Veterans Day program is Nov. 11

Dr. William Manke will be the guest speaker at the Veterans Day program in Winner on Monday, Nov. 11 at 10 a.m. in the Winner Armory.

The public is encouraged to attend.

The program is sponsored by the Winner High School and Winner Middle School student councils.

Veterans will have the opportunity to introduce themselves and there will be a slide show of local veterans throughout the program.

The WHS band and choir will perform.

WHS student council members will have a presentation of the missing man table and flag folding ceremony.

Winner Middle School student council will be handing out patriotic pins to veterans as they introduce themselves.

The winners of the Voice of Democracy and Patriot Pen will be announced and the first place winners will have an opportunity to read their essays.

WHS student council president Gus Bartels and vice president Roper Moore will the MC’s for the program.

Following the program, some members of the WHS student council will have a brief program at Winner Regional Long Term Care Center.

The Winner American Legion Auxiliary and the Winner VFW Auxiliary will have a soup and sandwich luncheon for veterans and spouses from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Winner Legion on Veterans Day.

Yvonne (Vonnie) Leetch, 86

Yvonne (Vonnie) Leetch 86, of Winner, SD, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024 at the Lake Andes Health Care Center in Lake Andes, SD after a hard battle with dementia.

Funeral services will take place on Wednesday Nov. 6 at 11 am.  The funeral service will be held at the Trinity Lutheran Church with a burial to follow in the Winner Cemetery.

Yvonne was born May 8, 1938 in Colome, SD, to Charlie and Olga (Foyert) Rice. Growing up the family lived on many different farms. They would have card parties on Saturday nights.

Yvonne married William Leech on April 15, 1957.  They were not blessed with children, but they were certainly blessed with a very large extended family of siblings, nieces, nephews, in-laws, and numerous friends!

Like her siblings, Vonnie enjoyed spending time visiting, play cards, and dining with her family and friends. In the summer she loved to go camping and fishing. She loved her trips with her brothers and sisters to the casino.

She is survived by a sister, Connie Luther and a brother, Gene (Twila) Rice, both of Winner, SD; one stepdaughter Lil (Joe) Cardona of Goleta, CA; a step granddaughter Alex of Goleta, CA; and numerous nephews and nieces who she loved dearly, as well as a very special friend Lori Gebhardt of Rapid City, SD.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William Leetch, five sisters, Julia Johnson, Claradean Rice, Josephene Rice, Lilly Long, and Sylvia Horton; two brothers, Clyde Rice and John Rice; four brothers in law, Gaylord Long, Teddy Fisher, Maynord Johnson, and Don Luther; two sisters in law, Betty Rice, and Grace (Shorty) Rice; a niece, Linda Fisher; and her parents Charles and Olga Rice.

 May she now rest in eternal sunshine and perfect love with our Lord. May she now be forever young.

Veteran’s Day Closings

Government offices in Winner will be closed Monday, Nov. 11, in honor of Veterans Day.

The Tripp County Courthouse will be closed as well as the county library.

Winner city office will be closed in honor of Veterans Day.

All state and federal offices in Winner will be closed on Monday.

The Winner Post Office will be closed Nov. 11 and there will be no mail delivery.

Financial institutions in Winner and Colome will not be open for business on Nov. 11 to honor the veterans.

There will be no noon meal on Nov. 11 at the senior citizens center.

Southern Plains Behavioral Health Services will be closed Monday.

The Winner Advocate newspaper office will be closed Monday.

Christmas in the Courthouse date is set

The Tripp County Commissioners invite organizations, clubs and groups to put up a Christmas tree in the courthouse.

Trees need to be put up from Nov. 22 to Dec. 9.

Persons can call the Tripp County assessor office to make a reservation for a tree. Call 605-842-2300 or email christmas@trippcounty.us  The reservation deadline is Nov. 15.

An open house will be held Dec. 12 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The trees will need to be removed between Jan. 6-10.

Roger Allen Best, 87

Roger Allen Best, 87 years old, of Brandon, South Dakota, passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, at the Bethany Home of Brandon.

Family and friends  gathered for a Celebration of Life  at Emmanuel Baptist Church (1600 East Twelfth Street, Sioux Falls, South Dakota), on Friday, Sept. 20.  The interment of ashes took place at Hills of Rest Cemetery. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials in honor of Roger may be made to Emmanuel Baptist Church for donation to the Camp Judson Capital Campaign for a new Roger Williams Lodge or directly to the Alzheimer’s Association of South Dakota. Visit www.georgeboom.com

Roger was born on Nov. 26, 1936, to Elmer and Leona (Burtz) Best.  He grew up on the family farm in the Keyapaha Valley in Tripp County, South Dakota, graduating from Winner High School.  (He identified himself as a graduate of the “School of Hard Knocks.”) Roger married Fern Arlene Moore of Kennebec, South Dakota, on Dec. 5, 1959.  The couple lived in various West and East River communities in South Dakota, spending their longest and final residence in Brandon.  Roger and Fern’s marriage lasted 63 years before they were parted by Fern’s death in August 2023.

Roger worked for the Metz Baking Company for more than three decades, rising from route salesman to the manager of the Watertown sweet roll plant.  After the baking business, Roger sold furniture at the South Dakota Furniture Company, then managed a car wash in Brandon with an above-and-beyond devotion to duty so typical of his work ethic.

Roger had a dry sense of humor that would land zingers with precision as well as being quite a hand at telling a story.  Despite the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease, he would occasionally surprise you and make you laugh with a witty comment.  This is no doubt part of the reason nursing staff members liked having him on their floors.  On many occasions he gave knowledgeable assistance with motor vehicles.  In younger days, he enjoyed hunting.  In older days, he thoroughly enjoyed his grandchildren and great grandchildren, indulging their whims and being a seemingly limitless source of gum.

As a youth Roger received believer’s baptism and was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he served the Savior in many ways, including as our moderator.  The church’s S.A.G.E. group took fall excursions to our regional camp in the Black Hills of South Dakota (Camp Judson) with Roger as their driver.  Those were good times.

Roger is survived by his three children Brett (wife Kary) Best, Lisa Dawley, and Brian Best, beloved nieces and nephews, and sister-in-law Mary Best.  Roger and Fern’s family has been blessed by the addition of eleven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

He is predeceased by his parents, brother Eugene, sister Audrey (husband Leonard) Hajek, and maternal parents Lewie and Leola Moore.

Early Voting

Early voting for the November general election started on Friday, Sept. 20.

To cast an early ballot voters should first make sure they are registered.

To vote early in person voters can go to the county auditor’s office with acceptable photo identification.

Persons can vote at the auditor’s office in the Tripp County courthouse from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

To vote early by mail voters may request an absentee ballot application from the county auditor. The auditor will provide a paper absentee ballot to the voter. The voter then completes the ballot and mails it to the auditor.

Main Gate Counseling and T4 Foundation had an open house in observance of National Addiction Awareness Day

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Main Gate Counseling and T4 Foundation had an open house on Sept. 19 in observance of National Addiction Awareness Day. Pictured from left are
Andrea Kindt, Cathy Mayes and Baleigh Cerv. They were asking visitors to join forces to spread awareness for addiction. The open house featured door prizes, education, snacks and refreshments.

Winner High School homecoming royalty were introduced at the volleyball match on Sept. 19

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Winner High School homecoming royalty were introduced at the volleyball match on Sept. 19. In front from left are Ryder Halligan, Broden Duffy, Kyla Mammen, Jenaya Schrader, Kierra Bainter, Presley Petersek, Adysen Pravecek, Daisy McIntyre, Keelie Kuil, Arnolla Duffy and Cora Moss. In back from left are Landon Calhoon, Bo Hurley, Evan Bartels, Austin Blare, Tessa Sieh, Ava Craven, Shawn Hammerbeck, Kellen Brozik, Konner Osborn, Gus Bartels and Karson Keiser. The homecoming coronation will be on Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the Armory.