Evelyn Hofer, 83, of Bridgewater, S.D., passed away on Aug. 6, 2022 at her home under hospice care. A funeral service is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 10 at 2 p.m. at Zion Bible Church of Bridgewater. Visitation will be on Tuesday Aug. 9th at the church from 5-7 pm.

Leona Katherina Koerner was born June 19, 1921 to Henry and Karolina (Mehlhaf) Streyle in the Freeman/Menno, S.D. area. Leona passed away July 24, 2022 at the age of 101 in Oakview Terrace nursing home in Freeman.

Elton Lehr, age 83 of Menno, S.D., passed away early Sunday, July 31, 2022, at the Scotland Good Samaritan Society, Scotland, S.D. A funeral was held Saturday, Aug. 6 at Grace Lutheran Church in Menno with the Rev. Chuck Stanga and the Rev. Michael Hecht officiating.  Burial followed in the Menno Cemetery. 

Myron Mehlhaf, 75, of Freeman, S.D., passed away on July 27 at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D. A funeral service will be held Monday, Aug. 1 at 10:30 a.m. at Zion Reformed Church of Menno, S.D., with burial in the Menno City Cemetery. Vistation will be on Sunday, July 31 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the church, with a prayer service at 7 p.m. 

Belle Graber, 86, of Freeman, passed away on July 27 at Oakview Terrace in Freeman. A funeral service will be held Tuesday, Aug. 2 at 10:30 a.m. at the Salem Mennonite Church of rural Freeman. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 1 Walter Funeral Home in Freeman. 

Joan R. (Borgwardt) Gullickson Halverson of Madison, Wis., passed away on Saturday, July 16, 2022, at UW Hospital. She was born on Jan. 19, 1940, in Yankton, S.D., daughter of Leonard and Anne Kristine Gullickson. Joan married Robert Borgwardt on Sept. 25, 1964, in Madison. After Pastor Bob passed away in 2003, Joan married Ron Halverson on Sept. 15, 2007. 

Please join the family in celebrating the life of Gary Mebius Friday, Aug. 12 outdoors at Mebius Nursery. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. A reception will follow. Please bring a lawn chair and a favorite memory.

  Vernon R. Schempp, 85, of Sioux Falls, S.D. passed away Friday July 8, 2022 at Avantara Norton Health Care in Sioux Falls. Service was held on Thursday, July 14, at Miller Funeral Home. There was a graveside with military rites at Woodlawn Cemetery. Vernon Reinhold Schempp, son of Reinhold and Anna (Melhalf) Schempp, was born Oct. 24, 1937 in Freeman, S.D. He was baptized and confirmed at the Johannestal Reformed Church. He attended country school in the Freeman area through 8th grade.

John “Cowboy” Jaros was born in Saint Paul, Minn., on July 19, 1984 and went home to be with his Lord and Savior on June 18, 2022.

A celebration of life for Thelma Mendel is planned at Salem MB Church, Bridgewater, on Sunday, July 24 at 3 p.m. Mendel passed away on May 28, 2022 in Peoria, Ariz., at the age of 90.