Christoph D. “Chris” Reimann, 73, died Tuesday, July 17, 2012, at the Rapid City Hospice House.
He was born November 16, 1938, in Midland, S.D., to Rudolph and Margaret (Gillaspie) Reimann. He grew up on the family farm southeast of Midland and attended rural schools through the eighth grade, graduating from Midland High School and received a B.S in Secondary Education from BHSU.

Carrol Ripley passed away on July 16, 2012, at the age of 92. She brought great wisdom and grace to her family; and will be greatly missed, and fondly remembered.

Dennis Paul O’Dea, age 75, of Philip, died Tuesday, July 24, 2012, at the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital in Philip.
Dennis Paul O’Dea and his twin brother, Dean Patrick, were born July 30, 1936, in Philip, the son of John and Edna (Bennett) O’Dea. He attended the Empire and Fairplay rural schools and his mother, Edna, later home schooled the kids for a time. He then attended Philip High School.
On October 17, 1956, he married Marlene Keyser at the Dowling Church located one mile south of her parents’ home on Ash Creek, and to this union were born three children.

Funeral services for Delbert R. “Gus” Gustafson, 90, were held Friday, July 20, at the Faith United Methodist Church. Joel Erickson officiated with special music by Butch Samuelson. Eric, Alex and Abby Gustafson, Philip and Matt Erickson, Tom and Wayne Palmer and Kelly Daughters served as casketbearers.
Military honors were afforded by the Faith VFW and Legion Posts. Interment was at Black Hills National Cemetery with honors provided by the Sturgis Veterans.

  Fresh from completing the US Farm Bill in the House, Kristi Noem, U.S. Congresswoman for South Dakota, made a pit stop in Bison on Friday afternoon where she visited with approximately 30 constituents.
   The House passed a farm bill the day before in Washington and sent it over to the Senate. Noem took advantage of a few days break to return to South Dakota and to make stops in Buffalo and Bison before heading to Boss Cowman festivities in Lemmon for the weekend.

Michael J. Chapell, 58, Rapid City, passed away on Sunday, July 8, 2012 at his home.
Michael Joseph Chapell was born on February 18, 1954 in New Orleans, LA to Henry and Bernice (Goodsell) Chapell. Bernice and the kids later moved to South Dakota. He attended school in Wall, SD. He served in the U.S. Army from 1971 until he was honorably discharged on October 31, 1974.
He married Sharon Hoag and they were blessed with two daughters, Alecia and Angela. Mike and Sharon later divorced.
Mike met Carrie and they spent many happy years together. They were married on September 17, 2011.

Wall community members met on Wednesday, July 11, to establish a board for the Ambulance District which won the election by an overwhelming 264 votes.

The Monday, July 16, meeting of the Haakon School District 27-1 Board of Education began with Mark Radway and Jake Fitzgerald reciting their oathes of office as they began their terms.

Walter Van Tassel, age 88 of Midland, died Thursday, July 12, 2012, at the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital in Philip.
Walter Harlan Van Tassel was born February 16, 1924, in Ottumwa, Iowa, to Walter E. and Ruth Van Tassel. Walter (“Junior” to many) moved to the Midland area in 1929 where he lived with his grandparents, William and Pearl Lee, on the 1912 homestead ranch north of Ottumwa and was raised like brothers and sister with his aunt, Fern (Lee) Konst, and his uncle, Bill Lee.
Walter was educated at the Mattison Country School where he graduated the eighth grade.

Jack Brunsch, age 60 of Norris, South Dakota , died July 9, 2012, suddenly at his ranch.

Jack Louis Brunsch was born March 17, 1952, in Kadoka, South Dakota, the son of Paul and Lucille (Peck) Brunsch. He began grade school in a one room school house located two miles from the ranch home. He later attended grade school at Norris, before attending Bennett County High School, graduating in 1970. He began his college career at South Dakota State University in Brookings, then transferred to Missoula, Montana, before graduating from Black Hills State, majoring in Biology and Chemistry.