June 22, 1939 ~ July 11, 2026

Daphne Dunger, 87, Sioux Falls, SD, completed her earthly journey and entered into the presence of her savior on Saturday morning, July 11, 2026, at Good Samaritan Village in Sioux Falls, SD. Per her wish, her physical body is donated to the University of South Dakota.

A Visitation will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 18^th Street Church, 2400 W. 18^th Street, Sioux Falls, SD, with a service following at 10:30 a.m. A livestream link will be provided on Tuesday before the service.

Daphne Dunger was born on June 22, 1939, in Ebolowa, French Cameroon, to George and Louise (Krack) Dunger, who were serving as missionaries at Warwar in the heart of the Cameroon Grassland in western Africa. Daphne was the first North American Baptist missionary child born in Cameroon. Her early years in the Ndu area were formative and “happy ones.” Her father’s illness necessitated the family’s return to the United States when she was eight. She attended grade school and high school in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and South Dakota.

One of her early childhood memories was seeing a missionary nurse rub salve on the sore neck of a Cameroonian girl and realizing this was a way she could really serve Jesus. Daphne confessed her faith in Jesus through baptism as a 7^th grader. In 1965, while attending a missionary rally at the North American Baptist Triennial Conference in Waco, TX, she committed her life to Jesus Christ with a renewed desire to return to her native Africa as a missionary nurse. Later that year she applied for missionary service with the North American Baptist Conference mission society. She prepared herself by earning her Registered Nurse degree and diploma from the Methodist Kahler School of Nursing in Rochester, MN (1960) and then earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Education at the University of Minnesota (1964). She was accepted by the Frontier Nursing Service Graduate School of Midwifery and also studied for a time at North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls, SD.

A commissioning service was held at Trinity Baptist Church in Sioux Falls, SD on May 23, 1965, shortly before Daphne returned to Cameroon, the land of her birth. There she served as a nurse, a nursing instructor and organizer of the Life Abundant program which took basic health care and the good news of the Gospel to very remote villages of the country. In 1995, Daphne was diagnosed with leukemia and returned to the United States for treatment.

In 2017, Daphne and sister Amaryliss (Amie), sold their house in Brandon, SD, and moved to an apartment in Sioux Falls. Amie died in January 2021, and Daphne’s declining health led to transitions to Independent Living and then to skilled nursing residence at Good Samaritan Village where her needs were well cared for.

October 19, 1936 ~ July 3, 2026

JoAnn M. Gnat, 89, Miller, SD, formerly Watertown, passed away on Friday, July 3, 2026, at Good Samaritan Society in Miller, SD.     

A Celebration of Life will be held from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at the Quality Inn (800 35th St. S, Watertown). A Visitation will be held on Friday, July 17, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. at Holy Name Catholic Church (1009 Skyline Dr., Watertown), with a Rosary beginning 10:00 a.m. and a Funeral Mass beginning at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be at 1:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Watertown. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in JoAnn’s name to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or the Shriner’s Hospital for Children. As JoAnn said, “please remember the children.”
 
JoAnn Mary Cordell was born on October 19, 1936, in Codington County, SD, to Peter John and Katherine Marie (Jellesma) Cordell. She was the fifth of eight children born in the family home. JoAnn was baptized and confirmed at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. She attended grade school at Immaculate Conception School through ninth grade and graduated from Watertown High School in May 1954. She was the first family member to graduate high school.

Growing up, JoAnn babysat her siblings and the neighborhood children. She also assisted her mother during harvest time by picking, cleaning, washing, and cutting vegetables. She helped plow the fields. JoAnn and her brother Jim would race to see who plowed the most, with Jim always winning. She also drove the fully loaded grain truck several times to the Rauville Elevator for her older brother LaVern. During the winter months when the snow became too deep to travel, Dennis, Jim, and JoAnn walked over snowbanks as high as trees to the north corner to catch a ride in a wagon with their uncle John Cordell and his grandkids. Uncle John drove them a mile to the corner of Highway 81 to catch a ride into Watertown for school.

JoAnn’s first paying job was making candy and helping customers at the Palace of Sweets during the summer of 1953. She also worked at the Lyric Theater, Dan’s Standard Gas Station, and National Food Stores. JoAnn worked three jobs and saved enough money to cover expenses to attend high school (lunch, class ring, class pictures, and clothes). This money also helped JoAnn pay for gas for the car she purchased in 1954-55.

After high school graduation, JoAnn worked for Jack Hoffman and Fireworks Outlet. JoAnn met Wendell Gnat shortly after he was discharged from the U.S. Army. They married on December 30,1957, at Holy Name Catholic Church in Watertown, a church her father, Peter, had helped build. JoAnn and Wendell lived in a small house north of the home in which JoAnn was raised. Wendell and JoAnn moved to Appleby, SD in May of 1962. They started with one cow and made monthly payments until the cow was paid off. Several years later, they had purchased many cows, pigs, and sheep, and they farmed 200+ acres.

Other jobs include working at Watertown Title Company as a real estate typist searching for titles; Dean Sumner, Attorney, as a legal secretary; Koehn Manufacturing as an accounting assistant; and Prairie Lakes Hospital (St. Ann’s) as a personnel secretary.

JoAnn was a 4H leader for the Appleby Boys & Girls Club for 2 years, a financial secretary for 6 years for the Catholic Daughters, a secretary for Codington County Democrats for 6 years, and county chairman for 2 years. JoAnn oversaw fundraising and obtained speakers for banquets, with Senator George McGovern and Senator Tom Daschle being some notable keynote speakers. She ran for the office of the Register of Deeds in Codington County and won the primary by 13 votes but lost the general election. In 1989 after their children had moved away, JoAnn and Wendell sold their Appleby farm, had an auction and moved to Omaha. After moving to Omaha, JoAnn volunteered three days a week at the Veterans Medical Hospital and served on the Election Board for several years. She was involved with the “Stand Down for Veterans” with her sister Karen. JoAnn then began her favorite job at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) for the next 5 years. Next, she transferred to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 10 years before retiring on January 20, 2007, at the age of 70. After her retirement, Wendell and JoAnn moved to Huron to be closer to family, and in 2011, they moved to Sioux Falls to be closer to medical facilities for Wendell. JoAnn moved to Miller in May 2023.

JoAnn is survived by her children, Edward (Ellen) Gnat, CA, Rodney Gnat, FL, Jody (Damon) Adams, Madison, SD, Gerry Isackson, Huron, SD, Jeffrey (Tammy) Gnat, Miller, SD, and Joel (Heather) Gnat, Ham Lake, MN; 17 grandchildren; 31 great grandchildren; 5 great-great grandchildren; sisters-in law & brothers-in-law, Bob Goodell, Shirley Cordell, and Dorothy (Adrain) Pratt, Anita Gnat; and numerous nieces and nephews.

JoAnn was preceded in death by her husband, Wendell; grandson, David Lee Gnat; parents, Peter & Katherine; siblings, LaVern (Phyllis) Cordell, Lorraine (Ray) DeVille, Dennis (Edna) Cordell, James Cordell, Karen Goodell, Venard (Mena) Cordell, and Mary Ann Cordell; and Jesse James Cordell, a special nephew.

March 21, 1981 ~ July 6, 2026

We lost Mitchel J. Thompson on July 6, 2026, to a broken heart at just 45 years old.

Visitation will be 10am ~ Noon, Saturday, July 18, 2026, at Heartland Funeral Home, with a short time of sharing at 11:30am.

Mitchel James Thompson was born March 21, 1981, in Oklahoma City, OK to Deb McClintock and Tom Thompson. Mitch was an inquisitive child and smarter than he should’ve been for his age, “school smart” even before starting, a trait he would pass on to his son years later. Mitch and his mom moved back to South Dakota in 1984 where he would excel in school and be raised by his mom and Mike McClintock.

The adage “never judge a book by its cover” definitely applied to Mitch. Naturally tall, broad, “work strong” without ever stepping into a gym, with a bushy beard, his size made a statement, but his personality was the opposite. Always quick with a smile, he would disarm people with his big laugh and bigger hugs. Mitch was a gentle giant who never let his past define who he was as a man.

And that man was a HARD worker. His last job was for Barnhart Crane where he started as a mechanic and became a crane rigger who traveled the area for the company. One of his proudest professional moments was getting to work on the Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Mitch also spent time working in the North Dakota oil fields and as a concert stage hand in California where he got to travel to Las Vegas to work the legendary Big Blues Bender. But even after working long days and weeks on the job, he’d also be the first one to help his mom & dad mow the acreage, haul tree branches after a storm, or load hay into the barn for the horse and donkey.

That’s the side of Mitch that not everyone saw: that if he could help his folks, friends and family in any way, he would, but it would be quietly. Mitch never made a big deal out of helping because to him, it WASN’T. It was his nature to help get someone’s truck running, give them a lift somewhere, haul furniture…that was just Mitch.

All that love and helpfulness found its purpose on January 16, 2018 when his son Lyric James Thompson was born. Lyric has been the spitting image of his dad since he was little and shows the same math and language aptitude. Mitch LOVED being Lyric’s dad! From going to the Monster Trucks together to trick or treating or just reading a book and doing math problems together, Mitch adored his boy more than anything. He was an incredible dad to Lyric.

Mitch’s hobbies were few. He seemed happiest being dad, working hard and helping people, though he did enjoy playing a game of dice with his mom & dad and their friends who all thought of Mitch as their nephew.

Mitch is survived by his son, Lyric; his mom & dad, Deb and Mike McClintock; his grandparents, Donald and Darlene Rumpca, Emily and Richard Danielson, and Loretta Gonsoir; sister, Bobbi Clayton (Joe Fleming); uncles and aunts, Doug and Jackie Rumpca, Dawn Rumpca (Amanda), Tim McClintock (Julie Winkler Kafka), Trace McClintock, Marvin McClintock, and Linda and Doug Aus; and lots of cousins. Mitch also leaves behind so many others he treated as family and those who thought of him as the same.

Mitch was preceded in death by his biological father, Tom Thompson; and biological grandfather, Eddie Gonsoir.

Hug the people in your life who matter and always remind them that they’re loved. Life is too short. #988

January 6, 1982 ~ June 28, 2026

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Walter A. Guzman, 44, Harrisburg, SD, on Sunday, June 28, 2026, in Sioux Falls, SD. He was a beloved father, son, brother, uncle, brother-in-law, and friend whose kindness, strength, and love touched everyone he knew.

A Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at Heartland Funeral Home, 1801 Frontier St., in Brandon, SD. A Funeral Service will follow at 2:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to a memorial fund to support his children, Dominick and Alexia, would be deeply appreciated. A memorial box will be available at the service. Please make payable to Yesenia Guzman.

Walter Alexander Guzman was born on January 6, 1982, in El Salvador, to Jose and Maria (Delgado) Guzman. He had a passion for boxing, soccer, and biking, but nothing brought him greater joy than spending time with his beloved children, Dominick and Alexia.

Walter will be remembered for his joyful spirit and infectious sense of humor. He had a remarkable gift for making others laugh, lifting their spirits, and bringing smiles wherever he went. Above all, he cherished the time he spent with his family and friends, creating lasting memories that will be treasured by all who knew and loved him. His legacy of love, laughter, and kindness will live on in the hearts of those he leaves behind.  

Walter is survived by his children, Dominick and Alexia; parents, Jose and Maria Guzman; siblings and their spouses, Eric (Brandy), Yesenia (Sherman), and Carolina (German); and nieces and nephews, Everly, Mila, Isla, Carter, and Isaac.

Walter was preceded in death by his grandfather, Eliseo Urias; and grandmothers, Maria Luisa Delgado and Josefina Guzman.

“The gloves may be laid to rest, but the heart of a champion lives on in everyone who loved him.”

En español –

Con el corazón lleno de tristeza, anunciamos el fallecimiento de nuestro Hijo. Walter Guzmán,  de 44 años. Fue un amado padre, hijo, hermano, tío, cuñado y amigo, cuya bondad, fuerza y amor tocaron a todos los que lo conocieron.

Walter nació el 6 de enero de 1982 en El Salvador, hijo de José y Paula Guzmán. 

Walter fue un hombre  activo y apasionado, le encantaba el boxeo, el fútbol, el ciclismo y compartir con sus hijos. 

Se le conocía por su alegría, dedicación.

Disfrutaba compartir tiempo con su familia y amigos.

Quienes le Sobreviven

Padres: José y María Guzmán

Hijos: Dominick y Alexia

Hermanos y Parejas: Eric (Brandy), Yesenia (Sherman) Carolina (German)

Sobrinos: 

Everly, Mila, Isla, Carter y Isaac

Información de los servicios Fúnebres:

Fecha: Jueves 2 de julio, 2026.

Horarios

1:00PM – tiempo para familia y amigos 

2:30PM servicio Religioso 

Lugar: Heartland Funeral Home 

Brandon, SD

En lugar de flores, se agradece profundamente las donaciones destinadas a un fondo en apoyo a sus hijos, Dominick y Alexia. 

Habrá una caja conmemorativa disponible durante el servicio.

“Es posible que los guantes hayan sido puestos a descansar, pero el corazón de un campeón sigue vivo en cada uno de los que lo amaron”.

January 16, 1936 ~ June 24, 2026

Colletta C. Stewart, 90, of Sioux Falls, SD (formerly Onida), passed away June 24, 2026, surrounded by her family at the Centerville Care Center.

Visitation for Colletta will be held Tuesday, June 30, 2026, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. with Rosary to follow. Memorial Services will be Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church, in Onida. Celebrant will be Fr. J. Joseph Holzhauzer. Inurnment will be at the Onida Cemetery.

Colletta Corrine Sack was born on January 16, 1936, to Frank and Katie (Lynn) Sack in Coffeyville, KS. Prior to Colletta entering grade school, Frank and Katie moved their family to Wichita, KS.  Later, Colletta, her parents, and her siblings (Emma Jean, Becky, and Regina) moved to Onida, SD. Colletta graduated from Onida High School in 1953. Upon graduation, Colletta worked at the Sully County Register of Deeds before marrying her high school sweetheart, Darwin Stewart, on August 30, 1955, at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Agar, SD. Darwin and Colletta made their home and raised their family in Onida, SD.

Colletta taught catechism for many years. She belonged to the St Pius X Catholic Church, and was a member of the Altar Society, the Sully County Jaycettes, and many other community organizations. She loved to play cards, dance, play softball, and golf. She especially loved being around family and friends. Colletta and Darwin loved to take drives out in the country on Sunday afternoons to check on fields, go camping with their children, watch sports, travel to other states to visit family, and go to horse races, among many other activities.  

Colletta worked at various local businesses, such as the Red Owl Grocery Store, and was the bookkeeper for Stewart & Sons until the death of her husband, Darwin, in 1981. After Darwin’s death, Colletta went to work at a children’s clothing store in Pierre, SD. She moved to Sioux Falls, SD, in 1983 and worked at Seifert’s Clothing Store and Younkers, both at the Empire Mall, and Programmers Clearing House.

Colletta is survived by her children, Kim Routh, Sioux Falls, SD, Diane (Bob) Lien, Sioux Falls, SD, Bob Stewart, Dallas, TX, Lee Ann LeBrun, Sioux Falls, SD, and Brian Stewart, San Diego, CA; her grandchildren, Kelly Norman, Kevin Norman, Sioux Falls, SD, and Kirby Routh, Minneapolis, MN; Niki (Jed) Seifert, Bethesda, MD, and their 3 children – Darwin, Everett and Sloane; Lance (Emily) Dorschner, Marshall, MN, and their 4 children – Wyatt, Ellie, Sarah and Gracelyn; Dustin (Elise) LeBrun, Sioux Falls, SD, and their 5 children – Raymond, Vernon, Eva Mae, Winona, and Marion; Dillon (Taia) LeBrun, Sioux  Falls, SD, and their first child due in September; Aly (Joey) Shelton, Jacksonville, FL, and their 2 children – Dezmond and Soli, and expecting their third child in September; Morgan (James) Mattson, Jacksonville, FL, and their 4 children – Nora, Walter, Otto and Henry; and Shea Stewart (and special friend, Makayla Hagerty), Colton, SD; her brothers/sisters-in-law; Jerry Culey, Gillette, WY, Bud Yackley, Pierre, SD, Van Stewart, Onida, SD, and Sandra Towne, Grand Island, NE; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Colletta was preceded in death by her husband, Darwin; her daughter, Pamela; sons-in-law, Clark Routh, William DeBrucque, and Jack LeBrun; great-grandchildren born to Heaven, babies of the Niki Seifert, Morgan Mattson, and Dustin LeBrun families; her parents, Frank and Katie (Lynn) Sack; her parents-in-law, Everett and Pauline (Ludwig) Stewart; her siblings and their spouses, Marybelle Sack, Nora (Frank) Barthelme, Bill (Edna) Johnson, Helen (Loren) Mills, Jim (Betty) Sack, Clara (Bill) Gravley, Emma Jean Culey, Regina (Gary) Aldrich, and Rebecca Yackley; her in-laws, Bonnie Stewart, Jack and Judy Schall, and Floyd Towne.

February 3, 1959 ~ June 24, 2026

Tim M. DenHerder, 67, Valley Springs, passed away peacefully in his home on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.

Visitation will be 5pm, Monday, June 29, 2026, at Heartland Funeral Home, with a short Prayer Service beginning at 6:30pm.

Tim Michael DenHerder was born on February 3, 1959, to Kenneth “Skeeter” and Jean (Swenson) DenHerder. He grew up in the Valley Springs area, attending Valley Springs Elementary School before attending Brandon Valley High School.

Following high school, Tim began a career built on hard work and dedication. He worked at the Stockyards, then at John Morrell, before joining Hageman Construction. He later finished his working years with DeJager Plumbing & Heating, where he remained until his retirement.

Tim married Linda Collier in 1977, and they had two children, Nathan and Sadie. He later married Tonya Whitman in 1990, then Rene Swanson in 1998.  He had a lot of love to share.

Outside of work, Tim cherished spending time with family and friends. Some of his happiest memories were made at the family cabin on Big Stone Lake and Oakwood Lake, where he loved relaxing and enjoying the outdoors. Oakwood Lake would procure the most tomfoolery due to its 24/7 open bar policy.  Whether camping with loved ones or simply spending time at the lake, Tim found peace and happiness surrounded by nature and those he cared about.

Tim is survived by his daughter, Sadie (Keith Elsberry); his brother, Troy; his grandsons, Gavin and Owen; and many extended family members and friends who will cherish his memory.

He was preceded in death by his son, Nathan; his mother, Jean DenHerder; his father, Kenneth “Skeeter” DenHerder; and his sister, Tammy.

Tim will be remembered for his strong work ethic, his appreciation for the simple pleasures in life, and the many memories he created with family and friends at Big Stone Lake. His legacy will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.

Love you, “Always” (on repeat)

October 8, 1957 ~ May 17, 2026

John P. Ellis, 69, of Worthington, MN, passed away May 17, 2026, at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls.

Per John’s request, there will be no formal service. His ashes will be spread at Iron Creek Lake in the Black Hills, a place that holds some of his most fond memories of fishing with his daughter during a vacation.

John was a true cowboy from Wyoming; he loved horses, his cowboy hat, boots, and a pair of jeans. He was a proud collector of Johnny West toys, but nothing could top how proud he was of his daughter, Becca. She was his pride and joy.

John passed on his competitive spirit to his daughter. During his younger years, they would often play board games, especially Monopoly or HORSE, at the local park. It was hard for him when she started to beat him more often than not.

John was a long-haul trucker for most of his years. He spent most of his years hauling for Dakotaland trucking and Dick Vaughn trucking. He was very proud of the semi’s he drove. The brighter the color, the better. His two favorite trucks were purple and burnt orange.

John is survived by his daughter, Becca (Alex) Clausen; and two grandsons, Xander and Cameron Clausen.  

John is preceded in death by his parents, Jonathan Richard Ellis Sr. and Lillian Gertrude; and his brothers, David Ellis, Bobby Ellis, and Dick Bridges.

April 11, 1940 ~ June 13, 2026

David A. Evans, 86, Valley Springs, SD, passed away on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.

A family gathering will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 3, 2026, followed by a Celebration of Life at Heartland Funeral Home, 1801 Frontier Street, Brandon, SD. To view the service via livestream, click HERE.

David Allan Evans was born on April 11, 1940, in Sioux City, IA, to Arthur and Ruth (Lyle) Evans. He began college on a football scholarship and majored in English with a minor in biology. His interest in literature and natural history began in his teens. He eventually received a BA from Morningside College, an MA from the University of Iowa, and an MFA from the University of Arkansas. David married his first wife, Jan, in Sioux City, and lived in Brookings, SD until his retirement. 

David was Writer-in-Residence and a professor at South Dakota State University for 39 years. He was a Fulbright Scholar in China twice, and appointed South Dakota’s Poet Laureate for 12 years. He was author of ten collections of poems, and his poems have been published in many journals and magazines and re-printed in over 75 anthologies. David continued to write and publish poetry up until his death. His last book, A Lake With Geese Flying Over, will be out this Fall.

David loved competitive racquetball and physical fitness in general with a steady work out routine up until he died. He spent his later years writing and publishing poems with Kathie, and loved to sit with their cats, observe the birds, and take walks around the neighborhood.

David is survived by his wife, Kathie Mulroy Evans; children, Shelly (Jean) Evans Moreau, David (Lisa) Allan Evans Jr., and Kari (Brian) Evans Marks; grandchildren, Dustin (Laura), Justine, Brandyn, Joshua (Sophia), Nicholas, Tempest (Braden), and Jackson; many great grandchildren, and his beloved cats.

David was preceded in death by his first wife, Jan; mother, Ruth; father, Arthur; brother, Robert; and sisters, Bonnie and Judy.

“But, look, the morn, in russet mantle clad, Walks o’er the dew of yon high eastward hill.”

Hamlet ~ William Shakespeare

October 13, 1958 ~ June 4, 2026

Maura C. Nicolet, affectionately known as “Mo,” Brandon, SD, passed away on Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Sioux Falls, SD.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Falls Park in Sioux Falls, SD. Details will be forthcoming.

Maura Claire Nicolet was born on October 13, 1958, in San Diego, CA, to Eldean and Verna (Scott) Nicolet.

Maura was a creative spirit with a vibrant personality and a gift for making life beautiful. She was incredibly skilled at crocheting and sewing, and she could easily master any craft she learned. She was also a talented guitar player and singer, sharing her creativity through music as well as her handmade work.

Maura lived life out loud and embraced color, style, and self-expression. She was always changing her hair color, and she loved her jewelry, shoes, and purses. She had a bold presence and a joyful energy that those around her will always remember.

Maura was a proud breast cancer survivor and carried that strength with her throughout her life. One of her dreams was to visit Paris, a place that captured her imagination. Above all, she adored her fur babies, Hamish and Traya.

Maura is survived by her daughters, Hannah LeTexier and Robyn Lopez; grandchildren, Bella, Liam, Ben, and Max; siblings, Kathe, Leo, Nicole, and Deana; and her nieces, Chey and Narysse.

Maura’s family and loved ones will remember her for her creativity, strength, style, and the love she gave so freely. She leaves behind a legacy of artistry, resilience, and unmistakable presence.

October 1, 1949 ~ June 8, 2026

Stuart G. Oines, 76, Sioux Falls, died Monday, June 8, 2026, at the Dougherty Hospice Home in Sioux Falls, SD.

Visitation will be 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Saturday, June 13, 2026, at First Reformed Church, Sioux Falls, with a Memorial Service beginning at 2pm. Inurnment will be at the Volga Lutheran Cemetery, Volga, SD, at a later date. The Memorial Service may be watched via livestream by clicking HERE.

Stuart Gene Oines was born on October 1, 1949, in Volga, SD, to Eugene and Darlene (Strande) Oines. He attended Oslo District 95 through 8^th grade then graduated from Sioux Valley High School. During his school years, Stuart was active in football, basketball, and track. After high school, he received his associate’s degree in accounting and business administration at Mankato Commercial College.

Stuart married Donna Walrath in May 1971. Three children were born to this union, Kristine Marie in June 1976, Stuart Jr., stillborn, in July 1977, and Mark Damon in June 1980. Stuart and Donna divorced in 1984.

Stuart began his accounting career at Iseman Homes in 1969 in Tecamah, NE. He later moved to Sioux Falls and worked for AG Edwards Brokerage Firm. Stuart then began his own landscaping and irrigation business. In 1998, he took a year off to build his own home near Harrisburg. After his home was built, he started driving a school bus for the Harrisburg School District. He then turned it into a full-time tour bus driver position. As a tour bus driver, Stuart was able to drive to Canada and the Macy’s New Years Parade. In 2009, Stuart started driving truck until he retired part-time. After retiring he worked part-time at Wild Prairie Winery, Menards, and most recently Enterprise.

Stuart married Shirley Wentler in 2007. In 2017 they moved to Sioux Falls to their current home. Stuart loved being outdoors and driving truck allowed him to visit many places in the United States.

Stuart is survived by his wife, Shirley; daughter, Kristine (Rob) Colwill; son, Mark (Kirsten) Amundson; grandchildren, Elijah, Isaac, Analise, Jayden, Sawyer, and Celia; stepson, Lance Wentler; stepdaughter, Heidi Syslo (Spencer Witte); step grandchildren, Katelin, Faith, Archie, Ari, and Lucy; siblings, Roger (Judy) Oines, Shar Quam, and Wes (Julie) Oines; siblings-in-law, Joann Holtrop, Patsy (LeRoy) Buys, Ken (Irene) Vogel, Don (Cindy) Vogel, Curt (Donna) Vogel, and Judi (Karl) Schwebe; and mother, Darlene (Dolly) Oines.

Stuart was preceded in death by his infant son, Stuart Jr.; father, Eugene; stepson, Scott Wentler; brothers-in-law, Dave Quam, Roger Holtrop, and Kevin Vogel; and parents-in-law, Peter and Ellen Vogel.