A celebration of life will be held for Gene Kaufman, who passed away on Dec. 12, 2020, on Saturday, Oct. 23, at 2 p.m. at the Salem Mennonite Church of rural Freeman, S.D. The family invites you to an informal time of listening to music and sharing memories about Gene’s life. The gathering will include a time for sharing, during which the family would love to hear your memories and stories about Dad.  

Joyce Adrian, 81, of Freeman, S.D., passed away on Oct. 5 at the Freeman hospital. A funeral service will be held Monday, Oct. 11 at 10:30 a.m. at Walter Funeral Home in Freeman, with burial to follow at the Schartner Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home.

Grace Duerksen, 99, of Marion, S.D., passed away Friday Oct 1 at the Tieszen Memorial Home in Marion. A funeral service will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct 8 at the Freeman Missionary Church. Visitation will be Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Walter Funeral Home in Freeman, S.D.  

Jessica Marie (Schelling) Schaeffer, age 37, of Tabor, S.D., passed into the presence of Jesus at dawn Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021, at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, S.D. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, Oct. 4 at Calvary Baptist Church, Yankton, S.D., with Rev. Errin Mulberry officiating. Burial will be in the Graceland Cemetery, Corsica, S.D., at approximately 3 p.m. Monday afternoon. Visitations will begin at 9:00 AM and continue until service time Monday morning.

Darlas Lehmann, 90, of Freeman, S.D., passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 30 at his residence in Freeman. A funeral service will be held on Monday, Oct. 4 at 2 p.m. at the Salem Mennonite Church of rural Freeman.  

Leland Wiedmeier, 86, of Menno, S.D., passed away on Sept. 25, 2021 at the Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D. Visitation was scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 29 at Salem Reformed Church, Menno, with family present at 6 p.m. and a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. The funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 30 at Salem Reformed Church, with Pastor Michael Hecht officiating. Burial will follow at the Freeman City Cemetery, west of Freeman, with military graveside rites. Family will return to the church to visit with friends and family after the burial.

Marlene Joyce (Krumm) Geidel passed away on Sept. 19 at Oakview Terrace. A funeral service will be held on Friday, Sept. 24 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Freeman. 

Norbert Geidel, 90, of Freeman, S.D., passed away on September 23 at the Freeman hospital. A joint funeral service for Norbert and his wife, Marlene, will be held on Friday, September 24 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Freeman.

Hilda Jane Kaufman, 95, was born on Sept. 5, 1926 to Henry Jac and Ida Kaufman Waltner. Her education was at Rose Valley District 98 and graduated from Freeman Academy in 1944. On May 25, 1948 she married Kenneth Kaufman. They farmed in the East Freeman, S.D. area for 25 years before moving to Sioux Falls, S.D. While in Sioux Falls she worked at Sears and then in the family business retiring in 1990.

Herman J. Wipf, 87, went to be with his Heavenly Father on Sept. 14, 2021, and will be missed by his family, wonderful friends and kind neighbors. A memorial service was held Tuesday, Sept. 21 at the Bethany Mennonite Church of Freeman, S.D.