Category Archives: News

Bonnelle Jewell was born 15 January 1923 to Charles Cyrus and Myrtle Florence (Bloodhart) Jewell, on the farm in Carlock Twp. Gregory, SD. Bonnelle was the last of eleven children born to the family. She passed away of natural causes on June 4 at the age of 93.

Funeral services were held on June 8 at the Grace Lutheran Church of Burke, followed by burial at the IOOF Cemetery in Gregory.

Bonnelle became a member of the Fairmont Methodist Church on 13 September 1936, a country church south of Gregory (after marriage she joined the Luthran Church in Colome, SD.)

She attended Dowling school District #34 grades 1-8. She graduated Gregory High School in 1940 and went one year of college at Wayne Sate College, Wayne, NE. After leaving school she moved to Deadwood, SD to live with her next older sister, Neva. Bonnelle was employed with Bell Telephone in Deadwood as a telephone operator.

In 1943, she met and married the love of her life, Harry P. Spreckels, on Oct. 31, 1943, the son of Charles Fred and Anna Karoline (Stenslid) Spreckels.

Bonnelle belonged to the Sunshine Sisters Extension Club in the 1940’s while living on the Hamill farm. After moving to Gregory, SD in 1990 she attended the Grace Lutheran Church in Burke, SD. Bonnelle was a beautiful seamstress making hers and her three daughters clothing until they went to high school. She made many beautiful square dance outfits as Harry was a square dance caller for many years. She also loved to garden, raise chickens and had beautiful flowers. Bonnelle loved to entertain, no one ever stopped that she didn’t serve a lovely lunch, especially her homemade pies, pastry rolls and buns.

Bonnelle was a wonderful wife and mother, her children and family loved her dearly and will miss her forever.

Libbie Hecht, 93, of Winner, South Dakota entered into peace on June 4, 2016 at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Funeral services were held on June 10 at Mason Funeral Home with burial in the Winner City Cemetery.

Libbie was born March 30, 1923 on the family farm in the Hamill, South Dakota area to Fred and Mary (Klima) Beranek. She attended country school in the Hamill area through the 8th grade. She was married to Arthur Hecht on June 12, 1946. To this union, two daughters were born, Lea Ann and Marcy. They lived in the rural Winner area early in their life together, eventually moving to Winner, where they spent the rest of their lives. After Arthur’s death in 1985, Libbie remained in their home and then moved to an apartment in 1995. The Elder Inn became her home in 2000 where she resided until moving to Winner Long Term Care in February of 2015.

She was a member of the American Legion and Western Bohemian Fraternal Association. Libbie enjoyed taking care of others, as a housekeeper, an aide at the Winner Nursing Home, and an in-home caretaker for the elderly. Mostly, she loved taking care of her family, especially her mother-in-law, Lizzie (Adolph) Hecht.

Francis Kramer, 96, Winner, passed away on June 8 at the Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. on June 13 at the United Methodist Church in Winner. Burial was held at the Bassett Memorial Park in Bassett, Neb.

Francis was born at his parents’ ranch east of Bassett, Nebraska, February 12, 1920. After first working with his parents, Francis continued to expand his holdings and build a successful ranching business. He enjoyed employing young people to assist with haying, and many of them remained friends throughout his life time. In 1984, his ranch was honored with a Pioneer Farm Award. In 1986, Francis moved to Bassett to be able to better care for his mother. Francis was a strong and generous supporter of Rock County and the community of Bassett.

In his retirement, Francis enjoyed dancing, playing cards and traveling.
In 2004, Francis met his dancing partner, and they married in 2005. He became a loving husband and filled their home with a wise, gentle, kind, and fun loving nature, quickly embraced by his new family.

Francis peacefully passed away on June 8, 2016.