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.