Virginia Graber, 97, of Freeman, S.D., passed away Monday, Aug. 9 at Oakview Terrace in Freeman. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Aug. 14 at the Salem-Zion (North) Mennonite Church at 10:30 a.m, with visitation with the family one hour prior to the service.  

William “Bill” Jacob Haar was born on May 30, 1948 to Alton and Esther (Ahrendt) Haar in Freeman, S.D. He passed away at his residence from natural causes in Pompano Beach, Fla., on June 9, 2021 at the age of 73 years.  A memorial service will be held on Friday, July 30 at 3:30 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Freeman.

Darlene Heckenlaible, age 81 of Medford, Oregon and formerly of Menno, S.D., passed away on Saturday, July 17 at Medford, Oregon. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, Aug. 9 at the Aisenbrey-Opsahl-Kostel Memorial Chapel, Menno, with Rev. Michael Hecht officiating. Visitations will be one hour prior to the service at the chapel. Burial of her cremated remains will be in the Menno Cemetery.

Christopher Kerkhove, 55, of Bridgewater, S.D., passed away Sunday, July 25, 2021 at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Philip Leroy Wharton, 71, went to his heavenly home on July 11, 2021.  He was born on April 2, 1950 to Vern and Gladys Wharton in Pierre, S.D.  He lived most of his life in Ft. Pierre, S.D.; Omaha, Neb. and the Marion, S.D. area until moving to Rose Hill, Kan., in November of 2020.

Mary Wollman Hofer was born July 12, 1920, the eldest of six children born to Andrew R. and Barbara (Glanzer) Wollman in Bridgewater, South Dakota. Mary passed away on June 19, 2021, while under Hospice Care at the home of Gary and Gloria Stahl in Torrington, Wyoming. Mary is known to most folks as Missionary Mary Wollman, Our Sister/Sister-in-law, Mary, Aunt Mary, and Cousin Mary Wollman. A loving Step-Mother/Mother-in-law, Grandma Mary, Great-Grandma Mary (GG), and Great-Great-Grandma Mary, she is cherished by many.

Lavonne Velma Knittel of Freeman, S.D., passed away on Saturday July 3, 2021 at the age of 87 at the Oakview Terrace nursing home. Visitation was scheduled for Wednesday, July 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church of Freeman. A funeral service will be held Thursday, July 8 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, with burial in the Freeman City Cemetery. 

Lorraine Ardell (Gross) Tusha, daughter of John S. and Amalia (Hofer) Gross, was born on December 18, 1941 in Sioux Falls, S.D. Lorraine died on Tuesday, June 29, 2021 at Dow Rummel Village in Sioux Falls. Lorraine was baptized Dec. 7, 1958 at Bethany Mennonite Church in Freeman, S.D. She was a member of Bethany Mennonite Church until she became a member of Zion Lutheran Church in 1963.

Vivian I. Gering, 93, was born Oct. 1, 1927 to Elias and Lillie (Waltner) Brockmueller in Freeman, S.D. and died June 25, 2021 at Arbor Lakes Senior Liv­ing, Maple Grove, Minn. The oldest of four, Vivian worked with her dad cultivating fields and making hay with horses. Vivian graduated from Freeman Jr. College (1950), Bethel College (Kan., 1952), and SDSU (master’s in counseling, 1970).