Donald “Ducky” Harry Stange, 76, of rural Woonsocket died Thursday morning, Aug. 29, 2013 at his home.
Services were held Monday morning at St. Wilfrid Catholic Church, Woonsocket, with Fr. Jim Friedrich officiating. A scripture service was held Sunday evening at Basham Funeral Home in Woonsocket. Burial was in the St. Wilfrid Church Cemetery.
Donald (Ducky) Harry Stange, son of Harry and Wilma (Spies) Stange, was born July 8, 1937 in Jerauld County.  He attended Woodmansee School through the eighth grade and received his GED during military training. He served in the US Army from 1956 to 1959, spending part of his tour in Germany.
Ducky was united in marriage with Janice Higgins, June 18, 1966 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wessington Springs. He grew up and farmed in rural Woonsocket where he raised cattle and crops and operated a custom hay hauling and grinding business with his brother, John.  He enjoyed raising cattle, attending cattle sales and spending time with his family.
He is survived by his wife, Janice; two daughters, Debbie (Darin) Harris of Sioux Falls and Peggy (Mike) Metter of Cavour; one son, Jerry (Dani) Stange of Woonsocket; 10 grandchildren; six brothers and sisters, Joyce (Bill) Bowar, Lincoln, Neb., Phyllis (Ed) Swenson, Woonsocket, Lois Edwards, Letcher, Bill (Nancy) Stange, Letcher, Bob (Kay) Stange, Woonsocket,  and Judy (Dick) McQueen, White Lake; brothers-in-law, Bill Morgan, Mitchell and Duane (Pat) Higgins, Menomonie, Wisc.; and sisters-in-law Ann Stange, Freeman, LeElda Higgins, Alpena, Myrna (Charlie) Knigge, Woonsocket, Marlene (Pat) Howard, Woonsocket,  Ilene Breakie, Wyoming, Del., and Diane (Skip) Larson, Woonsocket.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Wilma Stange; a sister, Carol Morgan; a brother, John Stange; and brothers-in-law, Merle Edwards, Darrell Higgins and Fred Breakie.

    Marie Simmons, 93, of Wessington Springs died Thursday morning, Aug.  29, 2013 at the Parkview Care Center in Bryant.
Mass of Christian Burial was held at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 2, 2013 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wessington Springs with Fr. Jim Friedrich officiating. Burial was in the Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Crow Lake. Visitation was Sunday  at the church with a scripture service with Msgr. Edwin Burian officiating.
Marie Lillian Petrosky Simmons was born July 10, 1920 in Crow Lake to James and Mary Petrosky. She spent her childhood in the Crow Lake area and graduated from Wessington Springs High School in 1938. She married Cecil Simmons on March 7, 1940. To this union, nine children were born.
Marie enjoyed the company and visits from all of her grandchildren. Marie was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and her cooking was enjoyed by all. She always had fresh baked bread for her children after school. She also loved embroidery, creating many pieces given to family members and fundraisers, making great puzzle masterpieces and later in life writing poems and short stories. She worked faithfully with St. Joseph Altar Society and the church she loved. She was a loving, compassionate example for all of us.
Throughout her life she worked as a cook at the John Gehan ranch, where she met her husband, a nurse aide at Jerauld County Hospital, clerk at Coast to Coast, and a teacher’s aide at Wessington Springs Elementary School.
Marie and her husband, Cecil, enjoyed traveling to visit family and friends all over the country. They also traveled to Germany and Italy with Barbara and were privileged to have an audience with Pope Paul VI.
She is survived by her nine children, Margaret (Tom) Mettler, Hackensack, Minn., Cecile (Fred) Knight, Wessington Springs,  Grace Dwyer, Tea, David (Mary) Simmons, Colorado Springs, Colo., Rita (Dennis) Feistner, Woonsocket, Clara (Ken) Roerig, Webster, Barbara (Terry) Millard, Great Bend, Kan., Michael (Karon) Simmons, Cooledge, Ariz., Patrick (Angele) Simmons, Rapid City; 32 grandchildren; 73 great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren and some very special nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil; her parents, James and Mary; two sisters, Rose and Lillian; two brothers, Richard and Frederick; and one son-in-law, Jack Dwyer.

Verna (Hetland) Wire Lyons, 92, Artesian, died Sunday, Sept. 1, 2013 in the Prairie Good Samaritan Center at Miller.
Funeral services will be Saturday, Sept. 7 at 11 a.m. in the Resurrection Lutheran Church, Mitchell. Burial will be in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery at Artesian. Visitation will be Friday from 5-7 p.m. at the Bittner Funeral Chapel in Mitchell.
A memorial fund has been established to the Mount Pleasant Memorial Cemetery Association.
Verna (Hetland) Wire Lyons was born July 25, 1921 at Artesian, daughter of Henry and Anna (Tysdal) Hetland. She grew up attending rural grade school and graduated from Artesian High School in 1939. Her secondary education included a two-year teaching degree from Augustana College at Sioux Falls. She taught elementary classes in several eastern South Dakota communities.
In 1945 she married Douglas E. Wire at Spencer. They farmed in the Forestburg/Artesian area and raised two children, Gloria Carolyn and Paul Douglas.
Following the death of her husband, Douglas, in 1965, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from the University of South Dakota and taught in the Vermillion School system for several years before moving to Rapid City.
In 1976 she married Albert V. Lyons of Rapid City. They owned and operated the Sunset Motel in Belle Fourche for a number of years before retiring in Rapid City. She was preceded in death by her husband, Albert, in August 2007.
She was active in Calvary Lutheran Church, Sons of Norway, The Black Hills Rosemaling Association, Rapid City Society for Genealogical Research and the Black Hills Calligraphy Guild.
Verna’s greatest interest was reaching out to her many friends and family through her delicious meals, strong coffee, great pies, e-mail messages, or personal phone calls.
She is survived by her daughter, Gloria (Dennis) Keck, St. Lawrence;  son, Paul (Lori) Wire, Rapid City; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren;  three sisters-in-law, Arlis Hetland, Mitchell, Beverly (Oling) Wire, Mitchell, and Lavonne (Wire) Dinzl, Minneapolis, Minn.
She was preceded in death by her husbands, Douglas and Albert; one brother, Robert Hetland; and her parents.