners. First place will receive $300 in Winner Cash with second place, $200 in Winner Cash and third place $100 in Winner Cash.

Another way the Chamber is welcoming hunters is with the purchase of “Welcome Hunters” banners that will be hung on Main Street. The colorful orange banners will be eye catching.

The Chamber has also purchased signs to be displayed at each  end of Winner and at the airport.

The Chamber is asking businesses to wear orange shirt or Hunt SD t shirts on the first three Fridays of pheasant hunting season.  

Pheasant hunting season starts on Oct. 16.

On Oct. 15, the Chamber is asking that businesses that dress in orange to take a picture and send it to the Chamber e mail.

The Chamber has the special Hunt SD t shirts available to buy. They are designed for both Winner and Colome.

The Chamber is asking that businesses who dress in orange to take a picture and e mail it to the chamber at thechamber@gwtc.net

The business will be entered for a special drawing.

“We want to make sure we welcome hunters to town with our western hospitality,” said Scott.

Class of 1970

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Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
The Class of 1970 held their class reunion during Winner’s homecoming. Due to COVID-19 this 50 year class did not have a reunion last year so they celebrated their reunion this year. Pictured in front from left are Deb (Kirksey) Engel, Colome; Kathy (Woods) Nielsen, Winner; Vicki (Snow) Alter, Rock Hill, S.C.; Vicki (Pederson) Brown, Worthig; Caryl (Kappelman) Hesslink, Verona, Wis.; Kathy (Springer) Taggart, Winner; Alice (Schwartz) Graham, Topeka, Kan.; Peggy (Shea) Palecek, Philip; Mary Ellen Hartman, Portland, Ore.; Barb (Hinman) Chauncey, Carter; Eileen (Carlson) Swank, Crystal Lake, Ill.; Kathy (Soles) Scott, Council Bluffs, Neb.; Kathy (Petersen) Fritz, Volga. Second row from left are Pat Peters, Lead; Kathy (Gran) Calhoon, Winner; Judy (Ringstmeyer) McCready, Winner; Doug Kartak, Carter; Mary (Storms) Marso, Victor, Mont.; Rita (Jelinek) Neyens, Winner; Kitty (Bailey) Little, Winner; Karen (Kauer) Bertram, Winner; Bev (Backeberg) Axtell, Wewela; Jean (McCabe) Couch, Ft. Madison, Iowa; Scott Carr, Winner and Jerry Chauncey, Carter. Third row from left are Ron Hossle, Hamill; Dave Allibone, Sioux City, Iowa; Ron McCready, Winner; John Fisher, Winner; Ross Merchen, Omaha, Neb.; Kenny Kauer, Winner; Ron Weidner, Winner; Dennis Assman, Winner; Sharyl (Schramm) Hutchison, Chamberlain; Noreen (Laudenslauger) Phipps, Rapid City; Rick Palecek, Philip; Anita Brozik, Derby, Kan.; Gary Steele, Firestone, Colo.; Chuck Mills Winner; Susan Sawyer, Avon; Deb (Dodson) Counsman, Brandon, Fla.; Skip Edwards, Winner; Greg Jorgensen, Winner.

Winner High School Class of 1961

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Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Winner High School Class of 1961 held its 60th class reunion at homecoming. Pictured in front from left are Rick Moore, Sioux Falls; Linda (Watzel) Hall, Arlington, Va. and Bill Schwartz, Topeka, Kan. In back from left are Dan Goodwin, Sioux Falls; Chuck Schramm, Sioux Falls; Bob Benson, Winner and Shirley (Strain) Bauer, Rapid City. Not pictured are Ray Bartels, Butch and Joyce Best, Driel (Johnson) Meiners, LeRoy Varilek.

Winner High School class of 1956

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Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Winner High School class of 1956 held its 65th reunion at the Winner homecoming. Pictured in front from left are Ronnie Horstman, Winner, Donna (Earll) Moosmeier, Winner; Gloria (Nelson) Rowe, Witten; Harold Watzel, Winner; Jim Schramm, Winner. In back from left are Alice (Clark) Minchow, Winner; Janet (Schramm) Bruun, Winner; Marilyn (Fladabo) Laudenslauger, Winner and Rose (Ahlers) Rush, Winner.

10-digit phone dialing to become mandatory

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South Dakotans are encouraged to start using 10-digit dialing to make all local phone calls. This could be a harsh realization for many that dialing all 10 digits of 605-(area code)-(last four digits) might not be programmed into cell phones or in land-line speed dials, or other electronic communications devices.

This transition is a necessary first step in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) move to establish 988 as a new three-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. This will be required beginning as early as Oct. 24, 2021, and no later than July 15, 2022, depending on your telephone provider.

Every customer with a number from the 605 area code will change to the mandatory 10-digit dialing for local calls. Dialing 7 digits for  local calls will be prohibited for all customers in the entire area code.

“South Dakota’s area code remains 605,” said Leah Mohr, deputy executive director S.D. Public Utilities Commission. This action describes “the FCC’s move to establish 988 as a new three-digit dialing code to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which would require states with a 988 prefix to begin using a 10-digit code, including area code, to make local calls beginning Oct. 24, 2021.

In addition to changing your dialing patterns, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission recommends you take steps to update all contact lists ahead of the upcoming deadlines.

The PUC also suggests you take the time to update or reprogram all services, automatic dialing equipment or other types of equipment that may be programmed to complete calls using only seven-digit phone numbers.

“If you take a look at the technology you use on a daily basis or have in your home or office, you may find many devices or services with programmed call settings that will need to be updated. These can include smart home devices, home security systems, medical monitoring devices, calling networks within companies and call forwarding or voicemail services, just to name a few,” said Kristie Fiegen, vice chair PUC. “Taking the time to update these systems now will help ensure they continue working properly long past the required implementation deadlines.”

South Dakota is not the only state required to make the change. Nationwide, over 80 area codes in 36 states will be affected to ensure easy connection to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline,” said Commissioner Gary Hanson.