Category Archives: News

Paul Everett Taggart, 82

  By | |
Leave a comment

paul-taggart-obit

Paul Everett Taggart was born on the farm north of Dallas, SD in Irwin Township, Tripp County on March 3, 1934 to Archie & Helen (Beckers) Taggart. He joined three siblings with two to follow.

Paul attended St. Joseph Catholic School in Gregory until the eighth grade. Then he started farming with his Dad and continued to do so for the next 50 years until his health would no longer permit.

Paul married Ruth Peitz on November 12, 1955 and to this union five children were born. Paul enjoyed raising sheep, hogs, and cattle and spent many a night in the farrowing house and lambing barn with his family assisting. When he wasn’t busy with farming, livestock, and the pheasant hunting business, he was going to rodeos, wrestling matches, basketball, football, and baseball games. Paul served many years on the board of directors at the Dallas Elevator and was a life long member of the Knights of Columbus.

Paul didn’t say a lot but when he did you better listen, as such; do something even if it’s wrong, always plant wheat in the fall you don’t know what spring will bring, if you keep pushing something’s got to give, and if they holler don’t ask them to work cattle.

Paul enjoyed going to cattle sales and was known to have an eye for cattle. He was a serious poker player and a fun-loving pitch player. A kind, quiet man that would keep our somewhat crazy family gatherings calm and sensible (or at least he tried). His deep faith was at the heart of all that he did. Paul religiously attended Mass until health conditions would not allow. Paul was a fair and most appreciative man that would never complain about anything, and that was one, among many, of the greatest life lessons he shared with his family and all that knew him.

Paul peacefully passed away at the Avera Gregory Hospital on December 10, 2016, at the age of 82.

Bridget ‘Bea’ Angela Massingale, 88

  By | |
Leave a comment

massingale-obit

Bridget ‘Bea’ Angela Massingale was born Oct. 16, 1928 near Wood, South Dakota on the Thunder Creek to John and Mary (Dittman) Rohloff. She died Dec. 4, 1916 at the Community Memorial Hospital in Burke, South Dakota at the age of 88 years.

Bea was raised on a farm near Wood, the third of for children. She taught school for a year and later met Ross Massingale. They were married May 14, 1948 and to this union four children were born: Dian, John and the twins Bill and Betty. Bea and Ross ranched and had a spraying operation.

She enjoyed living on the ranch, gardening, fishing, traveling and her grandchildren. In her younger years you could catch her Hula Hooping with kids and filming the family. She enjoyed having friends and family over for coffee.

After her husband’s passing, Bea became friends with Duane Dvorak. The enjoyed time together in Wood where she also loved gardening, her pets and having coffee and treats for her frequent visitors. They loved taking the grandchildren fishing, hunting, boating and trips to the cabin in the Black Hills. They enjoyed yearly trips to Alaska sightseeing and fishing for salmon. Together they had many adventures until Duane’s passing in September of 1991.

After this Bea Willis (Kiki) Dickson and spent the rest of her time with him. The two enjoyed going out, going to the casino and visiting kids and grandchildren. Upon moving to Valentine, she lived in an apartment before moving to the Cherry Hills Assisted Living. She enjoyed her time there until moving to the TLC Assisted Living Burke, so she could be closer to her daughter. She lived there until her passing. Everyday Kiki would call and talk to her, making sure she knew he was always there.

Robert Herman Kenobbie, 88

  By | |
Leave a comment

kenobbie-obit-jpg

Robert Herman Kenobbie was born on Oct. 2, 1928 to Andrew Casper and Mary Amelia (Krause) Kenobbie in Reliance, SD. He graduated from Reliance High School in 1948, served four years in the Naval Reserve and in 1978, moved from Oacoma to Platte, SD. Bob was a hard worker; he worked at Al’s Oasis, had cattle and was an engineer for the South Dakota Department of Transportation for 41 years, retiring in 1988. He helped design Snake Creek and was inducted into the Transportation Hall of Honor in 2005.

Robert was united in marriage to Donna Kruske on July 25, 1986 at their home in Platte. He was a member of the First Reformed Church and a lifetime member of Campbell-Timmerman American Legion Post #115. He raised and trained coon dogs and also hunted raccoons to sell the fur. Bob had a good sense of humor, enjoyed gardening, helping others and cooking for different events. Bob loved his kids and his entire family dearly.

Leonard Jansen, 92

  By | |
Leave a comment

leonard-jansen-oibt

Leonard Walter Jansen was born June 19, 1924, in Dallas, SD, the sixth child of thirteen to Albert and Lena (Gruhn) Jansen. He attended several country schools and graduated from Dallas High School.

On February 7, 1946 Leonard married Donna Mae Wardrip. To this union two children were adopted, Mary Jane born March 31, 1948 and David Leonard born October 20, 1950.

In 1953, Leonard and Donna bought the Henry Saathoff farm west of Dallas where he showed his great love for farming. Upon their retirement, they built a new home in Gregory and spent many winters in Arizona until 1997 when Donna was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and they remained at home in Gregory. Donna died suddenly on May 26, 1999.

On August 11, 2000, Leonard married Clarice (Hight) Christiansen. They then sold the house in Gregory and moved back to the farm west of Dallas.

After a fall in their home, Leonard entered Rosebud Country Care Center in December of 2015. He passed away suddenly on Dec. 4, 2016 at the age of 92.

Join Swier Law Firm in Helping the Animals at the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society this Holiday Season!

  By | |
Leave a comment

humane-society

Usually, the only difference between animals in shelters and the ones curled up by our side is merely a stroke of bad luck. Many of us consider our animals as a member of the family unit, and rightly so. After all, it is a horrifying thought to picture the animals we love sitting alone in a shelter – so it is easy for us to simply not imagine it at all. They deserve better.

Swier Law Firm is putting down its legal books and asking you to join us in raising money to help the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society this holiday season. Let’s make sure our furry and feathery friends find a forever home. Join us in feeding some of the most innocent and unconditionally loving souls! The coming holiday season is the toughest time of the year for the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society because of freezing temperatures and holiday spending. Whether you want to give two dollars or two hundred, every single contribution matters.

Even if you don’t have an extra dollar or two, many of us have some blankets, pads of paper, or a junk drawer full of unused pens that are just waiting to be put to good use. Please take a moment and look at the wish list of bare necessities below to keep our furry and feathery friends warm, fed, and happy.

The initial motivation behind this holiday fundraiser at Swier Law Firm was the loss of some very loved four-legged family members this past year. We decided the best way to honor them was to help feed some of their less fortunate brothers and sisters. Whether you’re making memories or remembering them, we encourage all donations to include a photo, memory, or message to honor those animals that have enhanced the quality of our lives. Near or Far—You Can Help!

Stop in or mail your items to 2121 W 63rd Place Suite 200, Sioux Falls, SD 57108 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.on Monday through Friday. If you can only make it outside of those hours, please contact us and we will set something up with you personally. Or donate Funds at our GoFundMe page created specifically for this movement and we’ll use 100% of all donations towards the Wish List. Donations are accepted until January 13, 2017, at 5:00 p.m. and a final itemized list of all donations will be posted no later than January 20, 2017.

Wake Up! Missing 1-2 Hours of Sleep Doubles Crash Risk

  By | |
Leave a comment

driving

AAA Foundation study reveals the dangers of getting less than seven hours of sleep

Drivers who miss between one to two hours of the recommended seven hours of sleep in a 24-hour period nearly double their risk for a crash, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 35 percent of U.S. drivers sleep less than the recommended seven hours daily. And with drowsy driving involved in more than one in five fatal crashes on U.S. roadways each year, AAA warns drivers that getting less than seven hours of sleep may have deadly consequences.

“You cannot miss sleep and still expect to be able to safely function behind the wheel,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Our new research shows that a driver who has slept for less than five hours has a crash risk comparable to someone driving drunk.”

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s report, Acute Sleep Deprivation and Risk of Motor Vehicle Crash Involvement, reveals that drivers missing 2-3 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period more than quadrupled their risk of a crash compared to drivers getting the recommended seven hours of sleep. This is the same crash risk the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration associates with driving over the legal limit for alcohol.

The AAA Foundation report found that in a 24-hour period, crash risk for sleep-deprived drivers increased steadily when compared to drivers who slept the recommended seven hours or more:
· Six to seven hours of sleep: 1.3 times the crash risk
· Five to six hours of sleep: 1.9 times the crash risk
· Four to five hours of sleep: 4.3 times the crash risk
· Less than four hours of sleep: 11.5 times the crash risk

While 97 percent of drivers told the AAA Foundation they view drowsy driving as a completely unacceptable behavior that is a serious threat to their safety, nearly one in three admit that at least once in the past month they drove when they were so tired they had a hard time keeping their eyes open.

“Managing a healthy work-life balance can be difficult and far too often we sacrifice our sleep as a result,” said Jake Nelson, director of Traffic Safety Advocacy and Research for AAA. “Failing to maintain a healthy sleep schedule could mean putting yourself or others on the road at risk.”

Symptoms of drowsy driving can include having trouble keeping eyes open, drifting from lanes or not remembering the last few miles driven. However, more than half of drivers involved in fatigue-related crashes experienced no symptoms before falling asleep behind the wheel. AAA urges drivers to not rely on their bodies to provide warning signs of fatigue and should instead prioritize getting plenty of sleep (at least seven hours) in their daily schedules. For longer trips, drivers should also:
· Travel at times when normally awake
· Schedule a break every two hours or every 100 miles
· Avoid heavy foods
· Travel with an alert passenger and take turns driving
· Avoid medications that cause drowsiness or other impairment

The AAA Foundation report is based on the analysis of a representative sample of 7,234 drivers involved in 4,571 crashes. All data is from the NHTSA’s National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey which comprised a representative sample of police-reported crashes that involved at least one vehicle that was towed from the scene and resulted in emergency medical services being dispatched to the scene.

Kelsea Kenzy Sutton joins team at First Fidelity Bank

  By | |
Leave a comment

kelsea-kenzy-sutton-2

Kelsea Kenzy Sutton will be the fifth generation of the Lillibridge family to work at First Fidelity Bank. She will be joining the bank as an Assistant Compliance Officer beginning Jan. 1, 2017. Her duties will include making sure the bank and all its branches are following all national and state banking laws and regulations, as well as professional standards and accepted business practices.

Kelsea is a graduate of the University of Colorado in Boulder Colorado, where she received her BA in English and History. She then attended the University of South Dakota at Vermillion where she completed her law degree and also a Master’s degree in History. Kelsea was previously employed as an associate attorney by Johnson Pochop and Bartling, a law office located in Gregory, South Dakota.

Kelsea is married to Billie Sutton and they have one child named William (Liam) John Sutton. They reside in Burke, South Dakota, and enjoy being active members of their community.

Two Named to All-Academic

  By | |
Leave a comment

kray-and-shayden-drey

Shayden Drey and Kray Krolikowski, both of Winner, and members of the University of Sioux Falls football team, have been named to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference fall all-academic team.

To be eligible for this honor, students must be a member of the varsity traveling team and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher.

Furthermore, the student must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing and must have completed at least one full academic year at that institution.