Obituaries

May 9, 2021

Mary M. Baker was born May 9, 1920, to Frank and Clara (Karrels) Poss in Sturgis, SD. In 1938, Mary graduated from St. Martin's Academy in Sturgis. After graduation, she worked at Archie Haley's grocery store for two years. The following year, she attended Business College in Rapid City. Returning to Sturgis, she worked at the AAA agriculture office...

May 8, 2021

Ron Zacher of Lead, SD, at age 74, passed away on May 8, 2021, at Department of Affairs Fort Meade Veterans hospital in Fort Meade, SD.  Ron was born on July 8, 1946, in Dupree, SD, to Anton "Tony" Nick Zacher and Christina Frankfurth. Ron was the second oldest of five kids; Don, Jim, Jack, and Beverly.  Ron graduated...

May 7, 2021

Lenore Hines passed away of natural causes last week at the Avantara St. Cloud Nursing Home in Rapid City, SD.  She was 95 years old.

She was born on a farm near the town of Ardill in Saskatchewan, Canada, but lived most of her adult life in Sturgis, SD. She arrived in Sturgis as a young Lutheran...

May 5, 2021

Gerald Jerome Heiser, 75, passed away in Hot Springs, SD, on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.

Gerald was born on March 24, 1945, to Gustave and Ottilia (Fisher) Heiser in Eureka, SD, and he joined a sibling, Vance Heiser.

Gerald joined the Army in 1965-1968, he was a Vietnam War Veteran in which he obtained a...

May 3, 2021

LeeAnn Hanks was born to Ron & Becky Merwin on March 8, 1979, in Rapid City, SD. As the oldest of 11 children, she took on her role as a leader at a very young age, mastering planning events & mentoring others while always demonstrating extreme patience. LeeAnn graduated from Sturgis Brown High School in 1997 and...

Apr 30, 2021

Allyn Eugene Smith was born July 8, 1946 in St. John's Hospital in Rapid City, SD to Merle Eugene Smith and Pauline Elizabeth (Laumer) Smith. He is the 3 rd of 5 generations to carry the middle name of Eugene. It was a hot summer. He left the hospital late in the evening when it was cooler....

Apr 30, 2021

Chris was born on March 28, 1979, at 8:40 p.m. in Rapid City, SD, to Gregory and Deborah (Reed) Borton. He lived his whole life in Black Hawk, SD. He attended Stevens High School where he graduated in 1997. He had various jobs, but his longest and most memorable one was working for the Dvorak family at...

Apr 27, 2021

Robert John Henderson, 84, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 at the Michael J. Fitzmaurice State Veterans Home in Hot Springs, SD.

Robert was born on July 18, 1936 in Kirk, SD to Clarence and Dorothy (Mackinnon) Henderson. He attended Lead public schools, and graduated from Lead High School in 1954....

Apr 24, 2021

Violet Rose (Walker) Anderson, 88, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, April 24, 2021, in Rapid City, SD, surrounded by her loving family.

Violet was born on January 8, 1933, in Selfridge, ND, the seventh child of Samuel and Christina (Oswald) Walker. In 1934, the family moved to Lodi, CA. After the untimely passing of her father at...

Apr 23, 2021

Mark Alan Brennan, born July 8, 1950, passed peacefully April 23, 2021, at home in the Black Hills of South Dakota, which he dearly loved. He proudly served his country in the US Army during the Vietnam era.

He is survived by his daughter, Cherie; one grandchild; his father, Richard Brennan; three brothers, Rick Brennan, Patrick Brennan,...

Apr 22, 2021

John L. "Lew" Davis passed away peacefully on April 22, 2021. He fought an extended and heroic battle against stage 4 pancreatic cancer for 18 months. We are mourning a loving and wonderful husband, father, brother, and great friend who would give the shirt off his back to help others, but mostly he was a loyal, patriotic...

Apr 22, 2021

Tara Lyn Seidel was born August 26, 1971 in Britt, IA to Dennis and Karen Seidel.

Tara raised 4 children: Skiler Seidel of Sturgis, SD, Tessa (Dain) Parrish of Upton, WY, Kelsie Fairbanks of Upton, WY, and Breanna Fairbanks of Upton, WY.

Tara kept herself busy working various jobs. Tara was very OCD and kept...

Apr 21, 2021

Gayle Marie Hanson, 89, of Veblen, SD, passed away on April 21, 2021 under hospice care at Sandstone Senior Living in Spearfish.

Gayle was born July 18, 1931, to Simeon and Alma (Klefstad) Shulson in Hillhead, SD. She was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in rural Hillhead. After graduating from Veblen...

Apr 21, 2021

Emma Rose (Miles) Bryant was born on April 21, 1932, in Lebanon Potter, SD, to Patrick and Maria (Loding) Miles.

Emma grew up in Gettysburg, SD, until her father moved the family to Sturgis, SD, for a job at Ft. Meade.

After graduating from St. Martin's Academy, she moved...

Apr 21, 2021

Dean Rodney Penor passed peacefully from this world to his heavenly home on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, while at Monument Health Hospice plus Home in Rapid City.

Dean was born on November 5, 1931, to Harry and Margaret Penor in Aberdeen, SD.  He attended school in Bison and participated in football, basketball, and...

Apr 20, 2021

Long time former resident of Sturgis, Helen Ruth Lettau, as people know her as Ruthie, 66, took her journey to be with the Lord on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at her home in Alvin, TX. She suffered a couple of years with renal kidney failure stage 5, and opted for home hospice in her closing days. Funeral arrangements are...

Apr 15, 2021

Rebecca "Beck" (Larive) Reiman, 57, of Sturgis, passed away Thursday, April 15, 2021 at the Monument Heath Sturgis Care Center. She is now safe in the arms of angels.

Beck was born December 3, 1963 in Sturgis, SD to Nels and Kay (Blotz) Larive. The youngest of six, she grew up just north...

Apr 14, 2021

Deborah L. (Tyler) Matthews, 70, passed away on April 14, 2021, in Sturgis, South Dakota. Debbie was born in Peoria, IL, but grew up in Overland Park, KS. Debbie received her undergraduate degree in early childhood education from Kansas State University and her master's degree in severe multiple disabilities from the University of Kansas. Her life's work...

Apr 13, 2021

On April 23, 1940, Loyd and Violet (Olsen) Griffith brought a beautiful curly haired girl into the world. The story was told many times how Loyd worked at the Kansas City Hospital to pay off the bill. Loyd continued to take loving care of Sharon all his life. While Loyd was away fighting in WWII, Violet, Sharon, and Jerry...

Apr 9, 2021

Carolyn K. Cleveland was called home on April 9, 2021.  She was at home with her husband Richard by her side.

She was born in Pierre, SD on August 13, 1948. At the age of 3, she was adopted by Alvin "Bud" Hix and his wife, Betty, from Rapid City in August 1951....