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Rolla Overacre
RAPID CITY Rolla Overacre, 97, Rapid City, died Sunday, Feb. 17, 2002, in Rapid City.
Survivors include two daughters, June Johnson and Wanda Livingston, both of Rapid City; and eight grandchildren.
Arrangements are pending with Osheim-Catron Funeral Home.
Louis Dude' Max Merchen
RAPID CITY Louis "Dude" Max Merchen, 93, of Rapid City died Thursday, February 14, 2002, at Rapid City Regional Hospital.
Dude was born August 22, 1908, to Louis and Anna (McKee) Merchen in Knox County, Neb. He later met Hazel Eggers, and they were married in Yankton, S.D., in April 1929.
After working on several ranches, they received the very first FHA loan in Pennington County to purchase their own place west of Rapid City. They were members of the First Congregational Church, and Dude did a lot of the building of Placerville Church Camp of the Black Hills. He lived his last year-and-a-half at the Victorian in Rapid City where he was greatly loved. He will be extremely missed by a lot of people throughout this land.
He is survived by three sons, Alvin Ike Merchen and wife Joan of Hot Springs, David Merchen and wife Connie of Rapid City; foster son Emery Butch Jibben and wife Inez of Rapid City; three daughters, Phyllis Jensen and husband Herbert, Annetta Payne and husband Tom, all of Rapid City, Janice Jensen and husband Harold of New Underwood; one brother, Harry Merchen Sr. of Kadoka; one sister, Ester Matz of New Underwood; numerous grandchildren; great-grandchildren; and great-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife Hazel, daughter Arla Kreber, two grandchildren Timothy Kreber and Brenda Lynn Payne, five brothers and five sisters.
Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 21, 2002, at Kirk Funeral Home in Rapid City, with a prayer service at 7 p.m.
Services will be at 10 a.m. on Friday, February 22, 2002, at the First Congregational Church in Rapid City, with Dr. Ted Huffman officiating. Burial will follow at Pine Lawn Memorial Park in Rapid City.
A memorial has been established.
Laurel Welch
CRAIG, Colo. Laurel Welch, 62, Craig and formerly of Rapid City, died Thursday, Feb. 14, 2002, at her home.
Survivors include two sons, Lester Welch and Kenny Welch, both of Craig; two daughters, Barbara Wheaton, Laird, Colo., and Jackie Sue Ungefug, Espanola, N.M.; eight brothers, Albert Derby, Whitewood, S.D., Stanley Derby, Lead, S.D., Eugene Derby, Newell, S.D., Bill Derby, Colorado Springs, Jerry Derby and Bobby Derby, both of Sturgis, S.D., Tommie Derby and Jimmie Derby, both of Deadwood, S.D.; 10 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John K. "Jack" Welch.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, at Grant Mortuary in Craig. Burial will follow at Craig Cemetery.
Rachel Moore
RAPID CITY Rachel "Grandma" Moore, 91, Rapid City, died Friday, Feb. 15, 2002, at Rapid City Regional Hospital.
Survivors include one sister, Frieda Helm, Java; two brothers, Alvin Sieler, Jamestown, N.D., and Herbert Sieler, Camirillo, Calif.; four sons, Marion Moore, Billings, Mont., Harold Moore, Sidney, Mont., Larry Moore, Rapid City, and Darrell Moore, Black Hawk; nine grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Arrangements are pending with Behrens Mortuary in Rapid City.
Francis C. Guptill
INTERIOR Francis C. Guptill, 79, Interior, died Saturday, Feb. 16, 2002, at his home.
He served in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1946.
Survivors include his wife, Wanda Guptill, Interior; two sons, Perry Guptill and Dale Guptill, both of Interior; two daughters, Sheryl Trohkimoinen, Vale, and Alice Jones, Thermopolis, Wyo.; two sisters, Carol Tystad, Gordon, Neb., and Jean Cutler, Piedmont; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, at Rush Funeral Home in Philip, and one hour before services Wednesday at the school.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, at Interior School Gym, with the Rev. Hoshea Morley and the Rev. Jason St. John officiating. Burial will be at Interior Fairview Cemetery.
Russell Hanson
LEMMON Russell Hanson, 89, Lemmon, died Saturday, Feb. 16, 2002, at Five Counties Nursing Home.
Survivors include his wife, Helen; one son, Ronald Hanson, Gettysburg; one daughter, Janice Tomhave, Watertown, Wis.; six stepchildren, Coleen Sander, Bowman, N.D., Allen Baumberger, Florence, Mont., Don Baumberger, Nine Mile Falls, Wash., Mark Baumberger, Morristown, N.D.; three sisters, Sylvia Erickson, Decatur, Ill., Winifred Kuntz, St. Peter, Minn., and Dorothy Olson, Kasota, Minn.; six grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 19, at Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon, and one hour before services at the church on Wednesday. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, at Christ Lutheran Church in Morristown, with the Rev. Wilbur T. Niermeier officiating. Burial will be at Hillside Cemetery in Morristown.
Memorials may be made to Christ Lutheran Church, WELS World or Home Missions, or the church or charity of the donor's choice.
Arthur Deibert
RAPID CITY Arthur Deibert, 86, Rapid City and formerly of Eureka, died Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2002, at Bella Vista Nursing Home in Rapid City.
He served in the U.S. Army.
Survivors include his wife, Helen Deibert, New Underwood; two daughters, Ruby Perhus, Marshall, N.D., and Dorothy Ward, Easton, Pa.; one son, Larry Deibert, Rapid City; one sister, Bertha Fuchs, Wichita Falls, Texas; one brother, Herbert Deibert, Marysville, Wash.; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
Visitation will be one hour before services, which will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 18, at United Methodist Church in Eureka, with the Rev. Robert Wittstruck officiating. Burial will be at Eureka City Cemetery, with military graveside rites by Fred Weller American Legion Post No. 186.
Carlsen Funeral Home in Eureka is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be made to Alzheimer's Treatment and Research Center, 640 Jackson St., St. Paul, MN 55101.
Joan C. LeBeau
SWIFT BIRD Joan C. LeBeau, 69, Swift Bird, died Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2002, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls.
Survivors include her husband, Sebastian; daughters Eileen Peacock, Sandra LeBeau and DeAnna LeBeau; sons Warren LeBeau, Sebastian "Bronco" LeBeau and Owen "Owie" LeBeau; five brothers, Henry, Wayne, Franklin, Greg and Leslie Ducheneaux; four sisters, Luella Nickeson, Karen Nitzschke, Rochelle and Candace Ducheneaux; 21 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
A rosary service and wake will be held at 7 p.m. MST today at All Saints Catholic Church in Eagle Butte.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 18, at Cheyenne Eagle Butte School Auditorium, with the Rev. Steve Hoffstetter officiating.
Burial will be at Ducheneaux Cemetery in Swift Bird.
Luce Funeral Home of Eagle Butte is in charge of arrangements.
Franklin Delano Whitaker
FORT MEADE Franklin Delano Whitaker passed away Jan. 29, 2002, at the Black Hills Health Care Center in Fort Meade, S.D.
He was born March 5, 1933, in Jasper County, Indiana, to Austin and Grace Whitaker.
His childhood was spent on a small farm near Wheatfield, Indiana, and he graduated as valedictorian from Wheatfield High School.
After graduation, he joined the U.S. Army and served as a paramedic in Germany.
Upon discharge from the Army, he attended the University of Indiana at Bloomington. He received a degree in journalism and was a member of the I.N. University fraternity.
He then moved to California and was a writer for the Highland Park News Herald and the Pasadena Star for many years.
In the mid-sixties, he served as Assistant Director to the President of University of Southern California. In 1967, he was assistant to Dr. Moyer, the Chancellor of University of Northern Las Vegas. In 1969, he moved to San Francisco and was a correspondent for the California Medical Association, and in the mid 1970s, he moved to Las Vegas and worked for the Las Vegas Sun while spending his summers in South Dakota helping Sister Hawk at the Pine Ridge Woakiya Center, and moved to Rapid City, S.D., permanently in 1983.
In the late 1980s, he was a staff correspondent for the Lakota Times in Martin, S.D.
Grateful for sharing his life is Nancy, his love and partner of 14 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents and four sisters.
Survivors include four children, six grandchildren and three stepgrandchildren, two brothers, four sisters, and many other relatives and friends.
Inurnment will be at the Black Hills National Cemetery at a later date.
Louis Max Dude' Merchen
RAPID CITY Louis Max "Dude" Merchen, 93, Rapid City, died Thursday, Feb. 14, 2002, at Rapid City Regional Hospital.
Survivors include three sons, Alvin Merchen, Hot Springs, and David Merchen and Emery Jibben, both of Rapid City; three daughters, Phyllis Jensen and Anetta Payne, both of Rapid City, and Janice Jensen, New Underwood; one brother, Harry Merchen Sr., Kadoka; one sister, Ester Matz, New Underwood; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Arrangements are pending with Kirk Funeral Home of Rapid City.
Wanda Abernathy
SPEARFISH Wanda Abernathy, 78, Spearfish, died Sunday, Feb. 10, 2002, at her home.
Survivors include two sons, John Abernathy, Sturgis, and Neal Abernathy, Rapid City; three daughters, Debra Hansen, Tampa, Fla., Noreen King, Pocatello, Idaho, and Marlene Fitzgerald, Oklahoma City; four brothers, Ray Hardy, Washington, Jimmy Hardy, New Jersey, Ernest Hardy, St. Onge, and Bill Hardy, Deadwood; and numerous grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. today at First Baptist Church of the Northern Hills in Deadwood, with the Rev. Pat McBride officiating.
Burial will follow at Oak Ridge Cemetery near Deadwood.
Carlsen & Aldinger Funeral Home of Sturgis is in charge of arrangements.
John M. Ellsbury
BROOKINGS John M. Ellsbury, 17, Brookings, died Tuesday, February 12, 2002, at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Saturday, February 16, at the First United Methodist Church in Brookings. Interment will be 10 a.m. Monday at the Fairbury, Nebraska, Cemetery. Visitations were from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Eidsness Funeral Home.
John Michael Ellsbury was born August 30, 1984, in Amory, Mississippi, to Michael M. and Susan (Hansmire) Ellsbury. He lived his first six years in Starkville, Mississippi, where he attended kindergarten and the first grade at Sudduth Elementary School. He moved with his parents to Brookings in June 1991. John attended Hillcrest Elementary School, Brookings Middle School, and was a senior at Brookings High School.
John enjoyed spending time with his friends, and he loved his dog, Arca. He was a member of First United Methodist Church, Boy Scouts, Aeromates and the Academy of Model Aeronautics. In his early years, he played the piano, violin and trombone. He had many interests, including ice hockey, kneeboarding, water and snow skiing, and computers. He was learning to fly a radio-controlled helicopter he had built. When at the family farm in Nebraska, he enjoyed cutting wood and spraying weeds. His future plans
included majoring in computer engineering at the University of Nebraska.
Survivors include his parents, Mike and Susan Ellsbury, of Brookings, South Dakota; grandparents, Wendell and Ruth Ellsbury of Mercer Island, Washington, and Dr. Floyd and Ruth Hansmire of Fairbury, Nebraska; several aunts and uncles; and many cousins.
Memorials may be directed to the East Central Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Center or Boy Scout Troop No. 4, both in Brookings.
