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Baby Boy Weston
PINE RIDGE — Baby Boy Weston, Pine Ridge, was stillborn
Thursday, Aug. 3, 2000, at Pine Ridge Hospital.
Survivors include his parents, Ernest and Dana Weston Sr., Pine Ridge; one brother, Ernest Weston Jr., Pine Ridge; one sister, Samantha Weston, Pine Ridge; paternal grandfather, the Rev. Harry Weston, Pine Ridge; maternal grandparents, Douglas Richards, Pine Ridge, and Rosalynn White Magpie, Oglala; and great-grandmother, Rose White Magpie, Oglala.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, at White Magpie Cemetery in Oglala, with Apostle Pedro Sharpfish officiating.
Edward Watson Sanders
RAPID CITY — Edward Watson Sanders, 73, Rapid City, died Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2000, at Rapid City Regional Hospital.
Arrangements are pending with Behrens Mortuary.
Alfred Carl ‘Sonny' Behrens Jr.
RAPID CITY — Alfred Carl "Sonny" Behrens Jr, 68, Rapid City, died Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2000, at Fort Meade Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Alfred Carl Behrens Jr. was born in Rapid City on May 17, 1932, the son of Alfred and Emma (Julius) Behrens. As a young boy, he had a paper route and worked as a pin setter in a local bowling alley. He later worked in his father's furniture after school, on Saturdays and during the summer months.
Alfred was educated in the Rapid City schools and graduated from Rapid City High School in May 1950. He was a Boys State delegate in 1949 and was elected a county representative. An avid sports fan, Alfred played on the freshman and sophomore football teams, participated in intramural basketball and lettered in track and cross country. He was a member of the 1949 state championship team in cross-country.
On Nov. 30, 1949, Alfred enlisted in H&S Company, 109th Engineer Battalion of the South Dakota National Guard. The unit was called to active duty in September 1950, and he went with the battalion to Fort Bragg, N.C., for training. The unit was sent to Germany in June 1951, and Alfred attended the Army's Quartermaster School there. He was promoted to Sergeant in November 1951 and returned to Rapid City with his unit in June 1952.
He attended National School of Business in Rapid City and Black Hills State College in Spearfish for short periods. In March 1953, Alfred went to work full time in his father's furniture store, and he subsequently became a partner in the business. He remained active in the National Guard, and in January 1955, he was promoted to master sergeant in the 109th Engineer Battalion, serving as sergeant major. He was promoted to the rank of warrant officer on May 3, 1956, and assigned as assistant supply officer on the battalion staff.
In April 1963, due to business conflicts, Alfred resigned from the National Guard and was transferred to the Inactive Reserve. However, in April 1972, he enlisted in the National Guard and remained active in it until retiring in October 1979.
After the death of his father, Alfred became the sole owner of the Behrens Furniture Store in January 1963 after purchasing the interests of his two sisters. The establishment, situated where Prairie Edge is now, was the oldest retail family business in Rapid City at the time, having been founded in 1880. Only the Behrens Mortuary and First National Bank had been in operation longer. Alfred liquidated the business in November 1965.
In March 1966, Alfred went to work for Midwest Furniture (now Freed's) as a carpet layer. He became the firm's merchandise manager in 1970 and held that position until becoming a salesman and carpet layer for Furniture World in March 1973. When that business closed, Alfred worked as an independent carpet installer from April 1987 until August 1989. He then became manager of the carpet department for South Dakota Furniture Mart in Rapid City.
In February 1992, Alfred went to work managing Harlan Brand's Quality Flooring Supplies Co. He remained there until the business closed in October 1994, and he then retired completely.
Alfred had been active in Rapid City Jaycees and Young Republicans. He was a life member of VFW Post 1273, American Legion Post 22 and both the South Dakota National Guard's Enlisted and Officers' Associations.
He is survived by three sons, all born in Rapid City, Jon, Salem, N.H., James, his wife, Patricia, and their three children, Allessandra, Cody and Mikayla, all of Granite Bay, Calif., and William, his wife, Donna, and son, Roger, all of Dracut, Mass.; two sisters, Dolores (Mrs. Bob) Lee, Sturgis, and Beverly (Mrs. Merle) Miller, Rapid City; several nieces and nephews.
Closed-casket visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today at Behrens Mortuary.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, at Behrens Mortuary Chapel, with the Rev. Kenn Cragg officiating.
Burial will be at Mountain View Cemetery in Rapid City. Military honors will be provided by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1273.
A memorial has been established.
Edward Watson Sanders
RAPID CITY - Edward Watson Sanders passed away at Rapid City Regional Hospital on Aug. 9, 2000. Ed was born in Pompton Plains, N.J., on April 18, 1927, to Melvin and Jennie Ricker Sanders. He was raised in the state of New Jersey and spent most of his younger years there.
Edward joined the United States Navy on Feb. 5, 1945, and was honorably discharged July 20, 1946. During that time, Ed fought in World War II, where he was honored with the Victory Medal, Asiatic Pacific Medal and the American Theatre Medal.
Ed had many jobs, from filling-station owner to city government. Edward later moved to Wyoming, where he was a ranch hand for many years.
In 1983, he purchased the Wagon Wheel Campground east of Custer, which he owned until 1986. After selling this business, he moved to Custer, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Ed worked many summers for the State Game Lodge for the jeep rides. He thoroughly enjoyed meeting and visiting with tourists each summer.
Ed could be seen many mornings at Doug's Cafe or Nelson's Conoco visiting with everyone. His interests were few, but he truly enjoyed learning about Native American cultures and customs. He became quite educated in that field. He loved the Black Hills and spent many hours driving through them.
Ed is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by one daughter. He will be missed by all of his friends and neighbors. In lieu of services, Edward's wishes were that a memorial be established to the Custer County Ambulance Service.
Behrens Mortuary is in charge of local arrangements.
Minnie J. Harris
STURGIS - Minnie J. Harris, 96, Sturgis, died Friday, Aug. 4, 2000, at Sturgis Long Term Care Center.
Survivors include four sons, Ivan Harris, El Cajon, Calif., Evan Harris, Aberdeen, Ray Harris, Bowdle, and Ralph Harris, Mathis, Texas; two daughters, Donnie Mae Bender, Rapid City, and Yvonnie Radunz, Hutchinson, Minn.; one sister, Esther Curry, Pierre; 24 grandchildren; 41 great-grandchildren; and 14 great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis, and one hour before services at the church, which will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16, at Grace Lutheran Church in Sturgis with the Rev. James Olson officiating.
Burial will be at Pine Lawn Cemetery in Rapid City.
Mildred K. Moen
RAPID CITY - Mildred K. Moen, 84, Rapid City, died Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2000, at her home.
Millie, as she was affectionately known, was born on April 17, 1916 in rural Minnehaha County to Sven T. and Britha (Johnson) Kirkeby. She was the youngest of eight children.
On May 27, 1945, Millie married Elef Moen in Baltic. The couple lived in Rapid City for most of their lives, where Elef barbered and Millie owned her own beauty shop.
Grateful for having shared her life are two sons, Michael Moen, Modesto, Calif., and Stuart Moen, Spring, Texas; one daughter, Beckie Franco, Gainesville, Fla.; one brother, Sigfred Kirkeby, Baltic; eight grandchildren; Melanie, Merileigh, Morgan and Mackenzie Moen, Modesto; Gabriel and Elliott Franco, Tulsa, Okla, Israel Franco and Rey Franco, Jr., Gainesville; and five nieces. She was preceded in death by her husband, Elef, on Aug. 14, 1988, five brothers and a sister.
Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Trinity Lutheran Church in Rapid City, with the Rev. Don Brendtro officiating.
Burial will be at 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 14, at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. A procession to the cemetery will leave the funeral home at 8:15 a.m. on Monday.
A memorial has been established in her memory.
Carl A. Reutter
EDGEMONT - Carl A. Reutter, 89, Edgemont, died Friday, Aug. 11, 2000, at his home.
Services are pending at Isburg-McColley's Chapel of Edgemont.
Melvin E. Delzer
SPEARFISH - Melvin E. Delzer, 73, Spearfish, died Monday, Aug. 7, 2000, at Lookout Memorial Hospital in Spearfish.
Melvin Delzer was born in Hague, N.D., on March 15, 1927. He grew up in Selby, where he graduated from high school in 1945 and immediately enlisted in the Navy. Melvin served on the carrier USS Hornet CV-12 in the Pacific through the end of World War II. With an honorable discharge, he returned to Selby and his high-school sweetheart Gloria Cheskey. Melvin and Gloria were married on Aug. 29, 1947, and settled in Selby where they purchased the DeLux Cafe and started a family. In 1950, Melvin began what would become a 38-year career in the construction business by founding Delzer Excavating.
Delzer Excavating, a single backhoe operation, grew to become Delzer Construction Co., which specialized in state and federal highway-construction projects throughout the Dakotas and Wyoming. In 1970, with a concentration of projects in and around the Black Hills, the company, along with Delzer family of seven, relocated to Rapid City. Over the coming years, Melvin's business acumen and hard-work ethic brought prosperity and many career successes. By the late 1970s, Melvin's business holdings had grown to include (along with Delzer Construction) Aggregates Gravel & Paving, Centennial Quarry, Pepper Oil & Gas, Fort Union Coal Mine, Golden Plains Feedlot and a 75,000 acre farming and ranching operation.
With the last of their five children graduated from high school in 1980, Melvin and Gloria moved permanently to their Spearfish Valley Ranch just north of Spearfish. In 1985, Melvin sold most of Delzer Construction's assets to the French oil conglomerate Total, his partner in the Fort Union Coal Mine. Other business operations were gradually divested, and by the late 1980s, Melvin settled into semi-retirement, maintaining just the farm and ranch operations.
Many of Melvin and Gloria's "retirement" years were dedicated to the care of their daughter Colleen, who suffered a stroke in 1988. They spent much time with family and enjoyed the Christmas holidays in Hawaii and the winter months at their son's home in Southern California. Melvin also stayed involved in the business realm by providing guidance and financial support to his sons' various business ventures. In particular, he served as a mentor and primary investor in his son's real-estate development and home-building company in California. Melvin also was actively involved in the daily farming and ranching operations until the time of his death.
Melvin is preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Anna Delzer, daughter, Colleen Delzer, and granddaughter, Denae Delzer.
He is survived by his wife, Gloria; one sister, Alma Preszler and husband, Elmer; one brother Harvey and wife, Hilda; four sons, Roger and wife, Sharon, Ross and wife Barb, Charles and wife, Nicole, and Bernard; five grandchildren, Randy, Rayce, Ryan, Buddy and Jill Larson and husband, Ryan, and one great grandson Mason Larson.
In lieu of flowers, if you wish, the family requests checks payable to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation mailed to The Delzer Family, P.O. Box 1045, Spearfish, SD 57783.
Visitation will be from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 13, at Carlsen-Jolley Funeral Home in Spearfish and from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 14, and at the church one hour before the service.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14, at United Methodist Church in Spearfish, with the Rev. Kip Roozen officiating. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery in Spearfish. Military honors will be provided by American Legion Post 164 and Queen City VFW Post 5860 Honor Guard of Spearfish.
Carlsen-Jolley Funeral Home of Spearfish is entrusted with arrangements.
Vernon Willard Foster
CHADRON, Neb. - Vernon Willard Foster was born June 13, 1950, in Valentine, Neb., to Willard and Flora Foster. They lived at Kewanee, Neb., for his first five months, and then moved near the South Dakota/Nebraska border just north of Valentine. In 1955, the family moved to Unit 56 on the Angostura Irrigation Project east of Oral, S.D. Vernon attended grade school at Oral Community School for eight years. He then went to Hot Springs High School and graduated with the class of 1968. His next official step in education was his graduation from the University of South Dakota in 1972 with a bachelor of science degree in business administration.
Vernon and Angie Kostelecky were married May 24, 1979, in Hot Springs by the Rev. Don Lagge. They have twin sons, Frank and Forrest. These two fine sons are the best products Vernon ever raised. They could not ask for a better father or friend. He taught them how to farm, work, enjoy life and love the career they chose. Forrest will be a junior at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, where he is studying to be a mechanical engineer. Frank graduated from Western Dakota Vo-Tech in May with an associate degree in auto technology. He is a mechanic at Jacobs Motor Company in Rapid City. He is engaged to be married to Linda Heindel.
After college, Vernon drove truck for Charlie Flyte and ORFECO while farming with his parents. In 1977, he purchased Unit 56 from Willard and Flora, who were the first to farm the unit. He continued to farm and ranch there all his life. He loved visiting with his neighbors and helping people. He talked and walked the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Vernon was a lifelong member of the Oral Volunteer Fire Department, president of the Fairview Cemetery Board, a member of the Fall River Planning Commission, past member of the FHA Board, a past member and president of the Angostura Irrigation District Board and an Elks member. Vernon was an avid blood donor. He was a member of the Oral Methodist Church for many years.
After a full but much too short life, he died Aug. 9, 2000, at age 50, doing what he loved best.
He was preceded in death by an infant brother, and both sets of grandparents, Dewey and Hyacinth Shelbourn and George and Laura Foster.
A memorial has been established to Oral Volunteer Fire Department for medical equipment.
Survivors include his wife, Angie, Oral; twin sons, Frank and his fiance, Linda Heindel, Rapid City, and Forrest, Oral; parents, Willard and Flora Foster, Hot Springs; a brother, Leroy and his wife, Charlene, and their children of Fort Pierre; his parents-in-law, George and Vi Kostelecky, Lemmon, and a plethora of friends.
Pastor David Anderson will preside at the (closed-casket) services at Mueller Civic Center Theatre, Hot Springs, 2 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 13. Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery near Oral. A lunch will be held at Oral Methodist Church after the interment.
