Joan Margaret Craig
Nov 6, 2020
Joan Craig celebrated her 100th birthday on August 24, 2020. Born in Sulphur, SD on August 24, 1920 to Marie (Heying) Patterson and William Patterson, she was one of five children: Maureen, Joan, William, Patricia, and Kathryn. Joan grew up on the family ranch outside of Mud Butte, SD and often shared stories of her childhood adventures. She married...
Harold Owen Ross
Nov 6, 2020
On Friday, November 6, 2020, Harold Owen Ross went to be with his Lord and Savior at the age of 92. Harold was born January 20, 1928 at home in Redelm, SD, to Nellie (Baker) and Lawrence Ross. He attended grade school at Redelm School and high school at Faith and Dupree. During his high school years, he worked...
Don Edward Bertalot
Nov 5, 2020
Donald Edward Bertalot passed away unexpectedly in his home on November 5, 2020, in Belle Fourche, SD, at the age of 68. Don was born on July 17, 1952, in Spearfish, SD, to William and Violet (Johnson) Bertalot. He grew up in a large family with 11 siblings. As a teenager he could be found working alongside his mother...
Theresa Ann Casteel
Nov 5, 2020
Theresa was born on October 30, 1937, in Mitchell, South Dakota, the daughter of Emil and Gertrude (Budde) Lorang. She was a great Woman, Wife, Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother. Theresa attended high school at St. Martin's Academy and received her Teaching Certificate from Black Hills Teaching College. She taught K through 8 in the Meade county rural schools...
Hunter Jim Griffith
Nov 3, 2020
Hunter Jim Griffith passed away on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 at age 92 at the Fort Meade VA Hospital. He was born on January 10, 1928 in Yuma County, CO to Samuel Smith "Hunter" Griffith and Della Sophia (Keller) Griffith on the farm his parents homesteaded in October of 1916. In the early 1930s, the homestead was droughted out...
Betty "Jean" Merchen
Nov 3, 2020
Jean Merchen was born March 20, 1942, in Savage, Montana, to Arthur and Alice (Terry) Smith. She was the youngest of six children. Jean grew up in various places in Montana. Jean met and married her husband, Frank Mathew Merchen, in Worden, Montana, in 1962. Together they lived in Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota. They adopted Loren Merchen in...
Arvilla G. Kivimaki
Nov 3, 2020
Arvilla was born September 6, 1935, east of Newell to Elaine (Long) and Julius Viken where she lived until 1947 when they moved to Horse Creek west of Newell on the old Gardner place. Arvilla attended Newell School until 1948 and then Horse Creek School for her eighth grade, High School she attended in Newell graduating in 1954, and...
Brian Keith Mckay
Nov 2, 2020
Brian was born to Keith and Louise (Ziegler) McKay on May 1, 1954. Brian lived and attended school in Sturgis, graduating in 1972. After attending SDSU in Brookings, Brian married Janice Cronin in Huron, SD, in 1976. They lived in Sturgis and Pleasant Valley. After their divorce, he made his home east of Sturgis. On Election Day 2004, Brian...
Kaity Jean Parks
Nov 1, 2020
Kaity Parks was born Barbara Jean Gibbons on August 9, 1947, to Joseph and Ethel Gibbons in Huron, South Dakota. For the first few years of her life, the family followed Joe around the region as he built South Dakota's highways. The family eventually settled in Rapid City. Kaity graduated from Rapid City High School. In 1965, Kaity welcomed...
Nancy Lynne Robertson
Nov 1, 2020
Nancy Lynne Robertson, 59, Spearfish, died Sunday, November 1, 2020, at her home. Nancy was born July 19,1961 at Elmendorf AFB in Alaska, to Donald and Beverly (Madsen) Robertson. Her father served 20 years on the US Army so Nancy spent 12 years of her life traveling the world as an Army brat and living in so many wonderful...
Anthony "Tony" Austin Wall
Oct 30, 2020
Anthony "Tony" Austin Wall was born on March 18, 1948, in Shreveport, LA to Burley Wall and Lola Pace. He joined his stepfather in running the ranch, which he greatly enjoyed. Besides ranching, Tony loved fishing, camping, raising sheep and horses, and gardening. He was also a very talented carpenter. Tony was a devout catholic and was...
James "Jim" M. Harrison
Oct 30, 2020
James "Jim" M. Harrison, 79, of Sturgis, died Friday, October 30, 2020, at Monument Health Hospital in Rapid City as a result of an automobile accident. Jim was the 2nd child of four born to Bill and Pearl (Davis) Harrison on February 12, 1941, in McPherson County, SD. He attended country school in Forbes, ND, through the 8th grade...
Gary Allen Hudelson
Oct 30, 2020
Gary Hudelson 68, of Sturgis, SD, died Friday, October 30, 2020 after complications with multiple medical issues. He was the youngest child of five born to Raymond and Maxine Hudelson in Armour, SD. He was a graduate of Sturgis Brown High School and attended South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Gary married Bonnie Henry-Gorr on February 29, 1972....
Gerald "Jerry" John Kienzle
Oct 29, 2020
Gerald "Jerry" Kienzle, 72, passed away peacefully at his home on October 29, 2020, in Sturgis, SD. He died of an extended illness that he battled courageously until God gave him the call. Jerry was born April 2, 1948, in Mobridge, SD, the youngest of a family with 5 boys and 3 girls. After he graduated High School, he...
Ernest Wade Wilson
Oct 27, 2020
Ernest Wade Wilson was born on July 19, 1931 in Faith, SD to Vivian (Seaver) and W.H. "Bub" Wilson. He passed from this life on Tuesday, October 27, 2020 after a brief battle with cancer. Ernest grew up on the family ranch south of Bison, where he attended rural schools in the area. After graduating, he attended Ag School...
Gale Wayne Bastian
Oct 24, 2020
Gale was born to Doris (Overland) Bastian and Merle Bastian on July 25, 1950, in Sturgis, SD. He was his mother's favorite birthday gift that year. He spent his toddler years living on Pine Creek. He welcomed his little sister, Sheila, in 1959. Gale attended multiple grade schools dependent on where Doris was teaching that year. He attended Faith...
Jason Paul Lesmeister
Oct 23, 2020
Jason Lesmeister, loving husband and father, passed away suddenly at the age of 43 on Friday, October 23, 2020. Jason was born in Miles City, MT on January 30, 1977 to Steve Lesmeister and Carolyn (Owens) Jernigan. He lived with his parents until their divorce, after which time he lived with his mother, Carolyn. They moved around the country...
John Duane Rhynard
Oct 22, 2020
John was born November 6, 1939, at Culver City, CA, to John and Wilma (Miner) Rhynard. At the age of two they moved to Creighton, SD. He attended grade school at Squaw Creek School near Creighton. He graduated from Quinn High School in 1957. He attended one year of college at Black Hills State in Spearfish, and then taught...
Jim Dale Jensen
Oct 21, 2020
Jimmy Dale Jensen, 68, made the journey to be with Jesus, his Savior, on October 21, 2020, at Rolling Hills HealthCare in Belle Fourche. Jim was born June 24, 1952, in Belle Fourche, SD, to Harold and Mary (Shultz) Jensen. Jim spent his childhood and educational years in Newell, graduating in 1970. He then worked for a year in...
Clara Evelyn Heidrich
Oct 20, 2020
Clara was born December 27, 1929, at Minatare, NE, to Conrad and Mary (Dahlinger) Einfalt. On March 4, 1948, she married Casper "Cap" Heidrich at Belle Fourche, SD. Clara worked the farm with her husband. In March of 1974, they sold the farm and moved to Nisland. Clara worked as a housekeeper at the John Burns Hospital, and Belle...
