National Guard band to perform in Winner

A small group of the 147th South Dakota Army National Guard band stationed out of Mitchell will perform in Winner on Feb. 8. They will perform in the Armory from 2:45 p.m. to 3:25 p.m. 

Winner is one of their stops on a tour of schools.

Mission Essential Brass is a nine member ensemble. The band plays a variety of music and has a high energy show.

The band is based in Mitchell and has seen overseas deployment to Guatemala in 1991, Panama in 1996 Nicaeragua in 2002 and Suriname in 2018.

The band performs for military and civilian functions throughout the region and is made up of musicians aged 17 to 60.

In addition to the concert and ceremonial bands, the 147th Band is comprised of four unique music performance teams: Sgt. Rock, FTX, Drive On and Mission Essential Brass.

Vandenbark wins state Patriot’s Pen

Submitted Photo
Ben Vandenbark, an 8th grader at Colome School, won first place in the state for the VFW Patriot’s Pen contest. He was the district winner that qualified him for the state competition in Pierre. Vandenbark is pictured with VFW officials. He represented Winner VFW Post 4674. His essay will be submitted to the national contest.

Ben Vandenbark, Colome, won first place in the state for the VFW Patriot’s Pen contest.

The Colome 8th grader is the son of Matt and Kate Vandenbark.

His essay goes to the national competition. The top placers then travel to Washington, D.C.

Vandenbark was the district winner which qualified him for the state meet in Pierre. He represented Winner VFW post and auxiliary.

“How are you inspired by America?” was the essay theme.

His essay was about veterans, his grandfather and first responders. He talked about how the veterans fought for our country and even when hurt continued to fight.

Vandenbark was inspired by his grandfather who served in the Navy. He wishes he could learn more about his grandfather’s time at sea and the ship he was on.

Vandenbark also wrote about how first responders put themselves in danger and help others. He noted how the first responders reacted during 9/11.

Patriot’s Pen gives 6th, 7th and 8th grade students the opportunity to express their opinion on a patriotic theme and improve their writing skills while they compete for awards and prizes.

Conducted nationwide, this VFW sponsored youth essay competition encourages students to use their minds and knowledge of America’s history and their experience of today’s American society to write essays expressing their views on an annual patriotic theme.

Mary Ann (Redl) Moorhead, 91

Mary Ann (Redl) Moorhead, 91, of Winner, SD passed away peacefully surrounded by family at the Winner Regional Nursing Home on Tuesday, Jan. 9.

A private family Mass of Christian Burial was held on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024 at 10 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Winner, SD.  Burial  followed in the Winner City Cemetery.  An open public visitation was held on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024 from 5-6 p.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with a rosary beginning at 6 p.m.

Mary Ann Redl was born in Iroquois, South Dakota to John and Marie (Brandrup) Redl on Oct. 26, 1932. Growing up in Deadwood, Mary Ann was an active Brownie Scout and social butterfly which continued throughout her life. She was proud to tell stories of her father playing Wild Bill Hickok in the shootout reenactments as well as riding side-saddle in the Days of ‘76 Parade, on her horse named Penny. She hosted her own radio show during her teenage years where her vocals sang any song requested. Her personality shined as a bartender helping her parents at the Inferno, which was built in an old mine shaft near Terry Peak.

On May 24, 1951, she married the love of her life, Gerald Dean Moorhead at the St. Ambrose Church in Deadwood. To this union, three children were born, John, Cindy, and Gerri.

Mary Ann and Gerald moved to Winner, South Dakota to manage Modern Cleaners raising their three children as Winner Warriors. They loved sports; most notably yelling at each other over the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Braves. In 2003, the couple lost their son on a family hunting trip, which Mary Ann never fully recovered from.

Known for her sugar cookies and silly jokes, Mary Ann could warm any room. Her giggle and smile was contagious and her inviting soul welcomed anyone to call her “Grandma.”  She loved to bowl (2005 SDWBA Hall of Fame Inductee), foster any animal (squirrels included), play cards, sing her school song, and spend time with family and friends alike. Her pure joy was watching and cheering on her grandkids and great grandkids no matter their accomplishments, big or small, in-person or on a live stream.

Mary Ann was an expert in the kitchen and in the woodshop with Gerald. Her famous kitchen recipes were: sugar cookies that melted in your mouth, pies that nobody could replicate, and egg rolls that caused family disagreements of who would get the last one. In the last months of her life, she was able to share her joy of cooking homemade noodles for the other residents at the nursing home.

She is survived by her daughters Cindy (Doug) Osborn, Winner; Gerri (Chuck) Mosset, Sioux Falls; special nephew, Billy (Amy) Reiser, Wagner; daughter-in-law, Lori Schrader, Winner, 12 grandchildren: Cody(Brandy), Casey (Laurie), TJ (Michele), Cassidy (Matt), Brady (Jamie), Jamie (Jason), Chelsey (Matt), Dustin, Corey, Rachele (Justin), Randi, and Becca along with 22 great grandchildren, her sister-in-law, Jan Redl, several nieces and nephews and anyone who would consider her their grandma.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Gerald, favorite son, John, parents John and Marie, her sister, Phyllis, and three brothers, Jack, Bill and Donny Redl.

Property Taxes

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
A large crowd attended the property tax meeting held Jan. 10 in Winner. A presentation was made by the S.D. Department of Revenue.

By Dan Bechtold

Editor

A large crowd filled the courthouse community room to learn more about property taxes and what citizens can to help capture growth in Tripp County.

Members of the S.D. Department of Revenue conducted the meeting.

Since all members of the Tripp County Commissioners attended the meeting this was a special county commissioners meeting.

Chairman Larry Wilcox stressed the meeting was not about zoning as the commissioners are not in favor of zoning on the county level.

Giving the presentation for the Department of Revenue was Robin Carlson, education specialist and along with her was Patty Caster.

Property tax is the primary source of revenue for local governments.

Property that is taxed is owner/occupied, other and agricultural land.

Carlson explained that growth and CPI can be used to help with a county’s budget. That growth is new buildings or additions and that is what local assessor Janience Weber wants to capture. She wants people to notify here office when they add onto a build, build a new structure or tear one down.

Carlson went over how growth is calculated. She also explained that if a county does not use the CPI they can store it for three years.

Also explained was the mill levy and how levies are calculated.

Weber talked about discretionary formula that aids in new buildings.

The formula reduces the amount of taxes persons pay over a five year period.

Many of the people attending the meeting said they did not know about this discretionary formula. This formula is an economic development tool.

Weber said new growth helps captures those dollars to make up the budget and hopefully kept the levy down.

Farm family of the year

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Bill and Joan Ferguson were named the Winner Area Chamber of Commerce farm/ranch family of the year. The presentation was made by Cody Jorgensen. Pictured from left are Joan Ferguson, Mike Scott, executive director of the Chamber, Cody Jorgensen and Bill Ferguson.

The Winner Area Chamber of Commerce Farm family of the year   recently retired but they have proven to be excellent farmers and innovative in farming practices, expense control, crop rotation and conservation practices. Bill and Joan Ferguson have been married for 60 years.

Bill grew up in Idaho and Joan grew up in Quinn South Dakota. In Bill’s early years his family would come back to his grandfather’s farm in the Winner area to help with wheat harvest.

Bill is a graduate of South School of Mines. After college they lived in Indiana and later in Boston, Mass.  During that time Bill worked with computer control systems.

They decided to move to South Dakota in 1975 to start farming.

During 1975 to 1980 they mostly raised wheat, summer fallow and a little milo if needed.

Bill started to make some changes, still raising wheat and milo  but started being more involved in  eco farming and no till practices  Bill started to see the advantages of no till farming practices with improved health of the soil and better land conservation practices.

Another area Bill has been involved with starting back in 1996 was the implementation of precision ag practices. This was the time of the introduction of yield monitors in combines.

Starting in the 70s’ raising primarily wheat and then started raising corn in 2000 and followed shortly by soybeans.  Current crop rotation is winter wheat, milo, corn, soybeans, sun flowers and spring Wheat.

With Bill and Joan’s farming practices their land was ideal pheasant habitat. In 1997 they began doing paid hunting. They opened a hunting lodge in 2000. The Fergusons have some of the best wild pheasant hunting in the state of South Dakota. One of the things that Bill said that helped his pheasant population is the use of a stripper head during wheat harvest.

Bill and Joan have been great supporters of the Winner Area. In 2011 The Chamber started the Sharpshooter Classic, Bill and Joan were and are still strong supporters of the event. Bill and Joan sponsored the first Young Gun team ( a team of 6 kids 12 to 18 involved in shooting sports) that participated in the competition.  Bill and Joan are good farmers are great people.

Marty’s is the Chamber’s business of the year.

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Marty’s was named the business of the year at the Winner Area Chamber of Commerce annual banquet on Jan. 11. Marty Flakus, owner of the business, right, is presented a plaque by Mike Scott, executive director of the Chamber.

So many times, in our small communities we have the tendency to look at what we don’t have in our community ( Walmart, shopping malls, etc) instead of looking at what we do have and appreciate our businesses and what they do offer.

Winner Area Chamber of Commerce honored a  business  that most other small communities look at and  wish they had a business like this in their communities.

Marty’s is the Chamber’s business of the year.

This business began in Winner in 1989, by a local boy (Marty Flakus)  moving back to his hometown Winner.  At the time he was living in Superior, Wis., working for K Mart. He moved back to Winner and purchased the men’s store from Carl Sperling that was located where the  current Chamber office is. In 1994 he moved to the mini mall his current location and started carrying men’s & ladies fashion. Marty handles men’s, women, accessories, tux rentals, dry cleaning services (if you can remember back when we needed to get our film developed that is where you dropped our film  off to be printed).

In addition to a great selection of fashions to choose from he provides great service and honest opinions. That is how Marty has built his business with quality products, a well merchandised store, and excellent personal customer service.

Leslie “Les” Sherwood Jr., 49

Leslie “Les” Sherwood Jr., 49, of White River, SD passed away at his home on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. 

Funeral service was held on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at the Wood Community Hall in Wood, SD.  Burial followed in the Winner City Cemetery. 

Leslie “Les” Howard Sherwood Jr. (49) was born prematurely to Peggy Lee Bowers-Sherwood and Leslie Howard Sherwood Sr. on July 21, 1974, In Winner, South Dakota. Leslie grew up in and around the Wood and White River areas. Learning ranching from his father Les Sherwood Sr. and mechanics from his step-father Roy Moran Sr. He was always learning and teaching something new along the way throughout his life.

He graduated from White River, South Dakota in 1992. After he attended technical school in Watertown, South Dakota where he became a certified diesel mechanic.

Throughout his adult life he worked for various implements using his mechanical skills, as a ranch hand at a few different locations and as a mechanic at Wagner Auto in Pierre, South Dakota. He later pursued his dream of working on his family’s ranch outside of Wood, South Dakota, where he stayed. Les is known for his kind heart, loving words, calming demeanor, love and his acceptance of everyone he met along his journey. There was never a time that Les would not make sure that he could take his grandbabies out to the pasture to see the cattle and the horses or even to let them go with him to feed in the mornings. Among all of Les’s hobbies he enjoyed hunting and fishing with his family. Along with the yearly camping trip where he could enjoy family and boating. Les especially enjoyed all of the hunting adventures he went on with his brother Henry Moran.

Les passed unexpectedly on Dec. 16, 2023 in the early hours of the day. He will be missed by all.

Survived by his wife, Vickie Sherwood. His daughter Sierra Boren, son Damian Bingen (Megan) Aberdeen, South Dakota, Jarred Bingen (Brittany) Witten, South Dakota, Trey Bingen (Maddie) Burke, South Dakota. Along with his 6 grandbabies, Raphael Jax, Reese James, Delilah Belle, Kensley Mae, Jackson Leslie, and Ryker Joel. Survived by his father Les Sherwood Sr. (Lois) White River, South Dakota, Siblings Tonya Copeland (Rich) Rapid City, South Dakota, Misty Moran (Kelly Wright Sr.) Pierre, South Dakota, Henry Moran (Rose Larvie) White River, South Dakota, Harold Moran (Audra) Letcher, South Dakota, Berton Moran (Cassie Jones) Mitchell, South Dakota, Lisa Sherwood (Tyler Harter) White River, South Dakota and Brother-in-law Gabe Schumacher Wosley, South Dakota. Bonus siblings, Joelene Hamilton, Roy Moran Jr., Tim Moran (Breanna) and Jewels Moran. Along with several nieces and nephews.

Preceded in death by his mother Peggy Lee Moran, sister Karin Schumacher, niece Kateri Knife, Maternal and paternal grandparents and several aunts and uncles.

Douglas John Taggart, 71

Douglas John Taggart was born to John and Lillian Taggart in Winner, SD on April 13, 1952.

Doug grew up on a farm outside of Winner with his sister Karen and brothers Jerry, Brad and Robert.  Much has been whispered about his antics, but no one wants to come forward with hard facts on the wild days in Winner.  I can confirm that he DID learn to play the accordion, because his aunt and uncle liked to dance to the polka.  I know, right?!  The accordion.  Knock me down with a feather.  He was also the undefeated boxing champ from Winner.  He was 15 years old.  It was one fight and then he hung up his professional boxing gloves for good……but it was sanctioned.  So, we are going with Undefeated Boxing Champ.

Doug was world-renowned for his lack of patience or his endless patience (which one would you get today???), not holding back his opinion and telling it like it is. Doug always told you the truth, even if it wasn’t what you wanted to hear.  It was the school of hard knocks, and yes, we were told many times how he had to walk for miles in a blizzard to get to school, so suck it up and life is tough all over kid, get used to it!

He married his main squeeze, Polly, a librarian, almost 50 years ago in Colstrip, Mont. They lived in Montana, Indiana and later returned to Montana so dad could hunt and fish. They spent many hours on a boat with fishing poles in their hands but much to Doug’s dismay, Polly could out fish him many times.  Jennifer and Whitney (the daughters), cannot out fish either of them. Recently they moved to North Dakota to be near family and so dad could go back to his roots of farming, which he loved. 

Doug taught us that family comes first, to get outside,  and work hard…at what you love.  Doug made the best sourdough treats, homemade pizza and cookies.  Jennifer and Whitney also ended up with midnight snack addictions because of Doug.  Many a night would pass with a knock on the door and a question – “Want an ice cream shake?” He also made sure that he had someone around to make his sweet treats, he taught Jennifer how to bake cookies each weekend. Why? So, he could have the cookies for a nighttime snack.

Jennifer married Kevin Norton and Whitney married David Gonitzke – in a stroke of amazing luck – Doug loved both of them. 

Doug was Papa to Mackenzie, Aiden, Jules and Jane.  Oh, how he loved the four of them.  We don’t want say that he got soft as a Grandpa….but he got soft!!  Those kids could do anything and get anything!  He made sure his grandkids knew how to fish and that started at a young age. Papa was a huge history buff, this love of history was passed down to his grandson, Aiden, who is going to college to be a high school history teacher.  He bragged about his grandkids to anyone that would listen!

Doug and his two best friends, Pat and Kelly, (the “Three Amigos”) hunted and fished for over 30 years together.  After a while Doug decided that their friendship was strong enough to withstand anything…..so he included them into the Taggart Brothers Secret Circle.  For years and years, the brothers circle would meet up at Uncle Jerry’s ranch house in Wyoming to fish, hunt, drink loads of beer.  Who knows what lies and tall tales were told on those trips.  Really – Guys, can’t you just tell us one little thing??

Doug traveled extensively and took us camping all the time.  We went from tent, to a pickup box camper, then a 5th wheel camper– spoiling us girls forever.  Never will Jennifer or Whitney tent camp again.  Our love of the water likely came from the plethora of trips to rivers and lakes.

He is survived by his saint of a wife, Polly; children,  Jennifer (Kevin) Norton, Whitney (David) Gonitzke; grandchildren, Mackenzie (Eric) Wineinger, Aiden Sothers, Jules and Jane Gonitzke; great-grandchild, baby Wineinger (coming in June); siblings Jerry (Janine) Taggart, Karen King, Brad (Linda Wilson) Taggart, Robert (Kim) Taggart and many, many nephews, nieces, cousins, family and friends.

Although we feel like we didn’t get enough Doug in our lives – we can remember that Doug did not live an average life.  He traveled where he wanted to travel, laughed inappropriately at every chance, danced (especially the alligator) when the opportunity arose, learned what he wanted to learn, fixed what he wanted to fix, and loved who he wanted to love, and loved those people hard……..especially Polly.

Since Doug liked to do unusual things, he also ended up with cholangiocarcinoma – bile duct cancer.  It’s rare and aggressive.  Of course, that’s what he died from, he had to be unique.  Doug went to heaven on Dec. 15, 2023.