Obituaries

Funeral services for Wayne Schoenefeld were held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, November 29, 2025, at Grace Lutheran Church in Burke, SD, with Pastor Philip Henning officiating. Music was provided by Randy Sachten, accompanist. Corrina Raasch and Amanda Goodwin were in charge of arrangements, and Danielle Beck, Abbie Schoenefeld, and Arhea Schoenefeld were flower attendants. Casket bearers were Weston Schoeneld, Clayton Schoenefeld, Bruce Schoenefeld, Jason Schoenefeld, Noah Beck, and Jon Schoenefeld. Interment was at St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery in Naper, NE. Clausen Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Wayne LeRoy Schoenefeld was born August 9, 1939, to Alvin and Vera (Sieh) Schoenefeld at the Burke Hospital in Burke, SD.

Funeral services for Joseph “Joe” W. Counselor were held at 11 a.m., Monday, December 8, 2025, at Grace Lutheran Church in Burke, SD, with Pastor Philip Henning officiating. Music for the service was provided by Randy Sachtjen Interment was at the Herrick Cemetery in Herrick, SD. Clausen Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Joe was born December 27, 1944, in Guymon, OK, to Arthur and Velma (Reno) Counselor. The family moved to Dubois, WY, in 1946. They later moved to Shoshoni, WY, where he graduated high school in 1962. Joe married Christina (Williams) July 25, 1965. He graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1972 and began his career with the United States Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) that year. He held positions as county executive director in Gillette, WY, and Harrison and Chadron, NE. After becoming district director, he moved to Ogallala and Hastings, NE. He retired in June 2005.

Funeral service for Kathleen Jo McMillan were held at 11 a.m., Monday, December 1, 2025, at Clausen Funeral Home in Burke, SD, with Pastor Mark Tuttle officiating. Music for the service was The Old Rugged Cross by Elvis Presley.

Funeral services for Wayne Schoenefeld were held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, November 29, 2025, at Grace Lutheran Church in Burke, SD, with Pastor Philip Henning officiating. Music was provided by Randy Sachten, accompanist. Corrina Raasch and Amanda Goodwin were in charge of arrangements, and Danielle Beck, Abbie Schoenefeld, and Arhea Schoenefeld were flower attendants. Casket bearers were Clayton Schoenefeld, Bruce Schoenefeld, Jason Schoenefeld, Noah Beck, and Jon Schoenefeld. Interment was at St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery in Naper, NE. Clausen Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Funeral services for Ruth Gessner were held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at Mills Community Church in Mills, NE, with Pastor Kenley Udd officiating. Music was congregational hymns accompanied by Steve Swanson on piano. Mary Swanson and Crystal Cook were in charge of registrations, and Julie Udd and Sierra Udd were flower attendants. Casket bearers were John Beck, Ben Wenger, Jeff Cook, Brandon Udd, Drayton Cronk, and Brent Rowan. Ruth’s friends and family were honorary casket bearers. Interment was at Olive Branch Cemetery in Mills, NE. Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Funeral services for Brian Kenneth Giedd were held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, November 26, 2025, at St. Isadore Church in Colome, SD with Fr.

Funeral services for Robert “Bob” Sangster were held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at Clausen Funeral Home in Burke, SD, with Pastor Russ Grim officiating. Music was provided by vocalists Kay Don Jons and Jace Jons, accompanied by Charlene Juran on organ.

Sandy Pace was born February 23, 1944, in San Diego, CA, to Jean Kathryn Beck and Samuel Maurice Pace, Jr., but her dad was her mother’s second husband, Al Aakhus. She grew up first in Tulare, CA, until her family moved back to the Midwest, first living in Tripp County, SD, then Itasca County, MN, and later returning to South Dakota. She attended school there, graduating from Gregory High School in 1961.

A memorial service for Ronnie Johnson was held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, November 20, 2025, at the Burke Civic Center in Burke, SD, with Pastor Mark Tuttle officiating. Music was provided by Sam Drey, and Kathy Sachtjen and Linda Johnson were in charge of registration. Clausen Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Urn bearers were Tiny Sachtjen, Ted Sachtjen, DeWayne Bennett, and Wade Swan. Honorary urn bearer were Craig Wischmann, Kiley Schonebaum, Kody Schonebaum, Kassidy Schonebaum, Kip Schonebaum, Klay Schonebaum, Kolt Schonebaum, Jerry Shanahan, and all of Ronnie’s many friends. Ronnie “Pox” Johnson was born on July 11, 1954, in Burke, SD, to Raymond and Dorothy (Benter) Johnson, the oldest of their four children.

Jan Aakhus was born November 14, 1952, in Winner, SD, to Alden “Al” Aakhus and Jean Beck Aakhus. He grew up in Tripp County, SD, and Itasca County, MN, attending a Tripp Co. oneroom schoolhouse and Gregory High School before graduating from Colome High School in 1971. He was a proud union member and a master carpenter and millwright, working on coal-fired plants in the west, oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, the iron range in Minnesota, and on restoration work at Hells Canyon Dam in Idaho. He moved to Casper, WY, from Nampa, ID, where he married Lynn Lolli. They later divorced. Jan Alden Aakhus of Casper, WY passed away December 27, 2024, age 72, in Casper, WY. He is survived by his daughter Paige Aakhus and her partner Grant Lewis, of Casper; grandchildren Allesia, Uriah, and Aurora; sisters Gaetha Pace of Boise, ID, Sally Petersen (Jim) of Racine, WI, Susan Robertson of Baxter, MN, and Sandra Pace (who later passed away); and his many much-loved South Dakota and Northern Minnesota cousins, especially Ken Beck of Tripp County, SD, and Jim Aakhus of Itasca County, MN.