Obituaries

Dec 13, 2024

Shirley L. Aronson, 88, Spearfish, SD passed away Friday, December 13, 2024 at Rolling Hills Healthcare in Belle Fourche.  Funeral Services for Shirley will be at 3:00 PM, Friday, December 20, at Countryside Church in Spearfish.  Visitation will be one-hour prior to the service.

Shirley Lucille (Smith) Aronson was born February 11, 1936 to Clarence and Halya...

Dec 13, 2024

Ken was born on October 03, 1957, to Lydia (Kamstra) and Herbert Gatzke in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ken was raised on a farm west of New England, N.D. Playing basketball in high school for the New England Tigers taught him the value of teamwork. Graduation from high school in 1975 was followed by farming with his brother Dale...

Dec 12, 2024

Arlene Jane Watson, a long-time resident of Sturgis, SD, passed away on December 12, 2024, in Centennial, CO.  She was 85 years old.

Arlene was born on June 6, 1939, in Lincoln, NE, the youngest of three children of Roscoe and Mildred (Jordan) Lodwig. When she was 11, her family moved to Omaha, NE, where she attended...

Dec 6, 2024

Marjorie Louise Jutting, 91, Sturgis, passed away December 6, 2024 at Monument Health Sturgis Hospital. She was born December 14, 1932 to Herbert Lundborg and Florence (Anderson) Lundborg in Georgia Township, SD. She was baptized and confirmed in the Grace Lutheran Church in LaBolt, SD, attended school in LaBolt and Strandburg, and later received her G.E.D. in Sturgis. As...

Dec 3, 2024

Betty Lee (Philipsen) Voorhees, 77, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend passed way December 3, 2024, at home with her family by her side.

Betty was born on November 21,1947 to Edward and Evelyn Philipsen at Vale, SD. At a young age they lived in Vale, Stoneville and Nisland and then they moved...

Dec 3, 2024

Michael "Mike" Kelley

A much-loved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and brother, Michael "Mike" Kelley, 72 of Sturgis, SD passed away on December 3, 2024 in Chandler, AZ.  Mike spent most of his life in Sturgis and in the Black Hills area.

Mike graduated from Sturgis Brown High School in 1970.  He had a long career...

Dec 1, 2024

Kathleen Ella (Weideman) Johnston,69, daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother passed December 1st, 2024, in Gloucester, Virginia after several long illnesses.

Kathleen was born March 16th, 1955, in Belle Fourche, SD, attending school in Belle Fourche and graduating in 1973 from BFHS.

Kathleen would welcome Elizabeth April 6, 1974.  After high school Kathleen worked as...

Nov 25, 2024

Guy M. Virkula, 90, Spearfish, SD formerly of Lead, passed away Monday, November 25, 2024 at Fort Meade Veterans Administration Healthcare Center.  A memorial visitation for Guy will be held 2:00 – 4:00 PM, Sunday, December 1, 2024 at Black Hills Funeral Home in Sturgis.  Private family inurnment will be at Black Hills National Cemetery.  Friends may gather at...

Nov 25, 2024

Twylah Mae (Johnson) Luedtke passed away four hours shy of her 90th birthday on November 25th, 2024 at Monument Health in Rapid City, SD after a brief battle with cancer. Twylah was born November 26th, 1934 in Philip, SD to Jerrold & Hannah Johnson.

She was the youngest of three children and participated in every sport a...

Nov 25, 2024

In her own words…

I came into this world on March 1, 1927 – born to Rose Drappeau and John Hudson. This all took place at the Rosebud Indian Hospital in Rosebud, SD. I grew up in a small town – St. Francis – attended the Mission School there.

My education was gleaned from the...

Nov 24, 2024

Jerald Edwin Schlenker, 57, Sturgis, SD passed away at home on Sunday, November 24, 2024.

Jerald was born January 20th, 1967, in Pierre, SD. He attended school in Onida, SD until the family moved to Patagonia, AZ when he was 9. After gaduating high school, he attended Cochise College and then worked as an airplane mechanic.

Nov 22, 2024

Michele Gerard (Jeffrey) Herz, 69, Summerset, SD climbed the staircase to heaven, Friday, November 22, 2024, peacefully, while at home surrounded by her husband, Eddy, and friends.

Michele was born September 25, 1955 to Paul D. and Ann K. Jeffrey in Denver, Colorado. She was number four of five children; and the most feisty and determined! Her...

Nov 22, 2024

Lowell was born March 30, 1941, at the family farm in Wellington County, South Dakota, to Harry and Etta (Johnson) Rost. Lowell was a standout football player for Humbolt High School and went on to play football at General Beadle State College (now Dakota State University).

While at General Beadle, Lowell not only played football, but he...

Nov 21, 2024

Betty Lorraine (Fugleberg) Maltby was born in Williston, North Dakota on April 4, 1940 to Hilda and Olaf Fugleberg, one of nine children. She was raised in the Williston area, going to school and graduating from Williston High School in 1958. After graduation she went to work at MDU for three years and became roommates with Katie Schumacher.

Nov 20, 2024

Susan J. "Sue" Chaplin, 88, Sturgis, SD passed away Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at Monument Health-Sturgis Hospital.  Visitation for Sue will be 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Sunday, November 24 at the Black Hills Funeral Home in Sturgis.  Funeral Services will be at 10:00 AM, Monday, November 25 at Sturgis First United Methodist Church.  Interment will follow at Black...

Nov 20, 2024

Albert John Schweigert was born August 1st, 1955 in New Underwood, SD to Ruben and Cornelia (Eisenbraun) Schweigert. He passed away on Wednesday, November 20th, 2024 in Rapid City, SD.

Albert was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, Irene Price, Anita Kammerer, and Pamela Giese; and his brothers, Marvin Schweigert and Ronald Schweigert.

...

Nov 19, 2024

After spending nine months being fearfully and wonderfully constructed by God, Travis made his entrance into this world on the 27th day of December in the year 1980. God had given him 16,022 days or so of life on this earth and that time came to an end on the 19th day of November of this year, 2024. In...

Nov 18, 2024

Viva (Fries) Hauber, 101, of Burke, SD, was welcomed into Heaven on November 18th, 2024 at the Community Memorial Hospital in Burke, SD.

Viva was born January 18, 1923 in Bay City, OR to Mary (Fischler) Fries and Harvey Clifton Fries.  She graduated from Bay City High School in 1941 and was Valedictorian of her class.

Nov 18, 2024

Pauline Loretta Brimmer, age 79 passed away on November 18, 2024 in Sturgis, SD. Born on April 14, 1945, Pauline dedicated much of her life to nurturing her family and contributing to her community.

Pauline's career was marked by her role as a rancher and farmer's wife where she milked cows, a devoted stay-at-home mom, and a...

Nov 17, 2024

Michael Keith Kissinger was born in Atkinson, Nebraska on November 27, 1946 to Ralph Owen and Eleanor (Bazelman) Kissinger.  In 1948, Mike and his parents moved to Canoga Park, California where Mike was raised and spent time with friends and family along with working at the Malcom drugstore as well as hanging out and having fun at the beach.  ...