June 10, 1940 ~ March 21, 2023

   Leona J. Veldkamp, Brandon, SD, on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, while under hospice care at the Dow Rummel Village, of Sioux Falls., Lee went to be with her Lord and Savior at the age of 82 years, 9 months, and 11 days.

   Funeral Services will begin at 3:00pm, Sunday, March 26, 2023, at the Brandon Valley Baptist Church, with a time of fellowship following at the church.  Interment will be 10:30am, Monday, March 27, 2023, at the Hills of Rest Mausoleum, Sioux Falls. A livestream link to watch the service is https://www.youtube.com/@brandonvalleybaptistchurch9818/streams  Memorials may be directed to St. Croix Hospice or Union Gospel Mission in Sioux Falls.

   Leona June Hoff was born near Steen, MN, on June 10, 1940, to Gerrit and Willemina (Juffer) Hoff.  The youngest of five children, Lee was raised with her brother and three sisters on farms near Steen and Luverne, Minnesota.  Lee graduated from Beaver Creek High School in 1957.   It was at church, that she met Marvin Veldkamp.  On June 10, 1958, Lee’s 18^th birthday, Lee married Marv in Luverne, MN.  The couple lived near Luverne, where they had their first daughter, Lori.  Marv and Lee then moved to Baltic, SD, where their second daughter, Ladelle, was born.  In November of 1963, Marv and Lee moved to Garretson, SD, and resided there for six years before settling in Brandon, SD, in 1970.  In early 1971, they purchased a garbage route in Sioux Falls, SD.  In true teamwork fashion, Lee managed all the bookkeeping for Marv’s Sanitary Service while Marv was working the routes. 

   After the girls were grown, Marv and Lee enjoyed travelling to Gospel Concerts.  A highlight of their travels each year was attending the National Quartet Convention held in Louisville, KY, (and later moved to a location in Pigeon Forge, TN) each September where they would see many friends and spend the week listening to the music they enjoyed.

   Lee will be deeply missed by her husband of 64 years, Marv; her two children, Lori (Tom) Wilford, Brandon, SD, and Ladelle (Jim) Dwyer, Windermere, FL; grandchildren, Rebekah Larson, Orlando, FL, Gerrit (fiancé Melissa Brausch) Wilford, Chicago, IL, Micah (Peyton) Larson, Grace Wilford, Brandon, SD, (Halie) Larson; great-grandchildren, Avery, Orlando, FL, Noah, Elliot, and Hollis, Orlando, FL; two step-grandchildren, Brady Dwyer and Brock Dwyer, both of Orlando, FL; one sister, Alvina (Don) Christoffels, Luverne, MN; sisters-in-law, Caroline Veldkamp, Sioux Falls, SD, Frances Veldkamp, Luverne, MN, Hendrene Van Wyhe, Edgerton, MN, Grace (Lou) Charette, Sioux Falls, SD, Arlene (Norman) Haak, Oaks, ND; and one brother-in-law, Alvin (Shirley) Veldkamp, Sioux Falls, SD.

   Lee was preceded in death by her parents, Gerrit and Minnie Hoff; son-in-law, Scott Larson; grandson, Jared Larson; brother, Arthur Hoff; two sisters, Grace (Chris) Van Wyhe, and Geraldine (John) Gorter; mother-in-law, Angie Veldkamp; sisters-in-law; Alice (Al) Van Hill, and Clazina (Hank) Van Wyhe; brothers-in-law, Bert (Joyce) Veldkamp, Mike Veldkamp, Jim Veldkamp, and Arnie Veldkamp.

March 7, 1953 ~ March 14, 2023

Albert Ihnen, Jr., “Junior”, 70, Sioux Falls, passed away on March 14, 2023, at his home, surrounded by his family.

Albert was born on March 7, 1953, at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls, to Albert Ihnen, Sr., and Violet (Reiners) Ihnen. He graduated from Tea, SD, and then enlisted in the Army and was stationed in Germany where his first son Robbie was born. Throughout his life, he was a man of many skills; working as a maintenance man, electrician, machinist, welder, truck driver, and boom truck operator for his nephew, Scott Javers. Junior eventually retired and moved to Deltona, FL, to be closer to his sister and her husband, Connie and Duane Nelson. In the last year, a combination of health issues caused him to move back home to South Dakota to be closer to family.

Junior loved fishing, hunting, and spending time with his family during the holidays. He found so much joy in being an avid drag racer. He was proud of his ’66 Ford Fairlane, which his son, Brandon, now cherishes. He spent most of his free time having fun at Thunder Valley Dragway. He was a jokester and always knew how to make people laugh but mostly enjoyed every minute he could with his family.

Junior is survived by his wife, Keinwin “Kiney”; his children, Kari Ihnen, Tracy (Justin) Miller, and Brandon (fiancée Haley) Ihnen; his grandchildren, Drea Ihnen, Maddy Ihnen, Carson Ihnen, Avrie Ihnen, Ellison Miller, Jensen Miller, and Oliver Ihnen; his siblings, Allen (Sue) Ihnen, Alden Ihnen, and Connie (Duane) Nelson; brother-in-law, Gene Javers; sister-in-law, Deb Hines; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his son, Robbie; his parents; and his sisters, Pat and Jean; and brother-in-law, Denny.

February 17, 1987 ~ March 8, 2023

Eran McGraw, 36, Sioux Falls, beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend passed away on March 8, 2023. 

Memorial Services will be held Friday, March 24, 2023, at 4:00 PM at Peace Lutheran Church (5509 W. 41^st Street, Sioux Falls, SD)

Eran Frank McGraw was born in Sioux Falls, SD, on February 17, 1987, to Elmer “Bud” and Sheryl (Houska) McGraw.  He attended Horace Mann Elementary, Patrick Henry Middle School, and Lincoln High. Eran grew up in Sioux Falls along with his two brothers.

Eran worked in a number of different fields from carpentry, construction, and recently at Chesterman Coca Cola.

Grateful for having shared in his short life are is mother, Sheryl; his brothers, Michael and Sean (Andrea); nephews, Daymian (Chelcie), Jordan, Jared, and Jackson; nieces, Ireland and Bella; and three grandnieces.

Eran was preceded in death by his father, Elmer; both paternal and maternal grandparents, and his dear friend, Welby Gliszinski.

September 9, 1958 ~ March 6, 2023

Alba Marina Diaz, 64, Sioux Falls, died on Monday, March 6, 2023, unexpectedly, at her home.

Visitation with family present will begin at 1pm, Thursday, March 9, 2023, at Heartland Funeral Home. Interment will follow at the Brandon Cemetery. A live stream link to watch live is https://www.youtube.com/live/5ouAAmR6k94?feature=share The live video will start about 12:45pm.

Alba “Mama” was born in Guatemala on September 9, 1958. She was married to Baltazar Saravia, and was the mother of two boys, Wilfredo and Aaron. Alba was a hard-working super mom who always had the energy to cook up an amazing meal even after a full day of work. She was always putting others first. Thank you so much for loving so much Mama!

August 13, 1938 ~ March 3, 2023

Vaino “Bill” William Wesala, 84, passed away on March 3, 2023, at the Avantara Norton Nursing home in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

   Bill will be returning to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where a service will be held with his family in the spring. In lieu of flowers, his family requests stories and pictures of him, which can be sent to his daughter at 105 E. 4^th Street, Egan SD 57024, or emailed to Wesalae@aol.com.

    Bill was born in St. Louis County, Minnesota, to Kalle and Aili Wesala, on August 13, 1938. He graduated from Aurora-Hoyt Lakes High School in Aurora, MN. He went to Virginia Junior College, in Virginia, MN, and received his Associate of Science.  He enlisted in the Army in 1958 and served as an electronics technician until his discharge in 1961.  He then worked as an electrician, with experience with various motors and large mining equipment. He also supervised journeyman electricians, finally leaving Schuff Steel, Phoenix, AZ, in 2002, after a serious accident with a horse. 

   Bill married Shirley Ann Sanderson in August 1964, in Minneapolis, MN, and was married to her for over 55 years. He lived with his wife, in Aurora, MN, where their two daughters were born. They then moved to St. Louis, MS, and then to Tucson, AZ.  Bill also lived and worked in other places, such as Ajo, AZ, and Tyrone, NM, but let his family stay in Tucson so as not to interrupt his daughter’s schooling. He moved to Sioux Falls SD, in December 2019, after his wife passed away.

   Bill loved his family deeply and was the rock they all depended on.  He had a great sense of humor that you were always surprised by, as he was a typical Finnish man who spoke only when needed. He was an intelligent man who quietly supported his wife with all her various projects and activities. He read a lot, enjoying western and science fiction books.  Bill enjoyed woodworking, and whittling; he was a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism along with his wife. He did much more, but he never talked about himself, preferring to let his wife do the talking for him.

   Bill is survived by his daughters, Elizabeth Wesala, and Katja Paule; one son, William Paule; and his granddaughter, Kirstyn Fink-Wesala. He will be missed by them and many other family members and friends.

   Bill is preceded in death by his wife, Shirley Ann “Vana” Sanderson; his parents, Kalle and Aili Wesala; one daughter, Tamara Susan Wesala; granddaughter, Tamara Mychelle Lupo; his sisters, Enid, Esther, Ellen, Hilja, and Ida; and his brothers, Arnie, Oscar, Oiva, and Kalle.

June 02, 1956 ~ February 28, 2023

Stanley D. Suss, 66, Sioux Falls, SD, died unexpectedly at his home on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, and went home to his final resting place.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Stanley Dean Suss was born June 02, 1956, in Windom, MN, to Paul R. and Louella J. (nee Bailey) Suss. He graduated from Worthington, MN, Senior High School in 1974, and worked various jobs before settling in Tea, SD, and Sioux Falls, SD.

Stanley’s strong love and passion for sports were known and appreciated by all who knew him. He was a master of sports facts, and trivia, and could remember dates and memorable events like no one else. He truly loved sharing his knowledge of sports and talking to anyone who would listen about sports. He loved watching the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings and would often wager friendly bets on the games with his Wisconsin rivalry relatives, namely his brother-in-law Phil and nephew Zachary.

Along with the professional sports he loved, Stanley always looked forward to March Madness and the Final Four tournament. In his earlier years, he made many trips to attend games/activities with some of his brothers and other friends. He liked to golf whenever he got the chance and especially enjoyed golfing with his siblings and other relatives in “friendly” competitions.

Stanley valued his lifelong friends and looked forward to visiting with them whenever he could and made the annual trip to Worthington, MN, for Turkey Day so he could see and visit with his many friends who came back to celebrate. This annual pilgrimage was one of the many things he looked forward to every year.

Stanley is survived by brothers and sisters,  Roger, Canby, OR, Charles (Crista), Brookfield, WI, Frank (Nancy), Jacksonville, FL, Jeff (Mary Lou), Tomball, TX, Sharon (Verlin) Ailts, Yankton, SD, and Michelle (Phil), Waterford, WI; many nieces and nephews, Scott (Jane) Suss, Erin Suss, Chad (Greta) Suss, Courtney Suss, Nick (Emily) Suss, Holly (Aaron) Pederson, Travis (Amy) Suss, Justin Suss, Derick Suss, Elizabeth (Arturo) Navas, Ellen Suss, Jared (Annie) Ailts, Lesleigh (Brian) Ratino, Alex Glembin, Zachary Glembin, and Cameron Glembin; several great-nephews and great-nieces; and his life-long friends who were always by his side, Bruce Wilson, and Mike and Colette Osterberg.

Stanley was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Louella; his siblings, Craig, Douglas “Dugan”, and Joan; and sister-in-law, Christie.

August 3, 1970 ~ February 25, 2023

Jason Wayne Tiede entered this world on August 3, 1970 – the son of Wayne and Mary Tiede. He traveled home to Eternal Life at the age of 52 on Saturday, February 25, 2023, following a courageous battle with cancer.  He was surrounded by his wife Rona, daughters Bailee and Karlie, son-in-law Miles Mogck, granddaughter Remi, his parents, and sister.

Visitation with family present, will be Friday, March 3, 2023, 5-7pm with a Wake Service at 7pm, at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Dimock. Funeral services are 10:30am, Saturday, March 4, 2023, also at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Dimock, SD. Military Honors will follow.

In his childhood, Jason excelled at everything he put his mind to, especially football, track, percussion, and entering his dad’s 1968 Pontiac Le Mans in car shows, earning awards in all that he did.  He entered the South Dakota Army National Guard while still in high school and served his country for 8 years. Upon returning from basic training, Jason pursued a degree in Ag Business at Mitchell Technical Institute. He served farmers in many capacities, first at Ag Land Coop, then later joined Advantage Ag, in 2006. He earned the trust of customers who always turned into friends. Five-minute conversations often ended hours later, thanks to Jason’s gift of gab. He enjoyed planting, harvesting, and taking in the beauty of God’s handiwork.

Jason married his high school sweetheart, Rona Tapp, on August 10, 1991. Their first daughter, Bailee, arrived in October of 1995, and Karlie followed in August of 1997.  His faith was extremely important to him – clinging to God’s promises always.  Jason’s greatest accomplishment in life was instilling that faith into his family.  He was incredibly proud of his granddaughter and affectionately called her “Bubbles.”

Jason was an avid fan of the Dallas Cowboys. His fondest family memories were snowmobiling trips to the Black Hills with his girls.  He was the ultimate jokester – always looking for opportunities to pull elaborately planned pranks on the people he loved the most.  Jason was a member of the American Legion, Knights of Columbus, SD Snowmobiling Association, and the Dakota Ditch Rippers.

Left to treasure many life memories are his wife, Rona; daughter, Bailee (Miles) Mogck, and granddaughter, Remi; daughter, Karlie; parents, Wayne and Mary; sister, DeeAnn (Thad) Konrad; nieces and nephew, Kennedy, Rylan, and Brenner; mother-in-law, Patty Tapp, father-in-law Emmet Tapp; and many cherished aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Jason’s family wishes to thank family, friends, and the medical team there to support them through his illness.  They will be paying the generosity forward in his memory.

July 14, 1950 ~ February 16, 2023

Juanita A. Mommer, 72, Sioux Falls, passed away on Thursday, February 16, 2023.

A graveside service will be held at her final resting place in Graceland Cemetery, Madison, SD, later this spring. 

Juanita Alice Jongeward was born on July 14, 1950, in Madison, SD, and grew up in the Madison and Flandreau areas.  She eventually moved to Sioux Falls, living most of her life as a homemaker.  Juanita enjoyed country music, jigsaw puzzles, Elvis, and old movies, however, her favorite pastime was crocheting.

Juanita will be loved and remembered by her partner, Dennis Ebbers; daughters, Vikki Mommer, Flandreau, Pamela Andersen, Wisconsin, Misty Petersen. Sioux Falls, and Carrie Nytroe, Oklahoma; 17 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.

Juanita is preceded in death by her parents, Victor and Elaine Jongeward; sons, Dale Aschmeller Jr., and Mark Edward Mommer; daughter, Tammy Elaine Oliver; grandchildren, Codi Studsdahl, and Angel Capon.

August 28, 1947 ~ February 5, 2023

Lawrence Andrew Saffeels “Steph”, 75, Sioux Falls, Sunrise – August 28, 1947 ~ Sunset – February 5, 2023

Moved to Sioux Falls 2020. He was one of five children.

Leaving behind his brother, Leroy Saffels, twin sister, Lorelie Andrea Hartwell and Ken Werra; nephew, David Wayne (Cami) Hutchison; nieces, Lisa Saffels-Ritchie, and Kristy (Larry) Sorensen; great-nieces & great-nephews, Lauren Sorensen, Lindsay (Tony) Kuse, and Matthew Ritchie; great-great-nephews, Ashton Kuse, and Jace Kuse; Loving dog, Nakita; and all his friends; and Angel @ Huey Apartments.

Preceded in death by his mother, Leah Irene Saffeels, father, Loren Harold Saffeels; brothers, George Lee Saffeels, and Leslie Harold Saffeels.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Feeding South Dakota or the Humane Society.