Iris Grogan

Iris Grogan, 89, of Miller, went home to be with our Lord on Sunday, November 19, 2017 at Good Samaritan Society of Miller.

Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, November 25, 2017 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Miller with Rev. Max Miller officiating. Burial will follow at G.A.R. Cemetery, Miller. Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Friday, November 24, 2017 at Reck Funeral Home, Miller.

Iris was born on April 5, 1928, south of Rockham, South Dakota to John and Ada (Johnson) Reinhardt. She attended Hand County School. On December 16, 1949 she married Lynn Grogan and they shared 54 years together on the farmstead. Many days were filled with baking, cooking, tending to the garden, and raising chicken and geese. She will be lovingly remembered playing cards, cheering on the Twins and Vikings, and making delicious treats for family and friends.

She focused on the good in people and life. Iris will be treasured for the twinkle in her eye, a smile on her face, her cheerful spirit and laughter, and having the ability to take life as it comes with unwavering grace and acceptance. She especially loved spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren who brought her tremendous joy. More than anything, Iris loved Christmas. It is heartwarming to know she will be celebrating with loved ones in Heaven this year.

She will greatly missed by her daughter, Sandy (Lee) Klitzke of Aberdeen; two sons: Jerry (Connie) Grogan of Huron and Barry (Tamie) Grogan of Miller; sisters: Pearl Grogan of Centerville and Lorraine Schweitzer of Waterloo, IA; brothers: Floyd Reinhardt of Miller and Lyle Reinhardt of Hastings, MN; nine grandchildren: Justin (Marcy) Klitzke, Jennifer Klitzke, Jill (Joseph) Erickson, Samantha (Jacob) Crick, Steven Grogan, Michael Grogan, Danielle Danburg, Allison Grogan, and Noah Grogan; and 12 great grandchildren: Saige, Taylar, Jocelyn, Katelyn, Ashelyn, Sophie, Thomas, Madelyn, Maxwell, Averie, Briggman, and Zander.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lynn; and brothers: LeRoy, Ronald, Emerald, Melvin, and Donald Reinhardt.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Iris’ arrangements.

Lana Dannenbring-Eichstadt

Lana Dannenbring-Eichstadt, 51, of Wolsey, passed away surrounded by her family Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at her home.

Funeral Mass will be 10:00 a.m., Monday, November 27, 2017 at the Wessington Auditorium with Father Chester Murtha and Father Paul Josten, celebrants. Burial will follow at McCord Cemetery, rural Wolsey. Visitation will be 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., Sunday, November 26, 2017 with a 5:00 p.m. prayer service, all at St. Joseph Church, Wessington.

Lana Lynnell Dannenbring-Eichstadt was born on May 29, 1966, in DeSmet, SD, to Leslie and Norma (Hein) Dannenbring. She was baptized in DeSmet. She was a member of Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church in Wessington, SD.

She married Greg Eichstadt on June 11, 1988, in DeSmet. The couple made their home on a farm between Wolsey, SD and Wessington, SD. They had two sons, Herman Eichstadt and Henry Eichstadt.

Lana grew up in the “Little Town on the Prairie” of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. She played various characters in the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant including both Ma and Mary Ingalls. She was also a tour guide for the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society for eight years. Lana played in the first three South Dakota State Volleyball Tournaments. Lana graduated from DeSmet High School and attended Southwest Minnesota State University, Marshall, MN, Huron University, Huron, SD, the College of Saint Scholastica, Duluth, MN, and Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD. She earned her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Education and a specialist certificate in Educational Technologies.

She was a teacher at Miller High School Miller, SD, for nineteen years. She was the course author & lead teacher in Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition at the Northern State University Center for Statewide E-learning, Aberdeen, SD from 2008 until her health failed in 2016. She also served as the executive secretary and scholar for the South Dakota Humanities Council. She served as a judge for the South Dakota State Fair. Lana was a member of Chapter AK P.E.O. in Miller. She served on the Wessington Economic Development Corporation for many years. She was the website and social media developer for the town of Wessington and for her former student, Shannon LaBau.

Lana enjoyed spending time with family, friends, and dogs, teaching, writing, reading, gardening, decorating, and the South Dakota State Fair. Lana and her family volunteered at the Oglala Lakota Child Protection Agency in Pine Ridge, SD, and the Beadle County Nutrition Site for many years.

Lana is survived by her husband, Greg; sons, Henry and Herman (Courtney); mother-in-law, Delores Eichstadt, Wolsey, SD; brother, Lex (Sandra) Dannenbring, Parkersburg, IA; sisters, Lane (James) Carroll of Colman, SD, Portia (Curtis) Larsen of Arlington, SD, Lew (Roger) Page of DeSmet, SD; Godson, Patrick (Amy) Carroll, Flandreau, SD; sisters-in-law, Marilyn (Dwight) Kruse, Brookings, SD, and Carmen Dannenbring, DeSmet, SD; brothers-in-law, Kevin (Laura) Eichstadt, Huron, SD, Rodney (Kathleen) Eichstadt, Wolsey, SD, Phillip (Julie) Eichstadt, Aberdeen, SD, Keri Sorensen, Avondale, AZ; aunt and uncle, Rita and Milton Handel, Freeman, SD; aunt, Beatrice Hein, Ipswich, SD; and aunt, Donna Egan, Sturgis, SD; nieces: Ann (Brandon, Ava, Aden) Bunker, Jennifer (Doug, Jaycee, Alyssa, Owen) Welbig, LariAnn (Adam) Helzer, Lisa (Casey, Isabel, Kyle, Lane, Tabor) Liebsch, Gina (Alexander, Grace, Sara) Dannenbring, Josie (Chad, Gabe, Julia) Mostek, Provatia (James, Louis) Pietile, Letitia (Martin, Lucy, Sam, Marcie) Fashbaugh, Ashley (Jeremy, Landon, Kaleb, Isabella) Schafer; nephews: Adam (Tasha, Joseph, Myles, Gabby, Max) Dannenbring, Alex (Rachel, Conrad) Dannenbring, Matthew (Candace, Copper, Brielle) Carroll, Timothy (Stephanie, Waylon, Whitney, Warner) Carrol, Patrick (Amy) Carroll, Jeffrey Carroll, Derek (Jill, Trevor, Ellie) Etjen, Daren Etjen, Damian (Dordaneh Rachel) Potvin, Brian (Amy, Brett, Rachel, Carson) Page, Jay (Teri Joe, Hadley, Hayes) Eichstadt, Jordan (Clarissa) Kruse, and James, Jeff, Jason Kruse; aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; father-in-law, Dale Eichstadt, two brothers: Lon and Lee Dannenbring; one brother-on-law, Stacey Eichstadt; and one nephew, Andrew Dannenbring.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred for future contribution in Lana’s memory.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Lana’s arrangements.

Ron Wieseler

Ron Wieseler, 69, of Polo, passed away Friday, November 24, 2017 surrounded by his family at home.

Funeral Mass will be 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, November 28, 2017 at St. Liborius Catholic Church, Polo with Father Christopher Hughes, celebrant. Burial will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Polo. Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Monday, November 27, 2017 with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service, all at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to any family you know who is fighting cancer.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Ron’s arrangements.

Marvin Allerdings

HURON — Marvin Allerdings, 87, of Huron, passed away Saturday, November 11, 2017, at the Huron Regional Medical Center.
His memorial service will be 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, November 15, at the Kuhler Funeral Home.
Marvin Emmanuel Allerdings was born June 12, 1930, at Selby to George and Barbara (Spitzer) Allerdings. He attended country school east of Gettysburg.
In 1968, Marvin married Gladys Hoffman at the Methodist Church at Tolstoy. He worked as a farm hand most of his life. The family lived near Highmore, and then moved around for work at Seneca, Ashton, Turton and Redfield. In 2002, Marvin and Gladys moved to Huron to be closer to family.
He enjoyed watching stock car races in Huron and Miller. He was also a fan of NASCAR and followed the Earnhardt racing family. Marvin chose to follow the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League. He cherished his time with family and friends.
He is survived by his wife, Gladys of Huron; sons, Steve Allerdings of Huron, and Kenneth Allerdings of Bath; granddaughter, Natasha Allerdings of Doland; brother, Rueben (Delores) Allerdings of Huron; and brother-in-law, Hershel (Norma) Hoffman of Belle Fourche.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister-in-law, Edna (Alex) Vail; and one brother-in-law, Darrell Hoffman.

Maureen A. Gerdes

Maureen Gerdes, 87, of Miller, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, died peacefully Saturday, November 11, 2017 at the Miller Good Samaritan Center after a long, full and fun-filled life.

Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday, November 16, 2017 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, Miller with Father Paul Josten, celebrant. Burial will follow at St. Ann’s Cemetery, Miller. Visitation will begin at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 15, 2017 followed by a 7:00 p.m. rosary and prayer service, all at the church.

The sixth of seven children, Maureen Ann Wherry was born March 22, 1930 to Melvin and Mary (Rudd) Wherry at their home in rural Hand County. She grew up on a farm in the middle of the Depression and rode a horse or sleigh to rural schools, depending on the weather. She attended Orient High School one year and graduated in 1948 from Faulkton High School. She was a secretary for Faulkton attorney L.A. Melby until 1950 when she began work at what was then known as Black Hills General Hospital until 1951.

Maureen met Delmar Gerdes at a dance in Orient. They married November 8, 1950 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Orient, SD. They lived in California while Delmar served in the Army from 1951-1953 after which they returned to South Dakota. Maureen was a homemaker and mother to three children while living in Wecota, Timber Lake and Miller, SD. They spent 57 happy years together until Delmar’s death on August 13, 2008.

Maureen worked as a secretary for Miller attorney James I. Hare from 1966-1970. She served as deputy Hand County treasurer for Marvin Wilson from 1970-1972. She was an optometrist’s assistant to Dr. S. B. Wilkinson from 1973-1984. She also served as a census taker in the 1980 US Census. From 1984 until her retirement in 1988, she served as Hand County energy assistance officer for the SD Department of Social Services.

She supported all her children’s activities, including acting as a Den Mother for Cub Scouts and being active in Music Parents. Maureen spent many lonely years working for the Democratic Party in Hand County and served St. Ann Catholic Church as a CCD teacher and Altar Society member and officer. In 1970 she was honored as a Pioneer Daughter by the parish. She held many offices in the American Legion Post #38 Auxiliary, including president. She loved her faith, being Irish, playing cards, baking and her grandchildren (not necessarily in that order).

She will live on in the hearts of her children, Connie (Dr. Steve) Schroeder of Miller; Terri (Scott) Bettin of Minneapolis, MN; Dan (Nan) of Rapid City; nine grandchildren, Paul Schroeder, Erica (Eric) Ramsey, Tom Schroeder, Meredith Schroeder, Benjamin Bettin, Genevieve Bettin, Nathaniel Bettin, Caitlin Gerdes and Spencer Gerdes; one great-grandson, Will Ramsey; a sister, Donna Roth, Miller; a brother, Dennis Wherry, Abilene, Texas; a sister-in-law, Mavis Wherry, Santee, CA; and a brother-in-law, Delbert Christensen, Denver, CO; along with a host of nieces and nephews, friends and neighbors.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Delmar; three brothers: Bernard, Werner, and Celius Wherry; a sister, Eileen Christensen; several brothers and sisters-in-law.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Maureen’s arrangements.