Category Archives: News

Brooks Dean Hurley, 3, of Witten, SD passed away on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018. Funeral service will be held on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Winner. Burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery. A visitation will be held one hour prior to funeral service.

Brooks Dean Hurley was born on Oct. 31, 2014 to Thomas Barry Hurley and Katie Jo Hurley. He went to be with the Lord on Feb. 16, 2018.

Brooks loved animals and enjoyed helping dad and Bo feed the animals or going out to see the horses with Keasha and Berkley. He stole the hearts of everyone with those big blue eyes. He loved dressing up as his favorite superheroes to save his family from the bad guys. Brooks was able to become a superhero himself with the donation of his heart.

Brooks had quite the collection of cars that he liked to try to bring everywhere with him. Brooks was his Uncle Kelly’s biggest fan. He loved to watch him play college football. One of Brooks’ favorite places to sneak away to was Great Grandma and Grandpa Schwinler’s house where he learned one of Grandpa’s many quotes “A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do” which he would run around repeating.

Brooks was preceded in death by his great-grandparents Joe and Pat Clifford, Bo Hurley, and Ole and Audrey Faldalen.

Brooks is survived by his father Barry Hurley, mother Katie (Faldalen) Hurley, siblings; Bo, Keasha and Berkley, great-grandparents; Trudy Hurley, Bill and Shirley Schwinler, grandparents; Bill and Emma Hurley, Roger and Sue Robbins, Lisa (Schwinler) Faldalen and Rocky and Penny Faldalen with several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Brooks’ energetic and loving personality will be missed by us all.

Anita Lois Deming of Granbury, Texas, 64, passed away peacefully in her home on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018 after a brief battle with Stage IV breast cancer.

Anita was born on May 17, 1953 in Cassville, Missouri to Carl and Nita VanSchoonhoven. She lived in Winner, South Dakota and Greeley, Colorado before she moved to Granbury after marrying Rodney Beech Deming, Jr. on Dec. 6, 1980. Anita worked in the title and abstract business for close to 40 years, both in Colorado and Texas. She had a love for history, reading and research and was an expert in Hood County property history and title insurance, because of her work at both Central Texas Title and Porter Title. Anita made her choice to serve God at the age of 10 and was faithful until her last breath. Her faith, Christlike example and trust in his will for her life,have been and will continue to be an encouragement to many.

Anita was preceded in death by her parents Carl & Nita VanSchoonhoven and her granddaughter Adelaide Lois Deming.

She is survived by her husband of 37 years, Rodney Beech Deming, Jr., son: Matthew Deming and wife Reagan of Granbury, daughter: Katie Shuman and husband Michael of St. Croix, USVI, daughter: Anne Müller and husband Moritz of Frankfurt, Germany, grandsons: Rylon & Owen Shuman, granddaughter: Arianisa Deming, brother: Henry Van Schoonhoven of Greeley, Colorado, sister: Carol Roth and husband Jerry of Greeley, Colorado, sister: Effie Lewis of Sheridan, Wyoming and numerous nieces and nephews.

A visitation was held at Wiley Funeral Home in Granbury from 6-8pm on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018.

Her funeral service will be held at Granbury Resort Conference Center at 11am on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018, followed by a reception for family and close friends. A graveside service at Rough Creek Cemetery will be held Saturday afternoon for family and her local church members.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that that persons please consider donating to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: 3840 Hulen Street #600, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, in honor of Anita’s late granddaughter, Adelaide Lois Deming.

Donald Kemnitz, 77, of Wood, SD passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018 at his home near Wood.

Funeral service were held on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018 at 10 a.m. at the Wood Community Hall. Burial followed in the Winner City Cemetery.

Donald LeRoy Kemnitz was born Feb. 26, 1940, to Kermit “Bud” Kemnitz and Mildred (Eaton) Kemnitz. He was the first born son in a family of five children. It was a family that loved getting together and spending quality time with each other.

Don passed away at his home in rural Wood on February 13, 2018, at the age of 77 years, 11 months and 18 days.
Don attended country school a mile from his home and later went to high school in Wood, SD graduating in 1959. He was a great basketball player; at least that is what he told us.

In July of 1961, he married Elaine Harter, who was the love of his life. They were the perfect match. To this union, four children were born: Valinda, Lori, Linette, and Darrell. Together they made themselves a home in Winner. While in Winner, Don worked for the police department, delivered fuel, and was parts manager for the Ford Garage, but his true calling was ranching. In 1973, he picked up his family and moved to the ranch northeast of Wood. He was a member of the Witten Baptist Church where he served as treasurer for many years. He also served as Mellette County Commissioner for 8 years.

Don’s years in ranching were a great success. Don and Elaine left a grand legacy through their family. He and Elaine raised four children and taught them the values of hard work, discipline, honesty, and most importantly Christian values.

The family learned how to wrangle cows, shock cane, put up hay and harvest crops. Long days spent working cattle were some of the best and worst days of their lives.

And then came 11 grandchildren. It was evident of Don’s love of his grandchildren and great grandchildren through him attending many sporting, school, and life events. In later years, it became more difficult for Don and Elaine to participate to a great extent in their grandchildren and great grandchildren’s lives, but birthdays, weddings and family celebrations were still a huge part.

The measure of a man can be found in his family. Don’s family loved him dearly. Surviving Don are his wife Elaine of Kadoka, SD, his daughters; Valinda (Casey) Bridgman of Wessington Springs, SD, Lori (Robert) Etrheim of Tyler, MN, Linette (Scott) Christensen of Flandreau, SD and a son; Darrell (Cindy) Kemnitz of Vivian, SD, 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by siblings; Gary(Sue) Kemnitz of Platte, SD, Sharon Paulson of Neosho, MO, Lyle(Arlis) Kemnitz of Mobridge SD and Bonnie (Ed) Watzel of Colome, SD and his beloved cow dog Boots.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Bud and Mildred, sister-in-law, Leanne, and brother-in-law Stanley.
The family sincerely appreciated Joe Meinen, Don’s faithful co-worker and friend.

George Francis Mowry, Presho, stepped into Eternity on Feb. 16, 2018 at Mary House in Pierre, SD. George’s wish after cremation was to have his ashes scattered overlooking the White River on the “the little ranch that I love so much”.

George was born April 28, 1928 on a farm near Alexandria, SD, the fourth of five children born to George H. and Nora (Ehret) Mowry. George graduated from Alexandria High School in 1947. He was to become Corporal Mowry after being drafted into the U. S. Army in 1951, taking with him a new bride to Camp Rucker, near Enterprise, Alabama. George and Shirley (Mizner) remained faithful to their wedding vows for the next 67 years. George and Shirley purchased their White River ranch property south of Presho in 1961 and raised three sons down on the White River.

George loved visiting with friends and family from near and far, and he loved anything to do with the ranch. Among the many of his memorable quotes was the following: “That name – ‘Dad’ – now that’s special!”
George was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Robert and wife Rita (Kaiser), his sister Virginia Boling and husband Don, his sister Phyllis Peters and husband ‘Dub’, his brother-in-law Curt Hedman, nephew Ronnie Mowry, nieces Jean Ann Wibben and Kathleen Ann Clark, great-niece Shelly Burleson, and great-grandson Zion McKillop.

Surviving George is his wife, Shirley, children- Craig (& Amber), Presho, Connie, Sioux Falls, Mark (& Paula), Custer, Steve (& Deb), Presho, grandchildren- Cade (& Desi), Spokane, Amanda (& Chris) McKillop, Anchorage, Chase, St. Paul, Allison (& Jamie) Coin, Spearfish, Callie (& Jordan) Wilson, Sioux Falls, Kahle, Spearfish, and Shalayne, Spearfish, Sage and Shilo, Presho, and great-grandchildren- Breckon, Ogden, Nevada, Edan, Lava, Terec, and Ezrah.