I was busy at the kitchen table when my young son quietly asked me to do something with him. He wanted my attention and time. I got a bright idea. The weather was not as hot as it had been, so I sent him out to the yard to find five different leaves for me. He spun around and ran away from me, joyfully running outside – he didn’t even slow to put on his shoes. There; he was doing something that would probably lead to other distractions, and I could continue my work. It is odd how some of my terrible plans can become lessons learned.

My son was gone for only a little while.

A fall from a horse at the original 11-Mile Corner north of Philip left 12-year-old Ruby Gabriel with traumatic cranial V1 palsy. For the past 29 years she has been totally reliant on the use of prisms and abnormal head positions to see without double vision.

Today, through the advancement of eye surgery, Gabriel has correctable 20/20 vision, and can look forward with both eyes.

In 1976, during the Labor Day Fun Day, Gabriel was riding a horse. She was wearing her cowboy hat and her glasses, which she had needed for about two years.

Myrtle Hope Warner went home to be with the Lord on July 4, 2005.

She was born in Philip, SD, in 1932. She moved with her family to Arizona in 1957.

She is survived by her husband of 54 years, William Warner; three sons, Daniel, Dennis (Kathy) and Scott (Betty); also two adopted sons, Big Bill and Garland; three sisters and two brothers; 11 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren.

Hope was very active at Casas Church and the sheriff’s department.

Services were held in Oro Valley, AZ, with interment at Evergreen Cemetery in Tucson, AZ.

Mary Alice Deuchar, age 83, of Philip, South Dakota, died Sunday, July 24, 2005, at the Philip Nursing Home.

Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m. Thursday, July 28, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Philip, with Pastor Robert Oettel officiating. Music will be provided by Marilyn Millage, pianist, and Elvera Moos, vocalist.

Ushers are Eric and Luke Neville. Pallbearers are Kenny Neville, Henry Hanson, Todd Radway, Steve Pekron, Mike Gebes and Marty Hook.

Visitation will be held 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Ethel V. Osburn, age 101, of Philip, died Wednesday, July 20, 2005, at the Philip Nursing Home.

Services were held Monday, July 25, at the United Church in Philip, with Pastor Don Lagge officiating.

Music was provided by JoAnne Stilwell, pianist, and Maureen Palecek, vocalist. Ushers were Jack Hansen and Willis Blom.

Donald Eugene DeVries, age 50, of Belvidere, died Sunday, July 17, 2005, at the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital in Philip.

Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m. Thursday, July 21, at the Kadoka City Auditorium, with Larry Dolezal officiating.

Music will be provided by JoAnne Stilwell, pianist, Linda Blom, vocalist, and a congregational hymn. Ushers are Mike Blom, Wade Fox and Keith Bonenberger. Pallbearers are Jim Nemec, Jim Addison, Jim Willert, Ted Vobr, Tojo Osborn, Mike Perault, Chuck Willerd and John Rodgers.

Interment will be in the Belvidere Cemetery.

Richard Leo "Dick" Williams, age 70, of Philip, died Sunday morning, July 10, 2005, at the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital in Philip.

A Christian Funeral Service was held Wednesday, July 13, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, with Father Ron Garry officiating.

Lector was Rita O’Connell. Music was provided by Marianne Frein, pianist, and Maureen Palecek, vocalist, with special music by Glenn Parsons. Ushers were Mark Buchholz, Chuck O’Connor, Jim Root and Burjes Fitch. Pallbearers were Bill Ziegenbein, Glen Hostutler, Mickey Daly, Bill O’Connor, J.D. Broyles and Mike Olney.