Category Archives: News

Dr. Kenneth Homer McKenzie, son of Homer E McKenzie and Esther Pearl McKenzie passed away to his heavenly home on Jan. 5, 2017 at the Avera Gregory hospital after a courageous 6 month battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Kenneth was born on Oct. 11th, 1934 in Tripp County southwest of Dallas, South Dakota. Kenneth was raised on the family farm and during this time developed a deep interest in and love of animals of all types. This laid a foundation for his choice of profession in Veterinary Medicine.

Kenneth attended High School in Gregory, South Dakota, excelling in academics and sports. He was a natural athlete, earning multiple medals and lettering in both track and football in both high school and college.

Following high school, he attended SDSU in Brookings, South Dakota completing a BS in Agriculture in 1956. He was accepted into Veterinary Colleges at the University of Minnesota, Iowa State and Kansas State. He enrolled at Iowa State and graduated in 1960 with a Doctorate in Veterinarian Medicine.

Kenneth married his high school sweetheart Mardis Rae (Kimball) McKenzie on Aug. 14, 1955. Kenneth began his Veterinary career in Rapid City, following graduation from Iowa State in 1960. In 1964, Ken, Mardi and growing family moved to Burke, South Dakota after purchasing the practice from Dr. Hans Neuman. Ken worked from an office in the basement of his home until 1968 when he built his veterinarian clinic . In 1973 Ken and Mardi built their home on property adjacent to the clinic, from which they both lived until their deaths. Kenneth worked tirelessly serving the community at all hours of the day and night. He served on the Burke School Board and frequently attended his children’s basketball and football games, wrestling matches, baseball games and track meets. An avid fisherman, the family spent many wonderful times together on the Missouri River, boating, fishing, skiing and swimming.

After retirement in 1999, he devoted time to the development of game habitat at the family farm. He was an avid researcher and historian, with vast knowledge of Native American history and family geneology. Having family origins in Scotland and Ireland, he traveled to Scotland with family in 2014 and described it as the most wonderful trip he ever had. Kenneth loved spending time with his family and grandchildren and blessed them with his love and devotion.

Barry Lynn Sinkular was born on Dec. 21, 1949, in Winner, SD, to Woodrow and Elsie (Schmidt) Sinkular, joining twin brothers Ken and Kent. He graduated from Gregory High School in 1968 and from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in 1973 with a degree in Civil Engineering.

Barry married Carol Dykeman in 1985 and they later divorced.  He married Jeannette Adams on Aug. 3, 1991.

Barry was a lifelong farmer and rancher until his retirement in March 2010.

When he wasn’t farming or ranching, Barry loved to fish, golf and play cards, which made his transition into retirement an easy and enjoyable one. His favorite summer pastime was walking in the mornings in Gregory with Clarence Ehnes and Perry Powell and then heading to the course for a round of “geezer golf” and then back to the course on Wednesday afternoons for league play. He also made uncountable trips with brothers-in-law and friends to the Missouri River for walleye fishing and fished the local bass dams if the walleye weren’t biting. When the weather didn’t cooperate for fishing or golfing you could find him socializing and playing cards at the Dallas Mini-Mart. He also spent many hours playing Hearts and FreeCell on the computer. Barry liked to watch football and baseball (Minnesota Twins mostly) on television but his all-time favorite TV show was “All In The Family”–Archie Bunker made him laugh out loud. Barry also enjoyed watching Gregory High School Football and attended regularly.

Barry liked to travel and he and Jeannette enjoyed vacations to Mexico, Florida, Arizona, Washington State, Oregon and Canada. He, along with relatives and friends, took several fishing trips to Alaska, also.

Barry passed away suddenly on Jan. 1, 2017, in Vermillion, SD, at the age of 67 years.

Everett was born May 5, 1920 on the Terca homestead south of Presho. He was the 5th of 6 children born to James and Gertrude Terca. He attended school through the 8th grade.

He married Frances Terca on Feb. 5, 1943. To this union two daughters were born, Sharon 9-1-1943 and Lorna 11-2-1944.

He was a farmer and rancher all his working life. Starting from the time he was a boy, until he retired at the age of 80. He loved nature, cows, pigs, chickens, farming, the smell of dirt, gardening and just being outside. There was only one thing he didn’t like, a Shetland Pony. The pony bit him and he sold it! He raised cattle for many years and loved to garden, always raising a very large garden. Mother informed him it was too large, if it was green he could make it grow.

Neither he nor mother were happy with South Dakota Winters, so they spent many years traveling throughout the world, during winter months.

In 1967 dad built mother a new home, just north of the original homestead. They lived there until 2006 when they moved to Valentine, Neb., to be close to their daughter Lorna.

Dad loved to read until his eye sight went bad. Then he took life as it came, never complaining. He was the kindest, gentlest and forgiving man I know. He was always positive and looked at the good side of everything, always the optimist.

Dorothy Jean Wales was born in Ainsworth on July 25, 1933 to Charles and Gatha (Jackman) Berckhemer.  Dorothy had two brothers and one sister. Dorothy grew up in the Ainsworth area and attended school there. She graduated from Ainsworth High School in 1950.

Dorothy married Richard Wales at the Ainsworth Congregational Church on Jan. 7, 1951. To this union three children were born, Vicki Dee, Kimberly Lee, and Wesley Wade. They worked the farm until 1981 when they moved to Millboro, SD. Rick passed away on Oct. 11, 2000. Dorothy continued to live on the farm until her health failed and she then moved to Winner Long Term Care in the fall of 2016.
Dorothy helped on the farm when needed but she really enjoyed her garden and her flowers the most. Dorothy thought that weeding in her garden was a therapeutic thing to do. Dorothy’s mom died when she was 16 and she learned to cook from her mother-in-law. She was known for her fruit cake that would take her thirty days to make and her oatmeal raisin cookies.

Dorothy was active in several groups over the years including Job’s Daughters, Girls Scouts, and 4-H with her children. Her hands were never idle and she loved to knit and crochet. Her last knitting project was a baby blanket for her newest great granddaughter, asking her daughter Vicki to help finish. Her future dream was to make everyone a new blanket.

Bible studies and talking about her faith and its promises was very important to her.

She found great fun when someone commented on her wild nail colors , especially green. She loved the nail polishing sessions at long term care, along with bingo, enjoying every time she won a prize.

She often reminisced about her Extension club days and when she worked around the community. Dorothy loved her grandchildren and will be missed by many.

Dorothy passed away at Winner Long Term Care on Jan. 2, 2017 at the age of 83 years.

Leonard was born to Daniel Dickhaut and Rose Sayler Dickhaut at Lesterville, SD on Nov. 28, 1936. He moved to Tolstoy, SD with his family as a young boy and moved to Roscoe, SD as a young man.

Leonard was released from active duty training and returned to State control as a member of the Army Reserve to complete his remaining service obligation of 5 years and five months after his father passed away in 1961. He took over the farm and took care of his mother until her death in 1966.

He married Mona Genzlinger on June 15, 1966 at Howard, SD. They lived in Madison and Howard before moving to Winner in 1976. He was a lumber yard manager and was an interior and exterior painter in Winner.

Sandra Jean Cahoy, was born on June, 23, 1942 to Ted & Dorothy Frasch in Lynch, NE. She passed away Dec. 30th, 2016, in Norfolk, Neb, at age 74.

Sandy was a beautiful, strong, and independent woman. She attended high school in Fairfax, SD. Sandy went on to earn a business degree at Gale Institute in Minneapolis, Minn. She worked several years for the South Dakota State Highway Department. In 1962, Sandy met and married the love of her life, Don Cahoy of Bonesteel, SD. Together they had 4 children and raised them on a farm near St. Charles, SD. Sandy was a devoted Catholic and a member of Immaculate Conception Altar Society in Bonesteel and the Sacred Heart Parish in Norfolk, Neb. She was instrumental in starting the Chaplet of Divine Mercy in Norfolk and a Pro-life supporter. Don and Sandy are strong pro-life advocates and received an award for outstanding support. Sandy was an avid Green Bay Packer and Nebraska Husker fan. She loved watching sports! She also enjoyed spending time with family & friends. Sandy loved traveling the world, dancing, going to movies and doing word searches. In recent years, Sandy and Don spent their winters enjoying all of her favorite activities with their new friends that became family to them at their home in Yuma, Arizona.