Obituaries

Funeral services for Robert Gray were held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 8, 2024, at Grace United Methodist Church in Piedmont, SD. Graveside services were held on Saturday, at Union Cemetery, near Bijou Hills, by Academy, SD. Kirk Funeral Home of Rapid City, SD, was in charge of arrangements. Robert was born in Chamberlain, SD on July 29, 1934 to Dale Rex Gray and Delma Madsen, the oldest of four children. Early on in life he found a love for cars. After graduating from Gregory High School in 1952, he attended Springfield College to study mechanical business management and repair. After a year, he came home to help on the family farm and worked at Newsam’s Chevrolet Garage in Gregory.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at the Zion Lutheran Church in Colome, SD. Burial was in the Colome City Cemetery. Mason Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Marilyn was born on December 1, 1939, to Ed and Mary Ann (Lampitt) Lewis in Tripp County, SD, and was a 1957 graduate of Keya Paha County High School in Springview, NE. Marilyn met her husband, Vern, in Millboro, SD. They were married on August 6, 1957, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, and spent the next 66 years together. They lived on a ranch in Millboro, SD, where they raised cattle, and many cats, throughout the years until they retired. Marilyn wore many hats. Not only did she help run the ranch and raise two sons, but she also worked for the South-Central Adjustment Training Center in Winner, SD providing care to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She was very active in the community, volunteering her time with 4-H and extension clubs. She was recognized by 4-H for over 50 years of volunteer leadership. For many years, on Sunday nights you would find her on the phone with neighbors to collect information for the Millboro News section in the Winner Advocate. Marilyn enjoyed accompanying her husband on the guitar and other instruments when they played country music at community gatherings. She enjoyed attending dances at the Carlock and other dance halls, writing cowboy poetry and reading poems at local competitions, playing cards, and watching movies and Fox News.

Don Floyd Reis, of Sioux Falls, SD, formerly of Chamberlain, passed away in Clearwater, MN. No services will be held.

Funeral services were held for Lorraine Steppat on Saturday, March 2, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Winner, SD.

A memorial service was held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 4, 2024, at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Bridgewater, SD. A celebration of life gathering was held from 1:30-5:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 3, 2024, at the SD Military Heritage Alliance in Sioux Falls. Kinzley Funeral Home of Salem was in charge of arrangements. Susan Garry was born December 21, 1951 in Gregory, SD to Russell Harry and Evelyn Helen (Hoffman) Garry. She grew up in Gregory and graduated from Gregory High School before going on to earn a bachelor’s degree from SDSU. After college, she began working for a bank in Madison, SD before transferring to US Bank, where she was employed for more than 20 years in Sioux Falls and Minneapolis.

A Mass of Christian burial for Robert Walth was held on Friday, March 1, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Fairfax, SD, with Father Jonathan Dillon officiating. Angie Horst was lector, Ava and Emmie Hausmann were servers and Larry and Carleen Cahoy presented the gifts.

Funeral services for Carl Klein were held on Monday February 26, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at the Methodist Church in Gregory, SD with Rev, Thanael Certa-Werner and Pastor Scott McClellen officiating. Music was provided by Geoff Smith, vocalist, accompanied by Bette Fogel, pianist. Darlene Shattuck, Sally Shaffer and Linda Mae Leber were in charge of registration. Flower attendant was Jessi Iwan. Casket bearers were Keven Klein, Joe Klein, Wes Schell, Scott Anshutz, Bob Wik, and Bob Fenenga. Burial was in the IOOF Cemetery in Gregory, SD with military honors conferred by the Gregory American Legion, Dallas American Legion, and the National Honors Team. Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Funeral services for Robert Sperl were held on Thursday, February 22, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at the Congregational Church in Gregory, SD, with Pastor Scott McClellen officiating. Music was provided by Geoff Smith and recorded music. Kimberly Veskrna and Kathy Svoboda were in charge of registration. Casket bearers were Allen Veskrna, Michael Veskrna, Joe Svoboda, Jim Mikkelsen, Dave Dobesh, Joel Bartling, DJ Steffen, and Joe Duling. Honorary pallbearers were Ella Sperl, Morrie Gilkerson, Sully Sperl, and Sawyer Sperl. Burial was in the Czech National Cemetery in Gregory, SD. Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Funeral services for Jan Determan, age 69, of Burke, SD, are scheduled to be held on Saturday, February 24, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Burke, SD. Burial will be in the Graceland Cemetery in Burke, SD. Visitation will be Friday from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., with a 7:00 p.m. rosary to be held at the church. Clausen Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Janet “Jan” Marie Determan, daughter of Romus and Helen (Jaeger) Mushitz, was born on July 21, 1954, in Pierre, SD. She was adopted by Romus and Helen Mushitz and was the oldest of three adopted children.

Funeral services for Ronald Shomion were held on Monday, February 12, 2024, at 12:30 p.m. at the Heartland Funeral Home. Burial was in the SD Veteran’s Cemetery with full military honors. Heartland Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Ronald Arthur Shomion was born on April 27, 1945, to Arthur and Mary (Gibbons) Shomion, in Little Rock, AK, as one of three children. As a child of a military father, he resided in two other countries including Germany and Japan. He graduated high school in Alexandria, VA. Ron then attended SDSU, playing football and track. He was an avid Jackrabbit fan.