Joanne “Joey” Steichen, 95, of Mitchell, died Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021. 

Mass of Christian Burial for Joey Steichen was held Tuesday, Aug. 31, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Mitchell. Burial was at St. Wilfrid’s Catholic Cemetery in Woonsocket. Visitation was held Monday, at Bittner Funeral Chapel with a prayer service. 

Mary Joanne Steichen was born April 9, 1926, to Almar and Allye (Hazen) Bratsberg in Woonsocket.   

She graduated from Woonsocket High School in 1944, attended two years of college at Carlton College and graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1948. On Aug. 19, 1948, she married Kenneth Steichen in Woonsocket. Joey worked at the Sanborn County Bank for 1.5 years. 

They moved to their farm near Spencer in December 1954, where they farmed for 57 years and raised five children. In 2011, they moved to Mitchell and became members of Holy Family Catholic Church. Joey was a 4-H leader for 19 years, member of St. Peters Church (Farmer, S.D.), member of the altar society (where she held many offices), directed the young parishioner’s guitar choir, church organist, Red Hats member and taught piano lessons. She enjoyed dancing, reading, traveling, playing cards and recreational gambling.

Joey is survived by two sons, Jim (Jan) of Sunnyvale, Calif., and Dennis (Shelly) Steichen, of Raleigh, N.C.; three daughters, Kathy (Neil) Cauley of Excelsior, Minn., Polly (Rod) Huber of Alexandria, and Pam Olinger of Sioux Falls; 14 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth; parents; sister, Phyllis; brother-in-law, Tom R. Brisbine; two grandchildren; and one son-in-law, Michael Olinger.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the American Cancer Society.

Bernice LaVonne Vlieger, 87, of Mitchell, died Friday, Aug. 27, 2021, at Avera Bormann Manor in Parkston. 

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 2, at Will Funeral Chapel, with burial at Graceland Cemetery in Fulton. Visitation will be from 9-11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 2, at the Will Funeral Chapel.

Bernice Vlieger, daughter of William and Johanna (Weibesick) Wurster, was born March 7, 1934, in Canton. She graduated from Plano High School, and after her schooling, Bernice helped on the family farm.

Bernice was united in marriage with Donald Vlieger on May 3, 1953, at the Beulah Nazarene Church. The couple lived in Tulare, Artesian, Fedora, Watertown, and later made their home in Mitchell. She cleaned private homes and later worked at D&J Hatchery chicken barn. Bernice was then employed as a cook at the Lawler Cafe, a clerk at Goodwill, and then a cook at Kmart. She collected butterflies and loved to cook and bake.

Bernice is survived by her sons, Francis “Bud” (Darla) Vlieger of Mitchell, and Eldon Vlieger, Elwin Vlieger and Richard “Dick” Vlieger, all of Topeka, Kan.; four grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and a sister, Carol (David) Belzer of Arizona City, Ariz.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald; a son, William; her parents; and two brothers, Marvin and Richard.

Helen Ann Strong, 84, of Mitchell, died Saturday, July 31, 2021, at Avera Brady Health and Rehab. 

Funeral services were held Monday, Aug. 9, at Zion Lutheran Church with burial at Graceland Cemetery. Visitation with prayer service was Sunday, Aug. 8, at the Will Funeral Chapel.

Helen was born at Methodist Hospital in Mitchell on Oct. 29, 1936, to Leroy and Minnie (Deinert) Smith of Twin Lakes, Sanborn County. Her family later moved to a farm southwest of Mitchell. She attended Libson #20 and graduated from Mt. Vernon High School in 1955. She then went to work for First National Bank.

She married Dannie Strong April 29, 1958, at Zion Lutheran Church, Mitchell. Together they farmed in the Mt. Vernon and Betts areas and continued after moving to Sanborn County in 1973. She continued until she sold her last quarter of land at the age of 78.

Helen graduated from Mitchell Vo-Tech in 1985 and 1986.  She also graduated from DWU in 1994 with a BA in Business. She worked for H&R Block, Firesteel Healthcare Center, Jack’s Sinclair, Artesian Honey and Raven Industries in Sioux Falls. 

Helen participated in many clubs and activities including, Cow Bells Club, church choir, quilting club, and the funeral committee. She enjoyed bowling, cooking, baking, canning, raising chickens and selling eggs, puzzles and gardening.  

Grateful for having shared her life are her children, Sherri (William) Brummett of Mitchell, Wesley (Sharon) Strong of Sanford, N.C., Randy Strong of Mitchell, Marty Strong of Denver, Colo., and Christy Strong-Larson (Jason) of Sioux Falls; ten grandchildren; twenty-one great-grandchildren; brother; Harvey (Cheryl) Smith of Mt. Vernon; sisters-in-law, Marilyn Smith of Mitchell and Shirley Fletcher of Joplin, Mo.; and brothers-in-law, Delmar Hemeyer of Spearfish, Willis (Billie) Strong of Liberal, Mo., and Frank Foley of El Dorado Springs, Mo.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Dannie; son, Todd Strong, and infant son; daughter-in-law, Jane Strong; sister, Harriet Hemeyer; brothers, Harlan and Harley Smith; in-laws, Donald (Doris) Strong and Mary Foley. 

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to monument restoration at Graceland Cemetery.