Obituaries

A Mass of Christian Burial for Dona Deffenbaugh, age 91, of Burke, South Dakota, was held at 10 a.m., Saturday, July 18, 2026, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Burke with Father Ron Garry officiating. Brenda Deffenbaugh was lector, Jack, Jhett, and Owen Schulte were altar servers, and Dona’s great-grandchildren presented the gifts at the offertory. Dick Deffenbaugh, Dan Deffenbaugh, Douglas Deffenbaugh, Dudley Deffenbaugh, Dale Deffenbaugh, Richard Beuttell, and Blue Indahl were casket bearers. All of Dona’s grandchildren were honorary casket bearers.

The funeral service for Gerald Smith, age 83, of Gregory, South Dakota was held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at Prairie View Gospel Barn with Pastor Keith Cline officiating and Gregory and Kelsey Smith delivering the eulogy. Music was two congregational hymns with special music provided by Kelsey, Dana, Julia, Miranda, and Holden. Janet Knight and Emily Beck were in charge of registration, and flower attendants were Amy Rominger, Teresa Reimers, and Denise Smith. Casket bearers were Joshua Smith, Jacob Smith, Levi Smith, Lucas Smith, Holden Smith, Garrett Hernandez, Blake Wockenfuss, and Matt Fritz. Honorary casket bearers were, Jim Smith, Tom Smith, Frank Beck, Charlie Knight, Jim Osnes, Christine May, Robbie Hlavka, Brett Hlavka, Kelly Hlavka, Merrill McFayden, Harold Winter, Ronnie Sinclair, and Tom Prouty.

A celebration of life service for Leo H. Schulte, age 80, of Butte, Nebraska, was held at 10 a.m., Friday, July 10, 2026, at the Butte Community Bible Church in Butte with Pastor Gary Binder officiating. Military Honors by the Butte American Legion Post #51 followed the service at the church. Private inurnment will be held at a later date. Biglin’s Mortuary in Spencer handled the arrangements. Leo Henry Schulte was born to Joseph Bonaventure and Catherine Marie Schulte on April 12, 1946, at the Lynch Hospital in Lynch, Nebraska. He grew up on the family farm northwest of Spencer. Leo attended Fairfax (South Dakota) Public School and graduated from Fairfax High School in 1965. After graduation, he worked for neighboring farmers until he was drafted that fall. He served his country in the United States Army from December 1965 to December 1967. One year of his enlistment was spent in Germany. After being honorably discharged, Leo worked for two years at the Ordinance Depot in Grand Island, where they manufactured bombs. He then worked two more years in Grand Island at Swift Meat Packing Plant.

A funeral service for Trena Mae Vandenbark, 90, of Winner, South Dakota, was held Friday, July 3, 2026, at Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home in Gregory with Keven Vandenbark officiating. Music was provided by Kallie Farley, accompanied by Cindy Sealey on piano. Honorary casket bearers were all of Trena’s grandchildren. Inurnment will take place September 5, 2026, at Paul Cemetery in Paul, Idaho. Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home of Gregory, South Dakota, is in charge of arrangements. Trena was born on December 1, 1935, and spent her early years in the Cache Valley area of Utah. As a teenager, she moved with her family to a farm in Heyburn, Idaho. She attended Ricks College and Brigham Young University, graduating from BYU with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Germain “Gerry” Joseph Leber, age 87, of Colome, South Dakota, was held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, July 6, 2026, at St. Isidore Catholic Church in Colome with Fr. Zane Pekron as celebrant.

A funeral service for Amy Jo Moeller, age 55, of Witten, South Dakota, will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, July 2, at Clausen Funeral Home in Burke, with Ali Stangle officiating. Casket bearers will be Sam Lee, Gomer Hay, Nathan Hay, Hayden Hay, Blake Hay, Tanner Moeller, and Loren Moeller. Lexi Mach will be in charge of registration, and Ron Highrock will provide the music on organ. Interment will take place at Herrick Cemetery in Herrick. Clausen Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. She was born on June 15, 1971, in Gregory, South Dakota, and lived a life filled with compassion, strength, and devotion to family and friends. She will be remembered for a kind heart, unwavering love by the many lives she touched through generosity and grace.

The funeral service for Bruce Sheldon Nelson, age 65, of Pierre, South Dakota, was held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at First United Methodist Church in Pierre. Burial will be 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ,in IOOF Cemetery at Gregory, SD. Isburg Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements. Bruce Nelson was born on December 3, 1960, to Patricia “Patty” Jones and Duaine Nelson in Tripp County, South Dakota. He was the proud older brother to Bryan “Bubba” Nelson, and later to a sister, Natasha Rezac. Bruce began his education in a country school before moving with his mother and step-father, Harrold Rezac, to a farm near the Keya Paha River in Nebraska. He attended school in Springview, Nebraska, until he transferred to Gregory High School in the Fall of 1977. He then graduated from Burton High School in 1979.

Vernon Mylo Haffield, age 89, of Winner, South Dakota, was born on June 15, 1937, to Mylo and Gertrude (Farmer) Haffield in Cody, Nebraska. He was the oldest of four boys. When he was five years old, the family moved to Ocheydan, Iowa, where Vernon attended school. While growing up, he returned to the Cody area during the summers to help his relatives with haying. He graduated from Ocheydan High School in 1955 and began his military service in October that year. After basic training, he was stationed in Washington, D.C., as a radar mechanic operator where his duties included keeping track of unidentified aircraft. After he was honorably discharged, Vernon stopped in Gregory, South Dakota, to see his mother. While there, he took a job at Karls TV for about a year. He then worked with a cement crew that was building the Gregory hospital. On this job site, he met Dyke Burdick, the plumbing contractor, who asked Vern to work with him. That was the start of his lifelong occupation — plumbing and heating. He became licensed under Doug Peterson of Winner Plumbing and started his own business — Haffield’s Plumbing and Heating — in the 1960s. He was part of the construction of several homes in Winner, especially in the 1970s through the 235 housing program. He also worked on many commercial projects, including the Galaxy Inn, the Warrior Inn, the original medical clinic that was operated by Dr. Robert Stiehl, the Winner Nursing Home (now Daybreak Village), and many other building projects. Vernon was also the plumbing and heating contractor on several apartment complexes in Gregory and Burke.

A funeral service for Eileen L. Soli, age 96, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and formerly of Rapid City, South Dakota, was held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at George Boom Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory, Sioux Falls. A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at Graceland Cemetery, Burke. George Boom Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Eileen Louise Eastlund was born to William John and Grace (Metzinger) Eastlund on July 16, 1929, in Burke. She grew up on a farm and attended rural school near Lucas. She was the carnival queen and graduated from Burke High School in 1947, and received her teaching certificate from Dana College in Blair, Nebraska, in 1948. During college, she toured with the Dana Choir. Eileen taught elementary school for seven years, was a school business manager in Burke and Gettysburg, worked in the photography business for over 30 years, and worked for the US Census Bureau for 24 years.

Funeral services for Carol Ann Mae Horstman, age 80, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, were held June 13, 2026, at Huber Funeral Home in Eden Prairie. Burial was at Eden Prairie Cemetery. Huber Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Carol Horstman was born May 12, 1946, in Deadwood, South Dakota.She was the youngest of four and the only girl. Her brothers spoiled her, and she took advantage of this as much as possible and loved every minute. Carol graduated from Lead High School and continued her education at Black Hills State College, graduating in Business Administration. She moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, for work. There she married the love of her life, William (Bill) Horstman, on June 17, 1977. They made their home in Eden Prairie, where they raised son James and daughter Lori. Carol was a devoted wife and mother, fiercely independent and full of affection.