Joan Joyce Smidt, 93, following the advice of one of her trademark expressions, “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” crossed the bridge to her heavenly home on Nov. 4, 2022. Family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8 at Miller Southside Funeral Chapel, 7400 S. Minnesota Ave., Sioux Falls, S.D. A celebration of Joyce’s life will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, Dec. 9 at Miller Southside Funeral Chapel, with refreshments following the service. Interment will be at 3 p.m. Friday at the Menno Cemetery, Menno, S.D.

Anette Eisenbeis joined her Lord and Savior in heaven on Nov. 11, 2022, after many years of struggling with Alzheimer’s. A celebration of life was held Tuesday, November 22, at Salem-Zion Mennonite (North) Church of rural Freeman, S.D. Anette Ann Kaufman was born to Harry and Adeline (Boese) Kaufman on Oct. 25, 1934, in the southeastern South Dakota farm home in which she grew up. The fourth of six children, she joined older siblings Lorraine, Maynard and Alice. Younger brothers Lawrence and Sherman Roy completed the family.

Sharon Buechler, age 75, passed away on Oct. 18 at Oakview Terrace Nursing Home, Freeman, S.D. A funeral service will be 1:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Freeman, with Rev. Terry Makelin officiating.  Burial will be in the Menno Cemetery, Menno, S.D., at approximately 3:30 p.m. Visitations will be from 5 to 7 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 23 at St.

Roger Allen Preheim “went home to his forever home” on Oct. 15, 2022 at the age 74. Visitation with the family present will be held Sunday, Oct. 23 from 5 to 7 p.m. at George Boom Funeral Home and On-Site Crematory. A celebration of his life as a family man and US Navy Veteran will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 24 at George Boom Funeral Home and On-Site Crematory. Interment will be held at South Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Roberta Senner Hofer, 74, passed away peacefully at her home, surrounded by her family, on Oct. 5, 2022. The cause was complications from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. Roberta was born to Robert and Rachel Epp Senner in Newton, Kan., on April 8, 1948. She grew up in Buhler, Kan., where she joined her siblings John and Rachel, followed by her brother Stan. Upon graduation from high school, she attended Bethel College in N. Newton, Kan., like her parents, grandparents, and older siblings before her.

Ray Mettler, age 100 of Menno, S.D., passed away Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, at the Menno-Olivet Care Center, Menno. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, Oct. 17 at Zion Reformed Church, Menno.  Burial will be in the Menno Cemetery.  Visitations will be one hour prior to the service at the church.

Sue Boersma, 73 of Monroe, S.D., passed away on Oct. 8, 2022. A memorial service was scheduled to be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14 at Calvary Reformed Church, Monroe.

Duane Engel, 84 of Freeman, S.D., passed away Tuesday, Oct. 11, at the Menno-Olivet Care Center in Menno, S.D., with his wife Marilyn by his side. Duane was born March 9, 1938 to Art and Amelia (Nieman) Engel in Menno. On Oct. 9, 1959 he married Marilyn Pfeiffer at Heilbronn Lutheran Church in rural Freeman. To this union they had one son, Keith.

Thomas “Tom” Reynold Tornow, Madison, S.D., passed away Sunday morning, Oct. 9 with his wife by his side and his children close by, at the age of 67. Tom was born March 4, 1955, to Art & Matilda (Huber) Tornow in Parkston, S.D. He grew up on a very special “legacy” farm in Emery, S.D.

Terry Lundblade, 83, of Freeman, S.D., passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 5 at his residence from natural causes. There are no services planned at this time.