onservation

The annual Wall Lake Kids’ Fishing Derby was held May 18 at the Lake Louise State Recreation Area. The weather cleared up prior to the start of the derby and it turned out to be a beautiful morning at the lake.

Sixty-three kids were registered for the derby, which was two short of the record.

The fish were also cooperating with a lot of them being caught by the youngsters. There were 47 northern pike, eight bass, three walleyes, two bluegill, 15 bullheads and six turtles caught. A few other fish were caught that were not recorded. There was also one bluegill that was caught by proud angler Gentry Harrell, which was released alive back into the lake.

Congratulations to the winners, as well as all the kids who participated in this event.

The winners of the biggest bass were Steven Fernholz and Reannon Slunecka. The winners of the biggest northern pike were Spencer Fernholz and Chase Hurd. The winner of the biggest walleye was Josi Stevens; biggest bullhead was Jolie Palmer; and Cooper Oakley caught the biggest turtle. Prizes and lunch were provided after the derby by the Wall Lake Sportsmen’s Club.

Appreciation to all the parents who showed up to assist their kids during the fishing derby and who took the time to get their kids outdoors.

If you have questions or comments please call my office at 853-3644, if I’m not available please leave your name and number and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

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All participants at the annual Wall Lake Kids’ Fishing Derby on May 18 at Lake Louise.

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Reannon Slunecka caught the biggest bass at the annual Wall Lake Kids’ Fishing Derby.

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That’s an awful lot of fish for a small fry…Jaymin VanDerWerff

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All participants at the annual Wall Lake Kids’ Fishing Derby on May 18 at Lake Louise.

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Wall Lake Club members with various winners at the fishing derby May 18.

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Reannon Slunecka caught the biggest bass at the annual Wall Lake Kids’ Fishing Derby.

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Carter Kruml was proud of his big catch.

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Brooklyn Caffee, left, and Cora Peterson, right, show off a string of fish caught at the Wall Lake Kids’ Fishing Derby.

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That’s an awful lot of fish for a small fry...Jaymin VanDerWerff

Gann Valley

Carol Grabin and Sonia Schelske joined a bus tour for a Quilt Shop Hop through part of Minnesota Friday to Saturday.

Ross and Rayna Moore from California stopped at the Gann Valley Post Office. Mr. Moore’s great-great-grandfather, Amsa L. Spencer, was the first Postmaster of Gann Valley, appointed on May 8, 1885.  Mr. Spencer was also a Civil War veteran.

St. Placidus Church hosted a visiting priest on Sunday who had served for 35 years in Taiwan and China. He gave a very interesting talk on his time in those countries. Dinner was served after Mass.

Judy Gaulke spent Saturday to Thursday in Minneapolis visiting friends and also met with her son, David John, of California.

Evelyn Wulff visited Thursday evening at the home of Darlene Fousek and with Doug and Barb Schleder.

Ellen Speck visited in the Shannon and Jody Speck home in St. Lawrence on Sunday and wished her grandson, Ian, a happy birthday.

John and Pam Niles, Plankinton, were Sunday supper guests in the David and Judy Gaulke home.

Elaine and Janet Wulff attended the State Legion Auxiliary Convention in Rapid City Saturday and Sunday.

Rain totals of an inch to about two and one-half inches were reported in eastern Buffalo County over the weekend.  It is all very welcome.

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether 20 or 80, Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young. – Henry Ford

Polo-Orient

Memorial Weekend always provides a time for family members to make a trip back to their roots. Such was the case for many in the Orient and Polo communities when family members from away returned to attend the local Memorial Day services, visit the cemeteries and attend noon meals in both communities.

The weather continues to be the front runner in the news since the life of a farmer revolves around the weather. By the time the tally was in for the rain during the week before Memorial Day, four inches had been dumped from some gauges near Polo.

Reporting the amounts does raise eyebrows when you talk to someone who lives fairly close by and they had a couple inches more or less. One consistency you know is out there is the measure of stress when fields and gardens are waiting to be planted.

Perfect weather days like Memorial Day 2013 and again Sunday, June 2 make gloomy, rainy days like Monday, June 3 bearable, even if just barely bearable. Farmers have more acres of corn and beans not planted than normal for June 3, even though they got in a good week last week when thousands of bushels of corn went from the bag to under ground.  Likewise winter vacation for lawn mowers is over and lawns and grass-covered areas paint a picture of manicured green.

BIRTH
CONGRATULATIONS

Matt and Amy Wieseler of Washington, D.C. are the proud parents of Felix Dominic McKee Wieseler. He was born on May 12, 2013 and has an older brother Xavier. Felix’s grandparents are Ron and Sharon Wieseler, Polo, and Bill and Sheila McKee, Oak Point, Texas. His great-grandparents are Ray and Lois Barkley of Ravinia.

May 26, Maurice and Kathryn Schlechter went to Brookings for the graduation of their grandson Lucas Engen from Brookings High School.  Others joining Lucas and his parents, Kevin and Jean Engen, were Doris Juhnke, Chamberlain; Mike Schlechter, Miller; Mary Neuhauser, Midland; Cindy and Shelby Gerber, Pierre; Carol and Mike Goodrich, Crooks; Kristi and Zach VanDeRostyne, Hartford; Amy Goodrich and Bret Fetrel, Vermillion; Reba Goodrich, Sioux Falls; Rob and Sheila Schlechter, Miller; and Kathy and Jeff Schulz, Aberdeen.

Graveside services were held at Prairie View Cemetery, south of Orient, Saturday, May 25, 2013 for Elton Burke Jr. age 91. The special memorial tribute for their brother and uncle, who died January 10, 2013 was planned for May to accommodate family to attend. Present for the services conducted at the cemetery were Elton’s sisters Winifred Burke, Miller and Joan Eggers, Custer, brother-in-law Bill Johnson, Pierre, and 27 nieces and nephews, from several states.

Unable to attend the services were Elton’s sisters, Evelyn Kruse, Iowa, Alice Kinslow, California, and Vivian Johnson, Pierre. Elton was preceded in death by his parents, Elton Sr and Cora Burke, and brothers Merle, Melvin, Roy and James.

The communities extend sincere sympathy to Joan (Burke) Eggers, whose husband Myron Eggers died suddenly Friday, May 24 in Pierre. Condolences can be sent to PO Box 311, Custer SD 57730.

Cheri Lein and Gloria Smith accompanied Dorothy Bernard to visit in Polo before having coffee with JoAnn Schaefers and visiting about the history of St. Liborius parish and Polo schools. Dorothy (Gaspar) Bernard was a 1954 Polo (formerly Fairview) High graduate.

Linda Leddy of Sioux Falls was a Memorial weekend guest in the parental Vic and Marion Martinmaas home.

Tom and Sarah Schuster, TC and Tori, were weekend visitors in the LeRoy and Donna Schaefers home. They also visited Grandpa Vic and Grandma Marion Martinmaas.

The Farmers Oil Company in Orient hosted their annual meeting Friday evening, May 31. They provided an appreciation meal, which was open to all their customers, as a thank you for the patronage in support of the hometown business.

After the supper in Orient, Howard Brown stopped to visit with Jack and JoAnn Schaefers on his way back to his Onida farm. He had stopped by Calvary Cemetery in Polo en route to Orient.

Following the Memorial Day Services at Howell Cemetery, the following brought dinner and spent the day with Richard and Dolores Hargens: Joe and Chris Schaefers, Karen Schaefers, Mark Schaefers and Katie Eschenbaum, Jeff and DeAnn Hargens, Sarah, Jenna, Piper McAllister, Wolsey, and David and Renae Phinney, Ree Heights.

Friendship Center

The next event is the potluck dinner at noon on Thursday, June 20. Mark your calendar and come join us. There will be a program on “Stroke Detection.” Do you know the signs of a stroke? Put the date on your calendar and join us at noon on the 20th, and find out!

Cards are played every afternoon from 2 until 4:30 Rummy is the game on Tuesday and Thursday and cards of your choice on the other four days of the week.

Pool News

Tuesday, June 4: The 8-ball players were Charles Droz, George Mogle, Warren Skinner; and Jesse Hammer. Double crowns and eight wins for Hammer and Skinner, and four wins for Droz and Mogle.

Wednesday, June 5: The 8-ball doubles team partners were Charles Droz and Jesse Hammer against Jim DeGeest and Bob Lowther. Charles and Jesse caught Jim and Bob on an off-day as they won the daily 8-ball series seven games to one.

From the Wednesday night there were two players—Orval Rogers and “Snooker” Skinner. They played two games in two hours.

“Snooky” and Orval played great; Orval got beat 2-0, but he put up a heck of a battle.

Rod Siegling, 63, of Redfield, S.D. died Monday, June 3, 2013 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Neb.

The funeral was held Saturday, June 8, at United Church of Christ in Redfield with the Revs Tim Fugman and Brian Jones officiating. Interment was at Greenlawn Cemetery.

He was born December 1, 1949 to Kenneth and Arlene (Roeber) Siegling in Redfield. Rod lived in Burdette, S.D. and attended Burdette Country School until the fourth grade, when his family moved to Redfield. He graduated from Redfield High School, attended Northern State University, and graduated from the Brown Institute of Broadcasting in Minneapolis, Minn.

Rod married Robbi Robertson on September 25, 1982. To this union of over 30 years were born two sons, Peter and Patrick.

After working as a radio broadcaster in Dayton, Ohio, and Mobridge, and Redfield, S.D., he switched course, joining and eventually owning the family business – Siegling’s Super Valu. In 2008, Rod and the grocery store received an award from Super Valu, Inc. for over 40 years of affiliation and operation within the Redfield community.

Throughout his life, Rod was also an active community member. He was involved in Jaycees, Lions, Redfield Chamber of Commerce (serving as president in 1978), the Redfield Development Corporation, and he was a long-time member of the United Church of Christ.

In addition to running the family business and his community involvement, Rod found time to enjoy extra-curricular activities. He performed in multiple Redfield Area Arts Council theater productions, including Oklahoma, South Pacific, Brigadoon, Thunder and Lightnin’, Kiss Me Kate, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He also served as a volunteer youth boys’ basketball coach for eight years. Rod’s favorite place on earth, though, was at the family cabin on Cottonwood Lake. There he could be found on most spring, summer, and fall evenings tending to the yard, enjoying the company of family and friends, or just soaking in the tranquility.

He was a devoted husband and father, and treasured the times spent with his children and grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife, Robbi of Redfield; one daughter, Shannon (Jarod) Dodson, Mariah, LaRae, JaeLynn, and Kendyl of Rapid City, S.D.; three sons, Noel (Kathryn) and Will of Houston, Texas, Peter (Alicia) and Lily of Omaha, Neb. and Patrick (Mackenzie Tuschen) of Minneapolis, Minn.; one sister, Glenna (William) Thompsen of Walnut, Iowa, Stephanie and Dean; and one brother, Reed (Kathy) Siegling of Woodbury, Minn.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials, which will be directed back to the community.

Rod Siegling 1949-2013

James Aalbers, 66, of Miller, S.D., died Thursday, June 6, 2013 at Ave ra McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls.

Private family services will take place at a later date.

James Roger was born July 27, 1946 on the family farm south of St. Lawrence to Gradus and Florine (Blackburn) Aalbers. He attended school in Pearl Township and later St. Lawrence High School. On October 16, 1967 he married Linda Reck in McClusky, North Dakota. Throughout life, James worked as a farmer, for Sierra water purification and Gerdes Cow Camp. In his free time, he loved fishing and spending time with his family and grandchildren. He resided in Pearl Township his entire life.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Aalbers of Miller; children, Jim (Renae) Aalbers of Miller, Tammy (Bill) Gortmaker of Miller, Corey Aalbers of St. Lawrence, Megan Aalbers of Gillette, Wyo., and Casey (Lisa) Aalbers of Wessington; 13 grandchildren, Kayla, Jessica, Austin, Dillan, Shawn, Constance, Samantha, Kory, Cheyanne, Heidi, Grady, Ryan and Whitley; three great-grandchildren, Ross, Kooper and Braxton; mother-in-law, Lucille Reck; three brothers-in-law, Mike Reck, Andy (Vannessa) Reck and Lonnie Styron; three sisters, Donna (Roger) Grogan, Norma (Stan) Krantz and Judy (Chuck) Beaner; one brother, Jack (Ann) Aalbers; numerous nieces and nephews; and special friends, Tory, Sandy, Eric, Star and Liz.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Gradus and Florine; sister-in-law, Barbara Styron; father-in-law, Jack Reck; and infant brother, Kenneth.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Jim’s arrangements. Visit www.familyfuneralhome.net.

James Aalbers 1946-2013

 Vera Marie Walberg, 86, of Miller, S.D., formerly of Aberdeen, died Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at the Good Samaritan Society of Miller. Memorial services were held Friday, June 7 at the St. Lawrence Community Church. Private family inurnment was at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Aberdeen. Friends and family may sign Vera’s online register at www.remboldfuneralhome.com.

Vera Marie Light was born on February 24, 1927 in Aberdeen, S.D. to Carl and Anna Light. Vera grew up in Aberdeen and after finishing her education worked as a legal secretary in Aberdeen.

On June 11, 1949 she married Glenn Walberg at the First Presbyterian Church in Aberdeen. To this union two children were born, Glenn Jr. and Shirley. The early years of their marriage were spent on the Walberg farm near Mina Lake in Edmonds County. In 1954, Glenn and Vera moved to Aberdeen and started Walberg Construction. Vera did the bookkeeping and cared for the family while Glenn built many new homes in the Aberdeen area.

Glen and Vera retired in 1973 and moved to the family cabin on the shores of Lake Pickerel. They spent the summers at the lake and the winters in Florida, Texas and Arizona. They finally decided to live in Yuma, Ariz. year around, as moving back and forth between Arizona and South Dakota became too much work.

In May 2003 Vera and Glenn decided to move to Miller to be closer to family. They lived in the Miller Manor. Glenn passed away on January 14, 2008 while Vera continued to live at the Manor. In April of 2012 Vera unfortunately fell and broke her neck. This fall resulted in her moving into the Good Samaritan Care Center in Miller. Vera enjoyed joking and teasing with the staff and was very appreciative of their loving support.

Vera passed away quickly on June 4, leaving behind her son Glenn and wife Sue of Devils Lake, N.D.; daughter Shirley and husband Ernie Stirling of Miller; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Vera was preceded in death by her husband, parents, two brothers and two sisters.

All who knew Vera will miss her trademark wit and humor, which she used to bring a smile to those that she met.

Rembold Funeral Home of St. Lawrence has been entrusted with Vera’s arrangements.

Vera Walberg 1927-2013

 Vera Marie Walberg, 86, of Miller, S.D., formerly of Aberdeen, died Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at the Good Samaritan Society of Miller. Memorial services were held Friday, June 7 at the St. Lawrence Community Church. Private family inurnment was at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Aberdeen. Friends and family may sign Vera’s online register at www.remboldfuneralhome.com.

Vera Marie Light was born on February 24, 1927 in Aberdeen, S.D. to Carl and Anna Light. Vera grew up in Aberdeen and after finishing her education worked as a legal secretary in Aberdeen.

On June 11, 1949 she married Glenn Walberg at the First Presbyterian Church in Aberdeen. To this union two children were born, Glenn Jr. and Shirley. The early years of their marriage were spent on the Walberg farm near Mina Lake in Edmonds County. In 1954, Glenn and Vera moved to Aberdeen and started Walberg Construction. Vera did the bookkeeping and cared for the family while Glenn built many new homes in the Aberdeen area.

Glen and Vera retired in 1973 and moved to the family cabin on the shores of Lake Pickerel. They spent the summers at the lake and the winters in Florida, Texas and Arizona. They finally decided to live in Yuma, Ariz. year around, as moving back and forth between Arizona and South Dakota became too much work.

In May 2003 Vera and Glenn decided to move to Miller to be closer to family. They lived in the Miller Manor. Glenn passed away on January 14, 2008 while Vera continued to live at the Manor. In April of 2012 Vera unfortunately fell and broke her neck. This fall resulted in her moving into the Good Samaritan Care Center in Miller. Vera enjoyed joking and teasing with the staff and was very appreciative of their loving support.

Vera passed away quickly on June 4, leaving behind her son Glenn and wife Sue of Devils Lake, N.D.; daughter Shirley and husband Ernie Stirling of Miller; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Vera was preceded in death by her husband, parents, two brothers and two sisters.

All who knew Vera will miss her trademark wit and humor, which she used to bring a smile to those that she met.

Rembold Funeral Home of St. Lawrence has been entrusted with Vera’s arrangements.

Vera Walberg 1927-2013

William O. Taylor, 70, of Miller, S.D., died Saturday, June 8, 2013 at the Golden Living Center in Pierre.

Memorial service will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday, June 13, at St. Ann Catholic Church, Miller with Father Chester Murtha officiating. Burial will be at Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis, at a later date.

Bill was born on March 23, 1943 in Oklahoma City, Okla., to Jimmy and Margaret (Heim) Taylor. He spent his youth in Faulk County, S.D., in and around Faulkton and attended one room country grade schools and Faulkton High School, class of 1961.

Bill spent four years in the United States Air Force from 1962 to 1966 where he worked the flight line at Travis AFB, California. After the Air Force, Bill lived for several years in Utah and later in California. In the mid 1980s, Bill returned to South Dakota and spent several years working in his brother Bob’s Steak House, the Hi-Lite, in Miller. By the mid 1990s Bill began cross country trucking, which continued until his retirement.

During his last several years Bill experienced progressively worsening COPD, which ultimately required several episodes of hospitalization and finally his admittance to the Assisted Living Center.

Bill’s family includes brothers: Robert “Bob” (Sharon) Taylor of Sioux Falls, S.D.; Richard (Marie) Taylor of Miller, S.D.; Jerald Lauritzen of Thornton, Colo.; and a sister, Katherine (Seth) Strinni of Frederick, Colo.; and two sons: David Giese of Midway, Utah, and Bobby Giese of Midway, Utah.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Elizabeth Machan and Jeanne Machan; and brother, Harold Lauritzen.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Bill’s arrangements. Visit www.familyfuneralhome.net.

William “Bill” Taylor 1943-2013