Category Archives: News

By Dan Bechtold, Editor

Blake Bauer has recently joined the staff of Mason Funeral Home.

The O’Neill, Neb., native started working in Winner on Feb. 5.

Through a mutual friend Bauer learned there was an opening in Winner. He came here for an interview in October. “I was hooked from the beginning,” he said.

Prior to moving to Winner, Bauer worked for a year at Home for Funerals in Norfolk, Neb.

In 2011, Bauer graduated from O’Neill High School. He then went to Wayne State University on a golf scholarship. After two years at Wayne State, Bauer went to North East Community College in Norfolk and majored in nursing.

Both of his parents are nurses and he felt he would give this career a shot. But after a year, Bauer decided nursing was not for him.

He went back to O’Neill for the summer and his dad asked Blake if he has ever considered being a funeral director. The family knew the funeral director in O’Neill and Blake shadowed him for a couple of months.
Bauer went to Kansas City Community College where he received his mortuary science degree in December 2016. He did half of his internship in O’Neill and half in Norfolk.

Last June Bauer received his Nebraska license and he recently passed the South Dakota state boards.

As a funeral director, Bauer likes helping families through a difficult time. “It gives me pleasure to help a family,” he said.

Winner and Colome students have been named to the fall semester dean’s list at Black Hills State University.

Named to the dean’s list are Sean Bice, Kristen Hausmann with a 4.0 grade point average and Darbi Nelson.
Halley Shippy of Colome was named to the dean’s list.

My Grandma Ellen Moss should win the A.A.R.P. Grandparent of the year award because she works hard and takes care of eight grandchildren and does a great job of it too! I think all the grandchildren could say that, especially me. She is brave, fun, and most of all kind.

My Grandma is the bravest woman I know, because she never lets anything happen to her family. She speaks up for me and everyone else. If anyone was mean to her family she won’t just stand by and let it happen, she will put a stop to it. My Grandma has stood up to multiple parents on different occasions. Most of all she never backs down from anything.

If you have ever met my Grandma, she is one of the most fun women you’ll ever meet. We love playing board games with each other and usually she always wins. My Grandma will also color with me when I’m bored. She also takes us to go get ice cream not just to spoil us but to show us we have worked hard in school and out of school to earn it. Lastly she will cook and bake all sorts of stuff with me!

My grandma has the strongest heart anyone could ever have. She attends all of my events, even if they are hours away. Secondly she comes to my house even if it’s just for a few minutes. When she’s around she does my parents a favor and brings me to any type of appointments. If you’re feeling down, once you see her bright pretty smile she will make you brighten up in just a few seconds!

You should choose my Grandma for the A.A.R.P. Grandparent of the year award. Like I said if you have never met my Grandma, I suggest you do because she is the bravest, most fun, and kindest person I have ever met. In fact this award should be called the best Grandparent of the year award because that is exactly what my Grandma is.

Winner Elementary School
Cora Moss

I think my grandpa Ron Shomion should be the SD A.A.R.P. Grandparent of the Year. Here are three reasons my grandpa should be the winner this year. First one he served to defend our country. Second is he comes to our events and encourages us to do new things. The last one is the best reason he give us all of his love but doesn’t shower us with gift or other thing.

Ron served in the Vietnam War and he risked his life for our freedom. I think he was very brave to risk his life for all of ours. He was in the Army and I think it was very hard for him so I am thankful he is still alive. My grandpa didn’t like the Army he told me but he said he would rather die serving in the Army and helping America that die from old age and do nothing. That’s what I think being in the Army is actual about instead of just being in it to kill bad guys.

My grandpa comes to his grandchildren events and encourages us to do new things. Ron will come and tell what to do and how to do it the right way. He may not make it to all of our events but he will call and ask how we are doing and ask if we need help with something. Grandpa is always telling us to try new things and if we don’t like it try something else. I tried wrestling because he told me to and I really like it now.

We know he loves us and why he doesn’t shower us with gifts and other things. He will take us places and he may not buy us what we want but that’s good with me. For holidays he may not buy us big toy and get us everything we want but that’s okay. I know he will take me places when I get older. Hopefully he keeps treating us this way because I know it is the best that we don’t get spoiled by him.

There are many reasons why I think my grandpa should be the SD A.A.R.P. grandparent of the year. The three reasons that I gave to you is why I think he should win this year. He served and fought in the army, he comes to our events and encourages to do new things, and last he love us but does not shower us with gifts and other things. You should choose my grandpa to be the winner.

Konner Osborn
Winner Elementary School

My Grandma Twyla Dehning should be the AARP South Dakota Grandparent of the Year. She is cheerful, caring, humorous, and loving. She also believes in me. She is a great role model for me. My Grandma loves to read. She is very good at it and has aspired me to be a great reader, as well.

My Grandma is caring by always helping out around her community anytime she can. She sends a lot of good gifts to us for Christmas, birthday and anniversaries. This year I got five dollars for Christmas. She sends letters a lot to see how we’re doing, and what’s going on. Grandma makes sure she calls on everyone’s birthday, and there are a lot of us. When we go to her house, we have so much fun even though it’s almost 5 hours away. One time we surprised her on her birthday. She was so surprised and so excited that we came. When we go to her house we usually spend a few days there because we don’t like driving down there and back all in one day. When we go, we have lots of fun. We get ice cream and cookies and milk. We cook together and make all the meals with her. We go to the park and play. She also likes to show us her old school, where she grew up, and her favorite places as a kid. I can also call her 24/7 and she will answer.

Grandma Twyla is cheerful in many ways. She makes people happy when they are sad. When someone gets hurt, she will help them up and make them feel better with her funny jokes and her loving words. Even though her husband died, she is cheerful. When she is sad, she is still cheerful, even if it doesn’t look like it. She has some really funny jokes and stories. She tells us stories about her childhood. She once gave my mom and dad a family tree, and I am in it. When she comes to our house we have lots of fun, even though we have to go to school a lot. When she calls, she always asks how the “babysitter” cows are doing. That’s what she calls them. She only says that during caving season. The babysitter cows are cows that belong to other people, but we take care of them all year.

My Grandma is loving and humorous. She is loving because she calls and tells us happy birthday, or calls and tells my mom and dad happy anniversary. She also sends happy birthday cards and anniversary cards to everyone in the Dehning family. She also gives others big hugs. My Grandma is humorous because she makes everyone happy when they are sad. She says that is her specialty. She has good jokes, and they make her laugh. When she laughs her smile is as big as the moon and as bright as the sun.

If these reasons don’t convince you that my Grandma should be the AARP South Dakota Grandparent of the Year, then you should meet her and spend a day with her. She is caring, loving, cheerful, and humorous and she is always willing to help anyone in need in anyway she can. She also believes in me and is a good influence for me. I inspire to be more like her.

Raylynn Dehning
Colome Consolidated School District