2/19/17 – 3/18/11

Ethelyn Elaine was born at home to Edward and Ebba (Johnson) Elofson on February 19, 1917. She was a life long member of Beaver Valley Lutheran Church in rural Valley Springs and active in women’s circle. She graduated from Valley Springs Public School in 1935, worked at Gravelle Nursing Home in Sioux Falls, and in later years enjoyed her employment in the Brandon Valley School District as a teacher’s aide.

Ethelyn married LeRoy Gulseth on April 16, 1938. They were blessed with three children. Grateful for sharing her life are: daughter, Gail Hermanson of Brandon; sons, Richard (Kathleen) Gulseth and Douglas (Carrie) Gulseth – all of Valley Springs; her grandchildren, Gregg (Deborah) Letcher, Eric Gulseth, and Broc (Trecia) Gulseth – all of Brandon, Nikol (James) Shillerstrom and Joshua Gulseth, Sioux Falls; and her great-grandchildren, Austin Letcher, Aden Letcher, Torre Gulseth, Tripp Gulseth – all of Brandon, and newest great-grandson, Ian Schillerstrom, Sioux Falls.

“G.G.” loved sports and rarely missed a Twins game on television, attended local soccer games, and frequently called for updates when the games were away. She enjoyed the sun and outdoors. She was well known to all for her sugar cookies, peach pie, and homemade rye bread which encouraged visits from her family and young friends. She loved her church, politics, quilting, crocheting, celebrating special occasions, taking care of others, and her “little house” in Brandon.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Ebba (Johnson) Elofson, her husband, LeRoy, her siblings; Iona, Pershing, Vernon, and Lyle, and her son-in-law, Dr. John Hermanson.

November 19, 1922 – September 18, 2010

Vivian Kathryn Finck, 87, of Brandon, SD, died Saturday, September 18, 2010, at the Helping Hand Assisted Living in Brandon.

Vivian was born on November 19, 1922, in Tyndall, SD to George and Katie (Kloucek) Britton. She attended country school and then graduated from Tyndall High School in 1941. She continued her formal training by attaining her teaching certificate from the Southern State Normal School in Springfield, SD.

On June 18, 1944, Vivian was united in marriage to Leonard Finck near Tyndall where he farmed and Vivian taught school until deciding to stay home with their children. In 1978, Leonard retired and the couple moved to Tyndall where Vivian continued working at the Good Samaritan Center, first in the laundry and then in the kitchen.

Vivian retired in 1993 but continued to enjoy gardening, cooking, canning and baking. It was not just the holidays that were special times when Vivian was in the kitchen. Her potato dumplings, Christmas candy, and pickled beets were blue ribbon winners to all of her family.

Vivian also was a talented seamstress and loved to crochet. In fact, she sewed numerous items of clothing for her children as they grew up. The girls would pick something out of the catalogue and she would make it for them. When the bowling alley opened in Tyndall, Vivian was there. She once even teamed up with daughter Penny for a city doubles tournament and won!

Vivian was a member of the Tyndall United Methodist Church and the UMW circle. She also belonged to the Tyndall American Legion Auxiliary.

Vivian will always be appreciated by her children for instilling a sense of independence in them. She taught them about life, taught them right from wrong, and taught them how to take risks. She then set them free to experience the world fully uplifted with her support.

Vivian will be missed by her husband Leonard, Brandon, SD; four daughters, Sharon (Les) Larson, Duluth, MN, Peggy Patterson, Brandon, Betty (Gary) Schuster, Raleigh, NC, and Penny (Dan) Martz, Omaha, NE.; one son Terry (Brad), Seattle, WA; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Dewey Britton.

A memorial has been established for Vivian to the Tyndall Good Samaritan Center.

Joan Francis McCormick
December 30, 1938 – March 29, 2010

Joan Francis McCormick, 71, of Sioux Falls, died at her home, on Monday, March 29, 2010, with her family at her side. A private family service will be held at a later date.

Survivors include four sons; Dennis, Woodbine, KS, Steve, Fergus Falls, MN, Mike, Blue Earth, MN, and Alan, Fairmont, MN, three daughters; Leeann and Amy McCormick of Sioux Falls, and Lisa McCormick of Abilene, KS, 16 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren; two brothers; Lavern Bellefeuille, Naytahwaush, MN and Ronald Bellefeuille, Mahnomen, MN, two sisters; Myrna Smith and Marilyn Goodwin of Naytahwaush, MN.

Albert H. “Bert” Heacock

July 8, 1929 – March 21, 2010

Albert “Bert” Heacock, 80, died Sunday, March 21, 2010, at home, surrounded by his family. Services will be held at 1:30pm, Saturday, April 10, 2010 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 3200 E. 6th St. in Sioux Falls, SD.

Bert was born July 8, 1929, in Reading KS, to Emory and Eva (Needels) Heacock. After schooling through 8th grade, he began working on the railroad and continued it by doing blacksmithing and machinery repair for over 31 years at Lad’s Manufacturing and Repair in Walnut Grove, MN. During his retirement, he enjoyed woodworking and furniture repair.

Bert will be greatly missed by his wife of 55 years, Elsie of Garretson; his children, Willy (Christina), Denver, CO. and Wade (Ann) Creston, IA., Kathy (Bruce) Schultz, Garretson, and Karen (Tracy) Hanson, Minneapolis, MN.; three grandchildren, Brandi (Steve) Frommelt, Phoenix, AZ., Alexander and Ashley Heacock; three great-grandchildren, Briona, Clarissa, and Analiese Frommelt; One brother, Clarence, Sparks, NV.; and two sisters, Joyce (Charles) Trimble, Burlington, KS and Helen (Jack) Blakely, Carthage, NC.

John Phillip Manning

January 2, 1939 – November 30, 2009

John Phillip “Big John” Manning, 70, of Brandon, died at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls, SD, on Monday, November 30, 2009.

Visitation will be held at Celebration United Methodist Church in Brandon on Friday, December 4, from 4pm until 8pm with family present and a prayer service beginning at 7pm. Funeral services will also be held at the church in Brandon on Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 1:30pm. A private family burial will follow at Prospect Hills Cemetery in Wessington Springs.

John was born January 2, 1939, in St Paul, MN, to Henry L. and Frances E. (Shamla) Manning. He went to country school in Greenleaf, Minnesota. After graduating from Litchfield, Minnesota in 1957, he went to work installing Butler Grain Bins in Williston, North Dakota. In 1959 – 1960, he worked road construction including building Hwy 34 and the spillway at Ft. Thompson. In 1961, John married Kathryn Stulken. To this union, four children were born. They farmed from 1961 to 1969 near Wessington Springs. In 1969, John started driving truck, becoming an Owner-operator in 1977. He was grateful for not having any unpreventable accidents in 40 years. After suffering a heart attack in 2000, John drove for Ace Towing, until January, 2009.

John was a member of the OOIDA Truckers Association and the Granite Threshermen’s Association and Celebration United Methodist Church of Brandon. He also spent many days having coffee with friends at Cody’s on North Cliff.

Survivors include three sons, Kirby (Dianne) Wessington Springs, Kent, Sioux Falls and Kyle (Brenda) Pierre; one daughter, Karis (Edward) Burkiewicz, Wessington Springs; eleven grandchildren, Troy, Heather, Sara, Katie, Dyanna, Jonathan, Kassondra, Erik, Bryanna, Tyler and Austin; eight great grandchildren; two brothers, Bill (Barb), Litchfield, MN and Tom (Janice), Litchfield, MN; three sisters, Darlene (Donnie) Putney, Litchfield, MN, Ethel Brennan, Minneapolis, MN and Patty Fasbender, Lanesboro, MN; and many nieces and nephews; and special friend, Barb Halbersma.

John was preceded in death by his parents, one infant brother, James, and one brother-in-law, Norm Fasbender.

A memorial has been established.