William “Billy” Graham

William “Billy” Graham, 46, of Miller, passed away Thursday, June 7, 2018 at his home.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday, June 14, 2018 at the Trinity Lutheran Church, Miller with Rev. Glenn Stewart officiating. Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 13, 2018 at Reck Funeral Home, Miller.

Billy went to sleep in this world the night of June 6th and woke up in eternity on June 7th. No more pain. He is free.

Bill was born in Muncie, IN on November 14, 1971 to Phyllis (Venjohn) Graham and Patrick Graham. He joined two brothers, the three Musketeers. In 1993, he relocated to Miller. He tried several different jobs and finally found a good fit at Builder’s Cashway. He discovered he loved and was very good at customer relations and always tried to make himself available to help customers and friends with their projects.

In 2004, Bill found out he had a six-year-old daughter. From their first meeting, Bill was totally devoted to her and she became his whole purpose in life.

He is survived by his daughter, Destiny of Rapid City; his mother and step-dad, Gary and Phyllis Yearous of Miller; and his father and step-mother, Patrick and Silvia Graham of Kolomo, IN; two brothers, Terrence (Christine) Graham and nieces Emily and Erika, all of Brighton, MI and Mark Graham of Indianapolis, IN; other relatives are Steve (Bonnie) Yearous and Jessica, Spencer, Tandra and Kate; and Shawn (Ron) Golden and Ryan of Madison, SD; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

He was preceded in death by grandpa Jim Graham; grandparents, Wilbert and Dorine Venjohn; and uncles: Roger and Patrick Venjohn.

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

Advertisements

Lydia Hall

Lydia Hall, 97, of Miller, passed away Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at Good Samaritan Society in Miller.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 13, 2018 at the First United Methodist Church, Miller with Rev. Janice Palmer officiating. Burial will follow at G.A.R. Cemetery, Miller. Visitation will be 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 12, 2018 at Reck Funeral Home, Miller.

Lydia was born June 1, 1921 to George and Lydia (Buechler) Engel in Miller. She attended Stebbins country school through the 8^th grade. She attended Miller High School through the 9^th grade before quitting to help on the family farm during the depression.

On June 5, 1945, she was united in marriage to Trigve Norman Hall in Pierre. Lydia lived most of her life in Miller. Lydia had an in-home daycare for many years and also babysat at night and weekends. She then worked at the Miller Good Samaritan for 27 ½ years as a housekeeper.

Her favorite pastimes included spending time with family and friends, gardening, watching soap operas, “seek a word” puzzles, and enjoying listening to music. She also loved and had a large collection of angels. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women.

Lydia is survived by her daughters: Bonnie Hall of Miller and Beverly (Leland) Cain of Miller; grandchildren and great grandchildren: Stacey (Terry) Boomsma, Seth and Brendon of Crooks; Scott (Rube) Hall of San Franciso, CA; Mike (Erin) Cain, Madox, Declan, and Grace of Long Beach, NY; Dr. Kevin (Tricia) Cain, Gavin, Hudson, Braxten, and Conrad of Miller; Brian Cain (Lindsey Clarke) of Miller; and Ryan (Teresa) Cain, Ethan and Emma of Lenexa, KS; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; sisters: Sophie Engel and Vida Eisenbraun; brothers: George, John, Ed, and Fred Engel; five infant siblings; sisters-in-law: Lorene, Esther, and Geneva Engel, Esther Speck, Jessie, Ellen, Gertie, and Florence Hall; brothers-in-law: Melvin, Ellert, Otto, Eli, and Alfred Hall and Gus Speck; and nephews: Jerry Eisenbraun, Willard Engel, Clayton Engel, Eddie Engel, Marvin Speck, and Kenny Hall.

Angels walk among us, only sometimes they don’t wear wings – they are called Moms.

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

Mary Darling

Mary Darling, 64, of Miller, passed away Sunday, May 27, 2018 at her home.

Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 1, 2018 at the First Presbyterian Church, Miller with Rev. Brian Jones officiating. Visitation will 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 31, 2018 followed by a 7:00 p.m. prayer service, all at the church.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established for Mary’s granddaughter, Addison.

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

Harriet Lawler

Harriet Lawler, 93, of Miller, passed away Sunday, May 27, 2018 at Good Samaritan Society in Miller.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, June 2, 2018 at the First United Methodist Church, Miller with Rev. Janice Palmer officiating. Burial will follow at G.A.R. Cemetery, Miller. Visitation will be 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Friday, June 1, 2018 at Reck Funeral Home, Miller.

Harriet Virginia Barrett was born February 5, 1925, to David S. Barrett and Faye F. Bohen Barrett in Miller, SD. Harriet attended elementary school in rural Hand county then graduated from Miller High School in 1943. After high school she taught elementary school in rural Hand county. Following several years of teaching she entered Methodist State Hospital School of Nursing (affiliated with Dakota Wesleyan University) in Mitchell, SD. After graduating with a Diploma in Nursing in 1948 Harriet was then employed as a nurse by Denver General Hospital in Denver Colorado until 1954.

In 1954 she returned to Miller and married Daniel Patrick Lawler on September 18. They had one child, Steven John, in July of 1955. Harriet was then farm wife, mother, cook, ranch hand, tractor driver, parts runner, gardener and so much more. She also despised (22LR) the gophers that invaded her lawn and gardens.

Dan and Harriet ranched/farmed on the family farm south of Ree Heights until they moved to Miller in 2007. In 2013 they moved to Courtyard Villa assisted living in Miller. Dan and Harriet enjoyed motorcycling, snowmobiling, camping at the State Fair in Huron and traveling to numerous national conventions due to Dan being on the board of directors for Sully Buttes Telephone Cooperative.

Harriet was active for many years in the local extension club and was a member of the Greenleaf Methodist Church.

Grateful to have shared in her life are her son, Steven; brother, James Barrett; sister-in-law, Bernece Lawler; nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Daniel; brother-in-law, Ambrose Lawler; and sister-in-law, Charlotte Barrett.

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

Marvin Augspurger

Marvin Augspurger, 90, of Miller, passed away Saturday, May 26, 2018 at the Avera Mother Joseph Manor in Aberdeen.

Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday, May 31, 2018 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, Miller with Father Paul Josten, celebrant. Burial will follow at St. Ann’s Cemetery, Miller with military honors. A prayer service will begin at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 30, 2018 at St. Ann’s Church, Miller.

Marvin was born in Sioux Falls on July 31, 1927, to Atlee and Dorothy (Koch) Augspurger. After graduating from Washington High School in 1945, Marvin served in the U. S. Army. In 1946, Marvin, his father and brothers opened the Sportsman’s Hunting Lodge in St. Lawrence. They also owned and operated Atlee Motor Sales, Midwest Supply, a farm implement business, and Augspurger Chevrolet and Buick. In 1958, Midwest Supply opened, and Marvin co-managed the store for 57 years. He retired in 2014 at the age of 87. He truly enjoyed his time spent assisting farmers and ranchers with their needs and stated he would do it all over again if he could!

Marvin was an avid sports fan, he participated in softball, bowling, and golf, in addition to cheering on his beloved Minnesota Twins, Vikings and Miller Rustlers. Other hobbies he took pleasure in were hunting, fishing and boating. Marvin was known for his sense of humor and the telling of a good joke.

Marvin was a member of St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Miller where he served as an usher and belonged to the Knights of Columbus. Marvin and Rosemary were married for 63 years before Rosemary’s passing in June 2015. He missed her presence every single day. His family celebrates him as the wonderful man he was. We will always cherish our heartfelt memories and times spent together.

He is survived by his five children: Mary (Craig) Cooper of Spearfish; Barbara (David) Schempf of Spearfish; Nancy (Gregg) Carlson of Aberdeen; Janet (Terry) Bosecker of Gillette, WY; and Charles (Bridgett) Augspurger of Hartford; 13 grandchildren: Max Cooper, Sydney (Deming) Haugland, Lauren (Patrick) Williams, John (Emma) Schempf; Christina (Derek Watada) Carlson, Robert (Alexi Brown) Carlson and Kelley Carlson, Rachel (Ty) Phillips, Austin (Amanda Bigge) Augspurger, Andrew, Nelson, Jack and Grant Augspurger; seven great grandchildren; two sisters-in-law: Lorraine Augspurger and Althea Augspurger and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was proceeded in death by his wife, Rosemary; his parents: Atlee and Dorothy and six siblings and in-laws: Roland, Ione (Ansel) Reese, Kenneth, Robert (Viola), Wendell and Delores (John) Deardorff.

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

Gene Haeffner

Gene Haeffner, 80, of Miller, passed away Saturday, April 28, 2018 at the Good Samaritan Society in Miller.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday, May 3, 2018 at Reck Funeral Home, Miller with Rev. Max Miller officiating. Burial will follow at Sunbeam Cemetery, rural Miller. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the funeral service.

Gene was born March 13, 1938 on a farm near St. Lawrence, South Dakota to Jacob and Caroline (Guthmiller) Haeffner. He was the second to the youngest of a family of six children. In 1957, Gene graduated from Miller High School. He then attended Southern Teachers College at Springfield, South Dakota for two years. Gene later worked at the rubble site for eight years. In October of 1997, he married Mary Ufen, the love of his life.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Haeffner; one step-daughter and step-son; three step-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and siblings: Mable Wagner, Una Nicholas, Ray Haeffner, Dwaine Haeffner, Donna Petersen, and an infant sibling.

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

Donald R. Simpson

Donald R. Simpson, 80, of Miller, passed Thursday, April 5, 2018 at Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital in Miller.

Celebration of Life will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, April 14, 2018 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Miller. Private burial will be at G.A.R. Cemetery, Miller.

Donald Ritchie Simpson was born November 1, 1937 to Clarence and Eva (Jangula) Simpson in Bismarck, North Dakota. He was raised on the family farm in rural Emmons County, North Dakota and graduated from Braddock High School.

On November 8, 1958 he married Joyce Hoffman and the two resided briefly in San Diego, California while he served in the U.S. Navy before moving to Aberdeen, South Dakota. In 1962, the couple moved to Miller and raised their three sons.

Don worked many years as a mechanic for Scheer Implement in Miller as well as the City of Miller and the nursing home before retiring.

Don had a variety of interests including his many wood projects, playing cards, feeding birds, hunting, and his all time favorite – fishing. He lived to fish walleyes and could be found on the river with Dale on any day.

Grateful to have shared in his life are his sons: David (Michelle), Dale (Jill), and Robert (Lisa); grandchildren: Ben, April, Kevin (Elizabeth), Chris (Jessica), Lucas, Joseph, Justin, and Jennifer; great grandchildren: Harley, Ellie, Davitt, and Christian; brother, Jerry (Kathy) Simpson; sister, Carol Wright; and brother-in-law, Donald (Vicky) Hoffman.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife and soulmate Joyce in 2014; parents-in-law, Sam and Ida Hoffman; and three sisters: Rosie, Philco, and Ida.

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

Richard E. Walton

Richard E. Walton, 81, of Miller, passed away Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at the Highmore Health in Highmore.

Funeral Mass was held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, Miller with Father Paul T. Josten, celebrant. Burial followed at G.A.R. Cemetery, Miller. Visitation was held from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Monday, April 2, 2018 at Reck Funeral Home, Miller.

Richard Edward Walton was born February 23, 1937 in Miller, South Dakota to Ralph Richard and Florence A. (Bolton) Walton. He attended school in Hand County. Throughout his life, he worked as a farmer/rancher, highline construction, but his favorite job was helping at Trudy’s Daycare with all the kids.

In his free time, Richard enjoyed gardening, trapping, hunting, and fishing. He was a member of St. Ann’s Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He was a longtime and faithful greeter and usher at the church.

Survivors include his brothers: Father James of Chicago, Eugene of Hill City, Gerald (Mavis) of Blunt, and Kenneth (Edna) of Spearfish; sisters: Doloris (Cliff) Volek of Highmore and Marilyn Luscombe of Spearfish; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Florence Walton; grandparents: George and Mary Bolton and Clay and Emma Walton; sister-in-law, Donna; and several aunts and uncles.

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

Donna Fischer

Donna Fischer, 86, of Miller, passed away Tuesday, March 20, 2018 at Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital of Miller.

Funeral service will be 2:30 p.m., Friday, March 23, 2018 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Miller with Rev. Max Miller officiating. Burial will be at 12:30 p.m. Friday at Rose Hill Cemetery, rural Wessington. Visitation will be 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Thursday, March 22, 2018 at Reck Funeral Home, Miller.

Donna was born March 19, 1932 to Khristian and Helma (Dahl) Nielsen. She graduated high school at Arlington. In 1953, she graduated from Sioux Valley Nursing School. She loved nursing; surgery being her favorite. She worked many years, retiring in 1998 when computers came into play. Throughout the years, she worked for the hospital, clinic, nursing home, and home health.

In 1956, she married Ben Foust and three sons were born to this union: Steve, Dan, and Neil. She was so proud of her boys. On January 8, 1982 she married the love of her life, Leland Fischer. They made their home on the farm south of Wessington. In 1986, they moved into Miller. Leland continued to farm.

She was very active in the Lutheran Church in Miller; spending many hours in the kitchen and sewing quilts. Donna loved to stay busy. She loved sharing her many talents of cross stitch, painting, crocheting, and quilting. Donna was well known for her brownies and other bake goods.

Grateful to have shared in her life are her sons: Steve (Annette) Foust of Greeley, CO and Neil (Terry) Foust of Rapid City; two granddaughters: Miranda (Stephen) and A.J.; her beloved sister, Lois Sherwood; daughter-in-law, Kathy; and her special friend, Robert Fawcett.

She was preceded in death were her parents; husband, Leland; son, Dan; and brother, Lloyd.

Memorials can be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church in Miller.

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

Marie Taylor

Marie Therese Yvonne Taylor, 75, of St. Lawrence, passed away Monday, March 19, 2018 at her home after losing her battle with cancer.

Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Friday, March 23, 2018 at St. Ann’s Church, Miller with Father Paul Josten officiating, with visitation beginning at 9:00 a.m. Burial will be at 2:30 p.m., MST, Friday, March 23, 2018 at Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis.

Marie was born in Harly, France on February 8, 1943 to Rene’ and Yvonne Alice (Dudebout) Boulanger. She graduated high school in France. While her future husband, Richard Taylor, was serving in the U.S. Air Force, he met Marie in Germany and they were later married.

In Marie’s free time, she enjoyed gardening, cooking, and her rescue greyhounds.

She is survived by her children: Jessica Taylor Alsdorf and Michael (Deena) Taylor; grandchildren: Ashley, Shelby, David, Harley, Sean, and Christina; great grandchildren: Wyatt, Isabel, and Hailey; and her rescue greyhound, Max.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and husband, Richard in 2016.

Memorials can be directed to Heartland Greyhound Adoption, P.O. Box 342, Bondurant, IA, 50035 or visit http://www.heartlandgreyhoundadoption.org

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