Margaret Williams, age 92, of Wall, died Thursday, January 5, 2006, at the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital in Philip.

Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Tuesday, January 10, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church with Father Leo Hausmann as celebrant, and Father Bob Baden as con-celebrant.

Music was provided by Rita Patterson, organist, Jeff White, guitarist, and Diane O’Connor, Christine White, Melissa White and Richard White, vocalists.

Lector was Richard White. Ushers were Darrel Terkildsen and Wayland Eisenbraun.

Mary Alice Reiman was born to Claude and Verna (Lawrence) Van Driel in Sioux Falls, SD, on March 1, 1956. She was received as a child of God through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism on April 15, 1956, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills, MN. She was confirmed in the Christian faith on Oct. 31, 1971, also at Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

Darwin "Smokey" Shepard, age 76, of Wall, died Saturday, January 7, 2006, at the Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, January 10, at the United Methodist Church in Wall with Rev. Preston Brown officiating.

Music was provided by Carol Hahn, pianist, with congregational hymns. Ushers were Bill Leonard, Jerry Johannesen and Bernard Foster. Pallbearers were Ryan Eisenbraun, Keith Eisenbraun, Gary Beck, B.J. Dartt, Doug Crown and Brady Shepard.

Interment with military honors was in the Wall Cemetery.

Darwin N.

Henry B. Jeitz, 86, Belle Fourche, South Dakota died Monday, January 2, 2006, at the Sturgis Regional Hospital, Sturgis, SD.

He was born March 19, 1919, in Ft. Pierre, SD, to Bruno Henry Jeitz and Elsie Carrie (Koch) Jeitz. As a young man he worked with his father on the railroad near Capa, SD. Henry enlisted in the United States Army, Cavalry Division on May 9, 1942, and soon became a truck driver, which gave him the opportunity to travel the Pacific. He was honorably discharged on September 29, 1945, in Ft. Leavenworth, KS. He returned to Midland were he ran a gas station.

“R-CALF USA is proof that change does not come easy,” said Leo McDonnell. He will officially end his R-CALF presidency at the annual cattlemen’s meeting during the Denver Stock Show on January 19.

“We’ve been criticized mainly by those who benefit from the United States cattle producers not being organized. Cattlemen, though, have to be pretty good businessmen or they wouldn’t have made it. My wish is for every ranching community to continue to improve the economy of the cattle industry, to improve their lives and have a successful industry.

The Philip City Council meeting on Monday, January 3, began the new year quickly.

The council approved the payment of monthly bills from the appropriated funds. The official depository for the city for 2006 is the First National Bank in Philip. The official newspaper for the city for 2006 is The Pioneer Review. The paid holidays for 2006 for city employees were set.

The 2005 Retailer of the Year award, presented by the South Dakota Retailers Association to an individual or couple each year in recognition of business and civic achievements, was awarded to Ernie and Laurel Nemec of Midland. They were presented with the distinction during an awards banquet in Pierre on Monday, January 9.

The Nemec’s have owned and operated Ernie’s Building Center of Midland for 47 years.

In December, 1959, they bought the Midland Co-op Lumber Yard and the local hardware store.

While striving for an imperative opt-out for next year, the Midland School Board is simultaneously interviewing neighboring school boards for reorganization.

The Midland School Board is also dealing with three staff resignations. History teacher Steven Decker will be leaving at the end of this school year. Band and vocal director Crystal Brakke has also resigned. Superintendent/Principal Denise Fox also tendered her resignation effective at the end of her contract on June 30.

The board accepted the resignations with regret.

People of local renown headed the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital held on Friday, January 6.

Roger Porch, a current hospital board member, was master of ceremonies for the program. His main theme was, “Only that which is invisible is essential.” The vision that became the hospital is really the hospital. The building is visible; though the community support, finances, work, donated time, memories and continued vision for the health services in the area are the truly essential aspects of the hospital.

I love making New Year’s resolutions. I hate trying to keep them.

I will lose weight. I think that sounds exceptionally good, as I absent-mindedly reach for another piece of peanut brittle. Who cares about weight anyway? I don’t need to worry about my appearance since I am already married. (Don’t worry, my wife never reads what I write.) Besides, being overweight during the winter time just adds more insulation from the cold. Here in the middle of Western South Dakota, I will be needing every ounce that I can get.