Helen J. Linke, 95, of Woonsocket, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, at Prairie View Healthcare Center, Woonsocket. 

A memorial funeral service was held Saturday, Jan. 15, at the Spirit of Faith Lutheran Methodist Church in Woonsocket. Rev. John Anderson officiated. Inurnment was in Eventide Cemetery. Arrangements were by Basham Funeral Home.

Helen Jean Linke was born April 20, 1926, on the family farm northeast of Mitchell to Harold and Edna (Robbins) Smith. She moved with her family to a farm west of Cuthbert at the age of three. She attended grade school at Cuthbert rural school and graduated from Woonsocket High School in 1944. Helen graduated from Mitchell Business College in 1945 with a secretarial diploma. She worked as a secretary for the Geyerman Co. until 1947. She married Lloyd Linke at the Methodist parsonage on March 15, 1947, in Woonsocket.  She was an active member of Cuthbert United Methodist Church, until it closed.

Helen and Lloyd farmed southeast of Woonsocket their entire married life, raising four children. Helen helped in all phases of farming, as she loved the outdoors and animals. After her husband’s death in 2000, she continued to live on the farm, enjoying her gardening, needle point, crosswords and the melon business. Helen enjoyed all of the sports that her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren took part in. She dearly loved ball games and 4-H events and attended many.

She is survived by her daughter, Barbara (Mark) Clayton of Yankton; sons, Richard  (Vicki Lynn) Linke and Jim Linke, both of Woonsocket; four grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Vi Georgen and Karen Mattke.  

She was preceded in death by her husband, Alvin Lloyd; daughter, Susan; granddaughter, Natty Clayton; one brother, Wayne; and two sisters, Eileen and Ruth.

Edna Baade, 98, of Mitchell, died Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, at Prairie View Healthcare Center in Woonsocket. 

Funeral services were  Saturday, Jan. 15, at First Lutheran Church in Mitchell. Burial was at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Artesian. Visitation was Friday, Jan. 14, at Bittner Funeral Chapel in Mitchell. Arrangements were by Bittner Funeral Chapel.

Edna Mae (Lager) Baade was born July 29, 1923, to Carl and Bertha (Larson) Lager near Esmond. Edna and her twin sister, Edith, were the youngest of five children. When her mother died suddenly in 1924, she went to Sturgis to live with her Aunt Belle, Cousin Teddy, and Uncle Sever Lien until she graduated from Meade County Elementary School. At age 14, she was reunited with her father and siblings to attend high school in Fedora, graduating in 1941 with her twin, Edith.

Edna worked as a clerk at Boelter’s Grocery in Artesian, and as a bookkeeper for D. Jones Implement (a John Deere dealership), where she met the love of her life, Rex. They married on June 11, 1950, in Huron at the American Lutheran Church. They were married 48 years.

On the family farm, Edna cooked, cleaned, and sewed for many hired men, while raising two children, Nancy and Dennis. Throughout the years, Edna was involved in 4-H, Circle, and Neighborhood Coffee Club. Edna traveled to Hawaii, California, Oregon, and Colorado in her retirement. Her family was her pride and joy. Her grandchildren enjoyed her baking talents and any time spent with her. She was also a talented seamstress.

Edna is survived by her two children, Nancy (Bill) Stange of Mitchell and Dennis (Kathi) Baade of Artesian; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Rex in 1998; one great-granddaughter, Ella Kathleen Gosse; her parents; and siblings, Charles Lager, Elmer Lager, Helen Lager Lookabill, and Edith Lager Olson.

Sally Olson, 88, of Letcher, passed away on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, at her home.  

A memorial service was held Monday, Jan. 10, at the Letcher Community Church, visitation was one hour prior.  Burial will be in Westlawn Cemetery at a later date.

Sally was born Jan. 1, 1934, the first baby of the year in Sioux City, Iowa, to Edward and Gayle Ryan. She moved to South Dakota when she was ten years old and lived in Huron, Mitchell, Artesian, Woonsocket, and finally Letcher.

Sally married Clarence Olson on June 1, 1951, in Artesian.  They made their home in Letcher and moved into the house they built in 1958.  They were blessed with four children.

When first married, Sal worked at the Brig in Mitchell; she later sold Avon, and then worked at Johnson’s Furniture Store and Buches in Mitchell. She opened Sal’s Drive Inn in 1983 knowing it would be a success and successful it was. After selling the Drive Inn, she and Clarence started Sal’s Country Crafts.  She was great at sales and could talk you into buying almost anything.

Sally is survived by her husband of 70 years, Clarence of Letcher; daughters, Marlene Hoffman of Letcher and Linda (Todd) Francis of Mitchell; grandchildren, Eddie (Tiffany) Hoffman of Letcher, Missy Hobaugh of Letcher, Aaron (Angela) Olson of Wolsey, Andrea (Dan) Timblin of Mitchell, Sara (Dave) O’Connor of Mitchell, Amy (Cody) Poppen of Howard, Stephanie (Tony) Keller of Sioux Falls, April (Collin) Spinar of Plankinton; great-grandchildren, Michael Hoffman, Tori Hoffman, Landon Hoffman, Bailey Olson, Levi Olson, Jay Olson, Charlie Timblin, Frankie Timblin, Paxton Poppen, Kenlie Poppen, Makena Spinar, Pierce Spinar, Greyson Spinar, Kaylie O’Connor, Dylan O’Connor, David Keller, Norah Keller; great-great-granddaughter, Everleigh Olson; sister, Colleen Sundstrom of Chester, Md.; brothers, Bob (Hazel) Sundstrom of Sheldon, Iowa, Mike Sundstrom of Edgemont; The Gal Pals, numerous nieces and nephews and many others that loved Sal.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sons, Rich and Jay Olson; grandson, Rob Francis; brothers, Ron Ryan and Curt Sundstrom; son in law, Bill Hoffman; and grandson, Brian Hobaugh.