Bernard Altergott
BOX ELDER — Bernard “Bernie” Altergott, 45, Box Elder, died suddenly on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, at Faulkton.
Bernie proudly served 23 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring in 2006 as a Master Sergeant, serving as the First Sergeant for the 28th SFS/28BW Ellsworth AFB.
He is survived by his loving wife of 24 years, Suzanne Altergott and his son, his best buddy, Joseph Altergott.
Bernie is also survived by his mother, Fran Altergott; his sister, Karen Altergott; in-laws, Barbara and Joseph Guido, Rosemarie and Mike, Joseph and Christina, Michael, Tricia and Bobby; Uncle Joey and Aunt Patty; and nieces and nephews, Stephanie, Michael, Joey, RJ, Veronica, Isabella and Nicholas.
He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Altergott.
Big Bern will be missed by all his family and friends and will live in our hearts forever.
Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27, at Kirk Funeral Home in Rapid City and one hour before services.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 28 at the funeral home, with Father Bill Zandri officiating. Full military honors will be provided by the Ellsworth Air Force Base Honor Guard.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established.
Family and friends may sign Bernie’s online guest book at www.kirkfuneralhome.com.
Fred Brown Bull
MANDERSON — Fred Brown Bull, 35, Manderson, died Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, at Pine Ridge.
Survivors include his wife, Jamie Knight, his father, Verno Brown Bull, and three brothers, Robert Spotted Bear, John Little Moon and Alvin Little Moon, all of Manderson; and three sisters, Carla Sleeping Bear, Manderson, Karen Brown Bull, Oglala, and Violet Yankton, Spearfish.
Two-night wake services begin at 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, at Wounded Knee District School.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, at the school, with the Rev. Phil Cooke officiating. Burial will be at Black Tail Deer Family Cemetery at White Horse Creek.
Sioux Funeral Home of Pine Ridge is in charge of arrangements.
Avonelle Kelsey
HOT SPRINGS — Avonelle Kelsey, 78, Hot Springs, died Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, at Hospice of the Hills.
Survivors include two daughters, Nola Anderson, Hot Springs, and August Anderson, Rapid City; two sons, Mark Anderson and Alan Anderson, both of Golden, Colo.; six brothers, Ronald, Gerald, Kenneth, Roger, Richard and Charles “Ted”; four grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
A private ceremony celebrating her life will be Saturday, Nov. 28, at her art gallery.
Eugene Summers
MAX, N.D. — Eugene Summers, 63, Max, died Wednesday, Nov 25, 2009, at his home.
Survivors include his wife, Nel; his son, Marc, Rapid City, S.D.; his daughter, Renae; three brothers, Dick Summers, Tucson, Ariz., and Tim Summers and George Summers, both of Minot; and four grandchildren.
Arrangements are pending with Thompson Larson Funeral Home of Minot.
Leon H. ‘Mac’ McNulty
KEYSTONE — Leon H. ‘Mac’ McNulty, 80, Keystone, died Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, at Rapid City Regional Hospital.
Survivors include his children, Colleen Lewis, Hill City, Mickal McNulty, Gardiner, Mont., Patricia Wagner, Belle Fourche, Mickie McNulty-Eide, Center, N.D., Kevin McNulty, Mesa, Ariz., and Sean McNulty, Keystone; his twin sister, Billie Jean Pesek, Mesa; 16 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Donna McNulty.
No services will be held.
Behrens-Wilson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Ruth Holan
CHAMBERLAIN — Ruth Holan, 65, Chamberlain, died Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, at her home.
Survivors include her husband, LaVaun Holan, Chamberlain; four children, Rochelle Yost, Tucson, Ariz., Roxanne Sipes, Mitchell, Waylon Holan, Chamberlain, and Jodi DeLange, Corsica; four sisters, Rose Leiferman, Smithville, Texas, Edith Thaler and Linda Wagner, both of Chamberlain, and Kim Barber, Rapid City; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. CST, with a 7 p.m. scripture service, Friday, Nov. 27, at St. James Catholic Church.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. CST Saturday, Nov. 28, at the church. Burial will be at Riverview Cemetery.
Hickey-Wevik Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Harry Wickard
RAPID CITY — Harry Wickard, 86, Rapid City, died Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, at Fort Meade Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
He served in the U.S. Navy.
Survivors include his wife, Janis Wickard, Rapid City; his children, Dan Wickard, Knoxville, Tenn., Gerald Wickard and Bruce Wickard, both of Pullman, Wash.; Cheryl Harlow, Gig Harbor, Wash., and Jo Ellen Schuelke, Mud Butte; and 10 grandchildren.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, at Canyon Lake Senior Center in Rapid City. Visitation will be one hour before services.
Burial will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30, at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. Friends may gather at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis before leaving for the cemetery.
A memorial has been established to Canyon Lake Senior Center.
An online guestbook is available at www.kinkadefunerals.com.
The Rev. Richard Mefford
RAPID CITY — The Rev. Richard L. Mefford, 81, Rapid City, died Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, at Rapid City Regional Hospital.
He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his son, Daniel Mefford, St. Joseph, Mo.; his daughter, Michelle Nenortas, Birmingham, Ala.; and three grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife.
Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home, with the Rev. Keith McCraw officiating. Visitation will be one hour before services.
Burial will be at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.
An online guestbook is available at www.osheimschmidt.com.
Dennis T. Hintz
DICKINSON, N.D. — Dennis T. Hintz, 64, Dickinson and formerly of Mobridge, S.D., died Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, at his home.
Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., with a 7 p.m. prayer service, Sunday, Nov. 29, at the Family Worship Center in Mobridge.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30, at the church.
Burial will be at Trail City Cemetery.
Stout Family Funeral Home of Mobridge is in charge of arrangements.
June Jones
SPEARFISH — June Jones, 77, Spearfish, died Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009, at her home.
Survivors include three children, Leonard Jones, Leon Jones and Mary Jones; and her siblings, Edna Vogal, Don Bergstrom and Holy Bergstrom, all of North Dakota, Laura Spiers, Janette Christman, Arnold “Mickey” Bergstrom, Norman Bergstrom and Carol Eckhart, all of South Dakota, Mildred Schaneman, Nebraska, and Ellowene “Rennie” Mimmix, Oklahoma.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harvey “Bud” Jones.
Family services will be held at a later date.
An online guestbook is available at www.fidler- isburgfuneralchapels.com.
Wayne Edward Hall
GILLETTE, Wyo. — Wayne Edward Hall, 59, Gillette, died Friday, Nov. 20, 2009, at Campbell County Memorial Hospital.
Survivors include his wife, Arlette, Gillette; four sons, Jesse Rivera, Scottsdale, Ariz., and Sam Hall, Michael Hall and Ralph Rivera Jr., all of Gillette; his daughter, Teresa Hall, Gillette; two sisters, Rose Larson, Rapid City, S.D., and Carolyn Kirk, Whitewood, S.D.; and six grandchildren.
Cremation has taken place, and a private family celebration will take place at a later date.
A memorial has been established.
An online guestbook is available at www.walkerfuneralgillette.com.
Lerena M. Hoefer
NEMO — Lerena M. Hoefer, 99, Nemo, died Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, at David M. Dorsett Regional Senior Care Center in Spearfish.
Survivors include her son, Ronald Hoefer, Nemo; five grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Martin Hoefer.
No public services are planned at this time.
An online guestbook is available at www.osheimschmidt.com.
Donald Sidney Barnes
RAPID CITY — Donald Sidney Barnes, 94, died Monday, Nov. 23, 2009, at Golden Livingcenter-Bella Vista.
He was born May 23, 1915, to Cedric Albert and Edna Almetta (Hastings) Barnes in Grinnell, Iowa.
At both Grinnell High School and Grinnell College, he ran track in the 400m, 800m, and 1600m relay. His high school record in the 400m stood for 63 years, from 1931 to 1994.
Don earned degrees in chemistry and physics, graduating in 1936. Upon his graduation, he moved to Chicago where he worked at Wholesale Radio Service Company and Collins Radio Company.
He married Faith Althea Knowles Oct. 18, 1936, at Crown Point, Ind., (the closest place they could find to marry on a Saturday so they would not have to miss work), because at the time you couldn’t get married in Chicago on a Saturday.
After a brief stint in St. Louis, he and Faith moved to South Dakota in 1941 where he began working for the FAA (then the CAA) at the airstrip in Philip, being drawn here by his parents who were then living in St. Onge. They came to live in the Canyon Lake area of Rapid City in November 1943 and Don began working at the Rapid City Airport. Don and Faith were instrumental in the founding of Canyon Lake Methodist Church.
Don was active in the Western Dakota Gem and Mineral Society, the Black Hills Stamp Club, the Minneluzahan Historical Society, South Dakota Historical Society, and the Rapid City Society for Genealogical Research. In his early years in Rapid City, he sang in the Elks Chorus and enjoyed fishing and hunting with friends. Don was a founding member of the Amateur Radio Club in 1953 — his call letters were WØIWE. He also enjoyed attending concerts of the Black Hills Symphony Orchestra. He was a longtime supporter of South Dakota Public Television.
After the 1972 Flood destroyed their home, Don and Faith built a new home in Rapid Valley. He bought a CAPP home and put it up mostly by himself. It used all of the talents he had to do that. Don and Faith were members of Rapid Valley Methodist Church.
After his retirement from the FAA in 1973, Don and Faith read cemeteries throughout western South Dakota. Don spent many hours indexing county histories and microfilming mortuary records. He acquired voter registration records, tax records, city directories and other materials, which have since been donated to the State Historical Society for other researchers to use.
Don and Faith were extraordinary gardeners all of their lives in South Dakota, and gardening was a passion for both of them. Faith grew flowers and Don grew vegetables that they both froze and canned. Their children learned at a young age how to do both.
Additionally, they found time to travel to New England to visit the locales that were the homes of their own ancestors. They were also very involved in the lives of their grandchildren and their nieces and nephews.
Survivors include his daughter, Carol (Jim) Reed of Bismarck, N.D.; grandson, Marcus (Amber) Schock and their children Tanner and Sara of Panhandle, Texas; grandson, James (Cicely) Schock and their children Emma and Ryan of Sioux Falls; daughter, Ellen (Gregory) Bishop of Rapid City; grandson, Shawn (Coni) Cassity of Minneapolis; granddaughter, Erin (Casey) Gates and their son Ryan of Eatontown, N.J.; son, Bruce (Kaye) Barnes of Denver; granddaughter, Roslyn (Don) Murray and their daughter, Ella of Centennial, Colo.; son, Evan (Lorie) Barnes of Rapid City; granddaughter, Renee (Alick) Haangala and her children, Malaika, Belita, and Josiah of Rapid City; granddaughter, Jacey (Andrew) Napier and their children, Annia and Andre of Rapid City; grandson, Christopher (Robyn) Barnes of Rapid City; step-granddaughter, AJ Rolfson of Rapid City; brother-in-law, Jack (Deborah) Knowles of Rapid City; nephew, Scott (Ellen) Knowles of Milwaukee, Wis.; nephew, Bruce (Carol) Knowles and their children, Cullen and Patrick of Rapid City; nephew, Allan Knowles of Cedar Falls, Iowa; nephew, John (Stacie) Knowles of St. Paul, Minn.; nephew, Robert Knowles of Chicago; niece, Meghan (Robert) Stevens and their children, Faith, Abby, and Jack of Rapid City; niece, Elizabeth (Paul) Stevens and their children, Seth and Poppy of Rapid City; niece, Jennifer (David) Stuck and their children, Connor and Cameron of Rapid City; nephew, Mark (Eileen) Knowles and their children, Richard, Christopher, and Emily of Jacksonville, Fla.; nephew, Larry (Janine) Barnes of Custer; grandniece, Marcy (Michael) Armstrong and their children, Mikaela and Nathan of Peosta, Iowa; grandnephew, Jeffrey (DeAnn) Barnes and their children, Erin and Katie of Ames, Iowa; niece, Linda (Gary) Jantz of Davenport, Iowa; grandnephew, Paul (Kristi) Jantz and their children, Zach and Luke of Shorewood, Ill.; grandniece, Sarah Taylor and her children, Ashley, Garrett, Korey, Max and Will of Davenport, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his parents in 1967; his brother Paul in 1974; and his wife Faith in 1998.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, at Behrens-Wilson Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Pine Lawn Memorial Park beside his wife. A luncheon will follow at Rapid Valley Methodist Church.
Memorials in Donald’s memory may be made to the Minneluzahan Historical Society, c/o Reid Reiner, 222 New York St., Rapid City, SD 57701.
Condolences may be conveyed to the family at www.behrenswilson.com.
