Category Archives: News

Winner School opens Aug. 18

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The opening of the 2022-2023 school year in the Winner School District will be Thursday, Aug. 18. Classes will be from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

There will be school all day on Friday, Aug. 19.

New teachers are: Morgan Juracek, elementary special education; Lucas Fredrick, high school & middle school band and chorus; Tracy Childress, ag teacher and FFA advisor; Madyson Morehart, speech pathologist.

New para professionals will be Kasie Leighton, kindergarten; Megan Mead, Daesha Klein, elementary special education; Shelia Egemann, middle school, high school special education.

This year the new addition to the elementary school will open. This will feature four classrooms. There will be three 5th grade classrooms plus a resource room.

The second grade classrooms that were on the north end have moved to the west end.

Supt. Keven Morehart said the preschool will be located in the north wing. Sarah Novotny will be the pre school teacher but she is doing her student teaching. Morehart said she will be hired in December as the teacher. The long term sub for pre school will be Marcia Bertram.

There will be new geo thermal heat and air conditioning in the elementary school.

At the high school, the art room was moved upstairs and is now in the former chorus room.

The downstairs art room will be LeGrande Woods science room. Also downstairs will be a new office for middle school guidance counselor Haley Barfuss.

Even thought school is in session, there will be some construction. There will be a new wrestling and cheer/dance room built to the west of the administration building. It will be approximately 100×50 and will provide plenty of room for these three sports to practice.

Bids will be opened in October with construction starting that month.

Completion date is fall of 2023.

The staging area for construction equipment and supplies will be in front of the administration building on 7th St. Persons will not be able to drive through the area in front of the administration building as it will be fenced off.

Morehart says he is excited for the start of school. “It is always good to get the kids back,” he said.

The superintendent says enrollment is higher than expected. The enrollment is estimated at 734 where the district was expecting 710 students.

The Winner Out of School time program will start on Aug. 18.

David “Dave” Marlo Winckler, 65

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David “Dave” Marlo Winckler, 65, of Vermillion, SD, died at his home, amongst his loving family, July 14, 2022, after a lengthy illness.

A casual celebration of life was held on Aug. 6, at the Eagles Club in Vermillion.

Dave was born December 28, 1956 to Hubert and Edna (Fischer) Winckler in Tyndall, SD and was the third youngest of a slew of siblings. He loved the farm, near Tyndall, where he lived until his family moved into town in 1967. He played Tyndall Panther football and graduated from Tyndall High School in 1975 and played fast pitch softball for Roy’s Bar’


Dave attended and graduated from post-secondary schooling at Pipestone (Minn.) Area Vo-Tech, along with his future wife, Sue, and graduated in 1980.


January 10, 1981, he married Susan “Sue” Olson of Burbank, SD. In 1985, they began their family and from this union, three daughters were born Amanda (Mandy), Sandi and Sadie.


Dave played softball for the Eagles Club in Vermillion for several years. Dave and Sue lived in Vermillion for the entirety of their marriage.


Dave’s favorite jobs as an adult, were managing the Eagles Club in Vermillion and helping his farming friends during spring plantings and fall harvests. This got him back to the “farm days” he cherished as a youngster.
Dave is survived by his wife Sue; daughters Mandy (Jeremy) GoBell and Sandi (Joe) Pulliam, all of Sioux Falls and Sadie (Josh) Frye of Vermillion; grandchildren, Devin, Own and Ethan GoBell, Kingston Fabian, Bennet Meendering and Brooklynn Pushor, all of Sioux Falls; sisters, Norma (Bob) Bender of St. Helena, NE, Arla (Lavern) Dangel of Yankton; brothers, Joe (Loretta) of Meckling, Jarvis (Marilyn) of Avon, Murry (Lisa) of Collinsville, VI, Larry of Indiana, PA; sister-in-law, Barbara Winckler of Winner and many nieces, nephews and cousins.


Dave was proceded in death by his parents, Hubert and Edna; his brothers, Leland and Myron (Mike); an unborn grandson and several beloved in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Wayne Mathisen, 55

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Wayne Mathisen, 55, of Brighton, CO passed away on Saturday, July 30, 2022 at the Boulder Community Hospital in Boudler, CO. 

Funeral service will be held on Friday, Aug. 12, 2022 at 2 p.m. at the Hamill Hall in Hamill, SD.  Burial will follow in the Hamill Cemetery.  A visitation will be held on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Hamill, SD from 6-7 p.m. with a prayer service beginning at 7 p.m.

Wayne Mathisen (George Wayne Mathisen) was born June 19, 1967, at Boulder Community Hospital, Boulder, Colorado to George and Linda (Walden) Mathisen.  He passed away at Boulder Community Hospital, Boulder, Colorado on July 30, 2022, at the age of 55 due to complications from a long battle with cancer.

Wayne grew up in Brighton, CO and graduated from Brighton High School in 1986.  He was an athlete and played sports all through school, including one semester playing HS football in San Diego, CA.  He went on to play semi-pro football in Colorado for several years.

After he graduated, Wayne worked for Del Hensel working with his buffalo herd.  He worked the corrals at National Western Stock Show as a Buffalero.  Later he went to work for Bob Dineen at Rocky Mountain Meats and delivered buffalo meat to area stores.  Wayne’s love of farming also landed him working for his best friend, Kevin Willard at W-Spur Hay Co.  Farming always kept him around the people and things that he loved the most.

During those years, Wayne started working in the gas and oil industry.  Over the span of 35 years, he worked for KN Energy and, through industry mergers and changes, ended up at Noble Energy for several years.  He made many great and life-long friends while he was in the industry.  Eventually, Wayne started his own company which was a huge blessing to him.

Through his association with the National Western Stock Show and friends, Wayne became a livestock superintendent and worked the NWSS every January for 23 years.  He became a member of the NWSS Club in 2003, which he enjoyed very much, especially after he retired from the Livestock side.

Wayne loved the water and was an amazing swimmer.  He had a boat and was a member of the Fort Lupton Boat Club for many years.  He loved going to the lake every summer.

Wayne was an avid hunter and loved to go elk hunting in the Colorado mountains and pheasant hunting in South Dakota.  He loved to shoot sporting clays and shot competitively for many years.

In December 1997, Wayne met the love of his life, DeEtta Holthus.  He followed her around for a few months and reconnected in February 1998 on her birthday at the Black Hills Stock Show in Rapid City, SD.  Once they started dating, they were inseparable and on Sept. 4, 1999, they were married in Rapid City.

Wayne and DeEtta spent many summer weekends in Centennial WY with their horses and, in the winter, they snowmobiled the Snowy Range.  They also went every July to Cheyenne Frontier Days with many of their friends. Wyoming has always been a special place for them.

Wayne and DeEtta spent the last 20 years living in Keenesburg, CO, with their horses, a few cats and their dogs, Bo and Luke.

Wayne is survived by his wife, DeEtta of 23 years; his father, George; his step-mother, Jill; his brother, Bart (Pam); his step-brother Steve Durgan; his step-sister, Carmen (Chuck) Heister; his brother-in-law, Tex Holthus; his sister-in-law, Crystal (Dusty) Needham; several nieces and nephews; three aunts; and many cousins. 

He was preceded in death by his mother, Linda Walden; his father-in-law, Jake Holthus; and his mother-in-law, Bernice Holthus.

Wayne had so many friends in his life, and he loved each and every one of them.  He had a big heart and gave big hugs.  He was truly blessed.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022, at 11 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Hudson, CO.  And a Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022, at 2 p.m. at the SE Weld County Fairgrounds, Keenesburg, CO.

Illa Derry, 74

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Illa Derry, 74, of Wood, SD passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022 at the Winner Regional Healthcare Facility in Winner, SD.

 Funeral service was held on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at the Mason Funeral Home in Winner, SD.  Burial will followed in the Evergreen Cemetery in Wood, SD.  A visitation was held one hour prior to funeral service.

Illa Mae Derry was born on July 5, 1948 in Winner, South Dakota to Wendell and Florence (Burgess) Dimond of Wood, South Dakota.  Illa was the 6th child of seven children, Shirley, Larry, Marilyn, Ronnie, Burton, Illa and Karen.

Illa attended school in Wood, South Dakota graduating in 1966.  She also attended Springfield College.  Illa was a cheerleader, loved being in school plays, worked on the school year book and loved high school sports.

Illa married Robert E. Derry in 1966.  They owned and ranched at Derry Cattle Co.  Illa loved ranching, sewing, her flowers, roses, as well as a passion for cooking for her family.

As youngsters she loved playing in the mud, making mud pies with her siblings and she also had a great loved for working with cattle and hogs.

In 1970, Dawn Denine was born to Illa and Robert Derry.  Illa had two grandchildren, Levi and Riley who she adored and loved attending as many of their sports events as she could.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Wendell and Florence (Burgess) Dimond, brother Larry Dimond, nephews; Ryan and Chad Harris, Scott Dimond and Ronnie Derry, brothers-in-law, Jerry Bruning, Lee Galbraith and Jim Hedlund.

Illa is survived by her spouse Robert E. Derry of Wood, SD,  daughter Dawn (Blake) McClanahan of Winner, SD, Grandchildren; Levi McClanahan and Riley McClanahan of Winner, SD, siblings; Shirley Bruning of Gillette, WY, Marilyn Galbraith of Wood, SD, Ronnie (Linda) Dimond of Wood, SD, Burton (Mary) Dimond of Witten, SD, Karen (Glenn) Harris of Rapid City, SD, sisters-in-law Twila Edwards of Wisconsin, Linda Hedlund of Washington, brothers-in-law Claude (Judy) Derry of Winner, SD, Ken (Marilyn) Derry of Oklahoma and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Summer at the 4-H Extension Office

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Teresa Taylor — Staff Writer

In the summer of 2021, the SDSU 4-H Extension Office in Winner gained a part-time assistant, Ryan Sell. In 2022, shortly after graduating from Winner High School, he applied and interviewed through SDSU for the full-time position.

Sell spent his time at the Extension Office answering phone calls, assisting with workshops, mailing reminders, and preparing for the Mid Dakota Fair.

Over the first half of the summer, the 4-H Extension Office hosted 13 workshops. Sell assisted with eleven and led two. Nearly all of the workshops filled their capacities, and several had waiting lists.

In May, he supervised Cloverbuds (ages 5-7) building wooden derby cars and helped them race their cars on a track borrowed from the Boy Scouts.

“At the first workshop, none of the parents stayed, and I could barely control them,” Sell said.

The Cloverbuds’ parents stayed for his next workshop in June, and it ran much more smoothly. Sell oversaw a successful Cloverbud Project Day. They made chalk, designed bean art, and painted clay pots. Each Cloverbud planted a flower, and Sell encouraged them to keep it alive for the Mid Dakota Fair.“They can go to the fair, put their items in the corner, not do any paperwork, and still get ribbons,” Sell said.

The Mid Dakota Fair ran Aug. 2 through 6. The previous Friday, Sell and Debby Steinke began setting up and decorating. At the fair, Sell worked to ensure the events ran smoothly, managed late entries, and announced for small animals.

When Sell was younger, the inflatables were his favorite part of the fair. This year, his favorite part was seeing all the people.

“I got to see a lot of people who I remembered or who remembered me when I was littler,” Sell said. “It’s like going to school. You hate it because you have to do all the work, but the one silver lining is that you see your friends every day.”

 August 12 will be Sell’s last day at the Extension Office. The following week, he will start his first year at Dakota State University for computer science.

“This last week will be spent mostly decompressing and getting everything out of the 4-H Center and back to the office,” Sell said. “If you think about it, my whole job was one big build up to the fair, fair happened, and now the last week will be spent cleaning up.”

Heartwarming video features Bruce Carrier and grandson

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A youth league baseball player gives his first home run ball to his grandfather in a heartwarming video that made it all the way to ESPN.

The clip featured Bruce Carrier, former superintendent of the Winner School District and his grandson.

The story of Carrier and his grandson even made the New York Post in New York City.

In the video clip, Carrier’s grandson approaches his grandfather, who now lives in Sioux Falls, gushing about smacking two homers, one of which was a grand slam.

“I signed the ball for you,” the boy says “and it says, Papa, I love you.”

Carrier, who got emotional, asked his grandson why he did that and the boy said, “You taught me everything about baseball,” he said with tears rolling down is face.

“That’s so sweet,” said Carrier.

Moments like there are what baseball is all about.

Here are some of the responses from New Yorkers and others to the Post story:

This is so much more than baseball..love it.

He was my coach in jr and sr high school. Great man and I will never forget him.

I hope this kid goes places whether major league ball or whatever path he chooses. Kid done great for his grandpa. Young man not all heroes wear capes.

That’s the best thing ever.

Grandpa is the man

Truck detour in place

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The cold mill machine will return to take out some of the pavement between Jackson St. and Subway on Highway 44.

This was one of the updates presented by Doug Sherman of the South Dakota DOT at the Aug. 2 highway update meeting.

With the cold mill back there will flaggers and pilot cars.

Sherman said Cherry Street which had been closed was scheduled to be opened on Aug. 2.

Sherman added that the Family Dollar approach will be built in phases and it will be very narrow entering this business.

There is a truck detour in place on Highway 44. The detour is Highway 49 and Highway 18. Sherman asks for cooperation in observing the detour.

He noted there is a membrane on the new highway surface and it could be damaged by trucks and that is one of the reasons for the detour.

If local truck traffic needs to get to a business that is allowed.

The concrete paving on Highway 44 is expected to start after Labor Day.

Please drive slow and follow all signs on Highway 44.

DuBray crowned at pageant

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Taya DuBray, age 5, was crowned national American Miss South Dakota princess for 2022 at the National American Miss pageant which was held in Des Moines, Iowa, this weekend.

DuBray is the daughter of Charles and Jennifer DuBray, youngest sister to CJ, Sophia and Benjamin DuBray. She is also the granddaughter of Lee and Kathy Peneaux and Fidel and Rose Mendoza, all of Winner.

DuBray went into the pageant as a first timer. Her family saw a story on Facebook and decided to sign up their daughter. There was a phone interview where she was selected as a finalist.

She attended the pageant in Des Moines where she competed in formal, casual wear plus took part in an interview.

The Winner girl will be attending nationals in Orlando, Fla., the week of Thanksgiving.

Legion wins state runner-up honors

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Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Winner/Colome Legion baseball team took runner-up honors at the state meet in Gregory. Pictured in front from left are Statton Morehart, Ryder Halligan, Justin Hausmann, Karson Keiser, Charley Pravecek, Maxton Brozik, Zac Olson, Landon Calhoon. In back from left are coach Shane Phillips, Ethan Bartels, Aiden Barfuss, Jack Peters, Adam Bohnet, Joey Cole, bat boy Maddux Phillips, Ashton Klein, Pierce Nelson and coach Dan Pravecek.

Despite a five run deficit in the sixth inning, Winner/Colome Legion team almost came all the way back to defeat Vermillion in the Class B Legion meet. However, the Royals fell in a heart breaker 8-7.

Despite the over 100 degree heat last Tuesday both team battled for a state title.

Vermillion took a 6-1 lead but Winner/Colome fired right back with five runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 6-6.

The both teams traded runs to tie it again 7-7. The regulation game ended 7-7 and the two teams headed an extra inning.

The game was delayed for about 10 minutes in the bottom of the 7th inning when Vermillion catcher T. J. Tracy went down with cramps and shortly after home plate umpire Doug Ruesik had to leave the game after dealing with heat-related issue.

When play resumed Vermillion was able to get the winning run.

Barfuss had two doubles and Joey Cole, one. Barfuss was the leader at the plate as he was 3-4 with 2 RBIs.

Charley Pravecek was 2-4.

Ethan Bartels pitched 6.2 innings and Barfuss, 1.1.

The Royals defeated Hartford Humboldt 8-7 on Friday in the first round of the state meet.

Hartford/Humboldt jumped out to an early 6-3 lead through four innings before the Royals came back with two runs in the fifth and five in the sixth to claim the victory.

Barfuss led the way at the plate as he was 4-4 with two runs and four RBIs. Joey Cole went 2-4 with three runs and one RBI.

Barfuss also won the win on the mound in three innings of relief.

Winner Colome defeated Redfield 10-5 on Sunday. The Royals big inning was the sixth when they scored 6 runs.

Barfuss had a home run and Cole a double.

Justin Hausmann pitched five innings and Ryder Halligan, 1.

On Monday, Winner/Colome lost to Gregory 9-3. The Royals has 4 hits. Barfuss had a home run and Barfuss a double.

Landon Calhoon pitched 3.1 innings and Kaden Keiser, 3.2.

The game on Monday set up who would play in the championship the next day.

The Legion team ended the season with a 16-8 record.

Cowboy Fair set for Colome

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It will be fun time in Colome on Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Cowboy Fair.

There are events going on all day and will conclude with a street dance.

A farmers market will be held in the Colome city park starting at 10 a.m.

All vendors are welcome.

The Colome Volunteer Fire Department will be having a basic fire education for kids. This will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The fire department will be set up next to the park. There will be fire safety awareness. The kids will get to try on some fire gear.

The Colome park committee will be serving lunch in the park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The fair will feature a scavenger hunt which is being organized by Kathy Hrabanek.

There will be cowboy fast draw shooting starting at 11 a.m.

Wiffle ball will be played starting at 1 p.m. This will be located in the open lot between Skatetowne and the Vet’s Hall.

Persons can just show up to play wiffle ball.

There will be a car, pickup, motorcycle show on Main Street from 3-5 p.m. Persons can park on Main Street, take a picture of the vehicle and go into the Frontier Bar to register. A gift certificate will be given for every 25th car that registers for the show.

Starting at 5 p.m. there will be a cruise night as persons can drive around town to show off their vehicle.

Also a 5 p.m., an area will be marked off where persons can do a little tire smoke out and see who can burn some rubber.

There will be a street dance starting at 8 p.m. sponsored by Frontier Bar and 5 Leaf Clover.

The D. J. will be Elvis J. Freshly.

There will be sidewalk art all day where persons of all ages can take some chalk and draw a picture.

183 Ink will be doing tattoos in Dan’s Last Shot.

Country Charm Café will have food and refreshments. In addition, the café will have cornhole and horseshoe plus a mechanical bull.

All are invited to Colome to have a good time on Aug. 13.