Obituaries

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at the Columbus First United Methodist Church at 2710 14th Street in Columbus, NE. Gass Haney Funeral Home in Columbus, NE, is in charge of arrangements.

A memorial service for Marian Gustafson will be held Friday, July 11, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Colton, SD, with Pastor Susan Jennys officiating. Burial will take place prior to the service at 11:00 a.m. at the South Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Sioux Falls, SD. Visitation with family present will be Thursday, July 10, 2025, from 5-7:00 p.m. at the Minnehaha Funeral Home in Dell Rapids SD. Marian Adele (Bishop) Gustafson was born near Hurley, SD, on April 21, 1932, the daughter of Fred and Lois (Powers) Bishop. She grew up on the family farms in the Davis and Hurley area, attending school in the Reiman and Hurley School Districts. The family included brothers Ranald and Kenton and her sister Phyllis.

A memorial service for multi-award-winning Sicangu Oglala Lakota author, historian, and educator, Joseph Marshall III was held at the Charlie and Marla Bull Bear home in Herrick, SD, on Sunday, June 22, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Traditional Lakota Services were officiated by Jerome Kills Small and Richard Broken Nose. Marla Bull Bear read a poem, Echo Garrett gave the eulogy, and Chaze White Feather and Lorenzo Stars were the vocalists. Honorary urn bearers were Charlie Bull Bear, Nate Bull Bear, Mitch Bull Bear, Michael Bull Bear, Lorenzo Stars, and Don Stars. Inurnment will take place at a later date in White River, SD, and Hettinger, ND. Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Julie Ann Tyburec was born December 8, 1943, in Winner, SD, to Lumir and Laverne (Anderson) Tyburec. Julie was welcomed into the family by her sister Elaine (Larsen), eventually joined by brothers Stan, Jerry, Ray, Joe, Frank, Dave, and twin sisters Marie and Marilyn. Julie helped take care of her younger siblings, as well as learning how to cook and helping around the house. Julie attended all twelve grades in the Winner School system and graduated in 1961. Julie worked at the Outlaw Store Fountain, where she enjoyed serving ice cream and drinks to the customers.

Funeral services for Gary Shaffer will be held on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the United Methodist Church in Burke, SD, with Pastor Thaniel Certa-Werner officiating. Clausen Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Cecil DeVere Johnson was born March 25, 1935, in Gregory, SD. He grew up on a farm outside Gregory, the sixth of nine children of Emer and Martha “Baba” Johnson. His parents, especially Baba, believed in the importance of education and hard work, and Cecil took this philosophy to heart from the very beginning. Cecil attended three rural grade schools from 1941 through 1948. He was an eager, inquisitive student, but on his first day of first grade, he came home with doubts about school because he was there all day and did not learn to read. Despite this setback, he went back to school and did learn to read. Cecil read every chance he had, and his father had to roust “Bubbs” from his reading to do his chores. Thus, his lifelong love of reading, learning, and writing began.

A funeral service for Thomas Hurley was held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, June 27, 2025, at the Winner Methodist Church in Winner, SD. Burial followed in the Winner City Cemetery. Mason Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Thomas Barry Hurley was born on August 2, 1973, in Ponca City, OK, to Billy Ray and Jeanette Sue. They lived in Oklahoma for his early years. In 1977 Barry and his mother moved to Morrison, OK, where Sue was a teacher and Barry attended kindergarten. In 1979 Sue married Roger Robbins, and the family lived in rural South Dakota. Barry attended Hamill Country School, where he discovered one of his loves, basketball. He played for the Hamill Pirates all through grade school, and when he reached the eighth grade he transferred to Winner where he continued to play basketball, graduating in 1991.

A Celebration of Life for Andrew Craig Johnson was held at 1:00 p.m., on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home in Gregory, SD. Interment followed at the Colome City Cemetery in Colome, SD, with Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements. Andrew (AJ) Craig Johnson was born to Steven Craig Johnson and Linda Sue Reed Johnson on October 20, 1992, joining the family with siblings Emily Jeannine and Michael Walter. Andrew started life as a true fighter with a gentle spirit. His fighting started at 18 months old when he fought a nasty infection in his hip. He was in the hospital for many weeks, and his tenacity and strength pulled him through. He was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of eight.

A memorial service for Michael Donald Gunvordahl was held at the Union Baptist Church in Burke, SD, at 11:00 a.m., on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, with Pastor Mark Tuttle officiating. Joe Fahrenbacher was in charge of registration, and music was provided by the Mayer family, vocalists, accompanied by Jane Tuttle, pianist. Urn bearers were Anthony Mayer, Mitchel Klundt, Max Klundt, Carson Klundt, Cruz Klundt, and Harley Klaudt. Inurnment will take place at a later date at Graceland Cemetery in Burke, SD. Clausen Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

A funeral service for Robert Boes was held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at Fairfax City Hall in Fairfax, SD, with Pastor Russ Grim, Pastor Mark Lewis, and Allen Faatz officiating. Tammy Boes was in charge of registrations.