Obituaries

Rosetta Sievert

Mitchell

Rosetta Sievert, 71, of Mitchell, died Friday, May 21, 2021, at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls. 

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m., Thursday, May 27, at New Home Lutheran Church in Mitchell with burial at Silver Creek Cemetery in rural Woonsocket. Visitation will be from 12 to 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 27, at New Home Lutheran Church in Mitchell. Arrangements are under the direction of the Will Funeral Chapel.

Rosetta Sievert, daughter of John and Evelyn (Fouberg) Sievert, was born Sept. 9, 1949, in Mitchell. She grew up on the family farm north of Artesian and attended Plano School. Rosetta graduated from Artesian High School in 1969 and then attended Culinary School at Mitchell Tech.

She moved to Mitchell in 1976. In Mitchell, Rosetta cleaned houses and babysat. She enjoyed crocheting, playing on her hand-held games and iPad, and gambling at the casino.

She was a member of New Home Lutheran Church in Mitchell.

Survivors include her brother, Maynard Sievert; a sister, Darlene Mentele; a sister-in-law, Sandra Sievert; numerous nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Raymond and Harold Sievert; five sisters, Dorothy (Roy Jr.) Kluth, Ada (Emil) Kott, Betty (Ronald) Thompson, Lucille Sievert and Judy Sievert.

Eugene Rezac

Mitchell

Eugene “Gene” J. Rezac, 84, of Mitchell, died Thursday, May 20, 2021, at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital in Mitchell. 

Mass of Christian Burial was held Monday, May 24, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Mitchell.  Burial was at Calvary Cemetery in Mitchell. Visitation was Sunday, May 23, at Bittner Funeral Chapel with a prayer service.

Eugene Rezac was born on May 20, 1937, in Highmore, to John and Leta (McAtee) Rezac. Gene was the youngest of three children. He grew up in Highmore and graduated from Highmore High School in 1955. He then graduated from the College of Pharmacy at South Dakota State University, with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in 1959.

Gene entered the field of Retail Community Pharmacy at Vilas Drug in Pierre, as a staff pharmacist. This contributed to a desire in Gene to own his own pharmacy. That endeavor began with the purchase of Jos. P. Faas Drug, in Hoven, in October of 1961, which later became Rezac Rexall Drug. In 1970, Gene worked at McKennan Hospital and Osco Drug in South Dakota. He soon realized that he missed owning his pharmacy and purchased O’Neill Drug, in O’Neill, Neb., in January of 1972 and renamed it Rezac Discount Drug. After 33 years, he retired in 2005.

He met Janis “Jan” Anderson as a customer in the drug store in Pierre. Gene and Jan were married in Highmore, on Dec. 10, 1960. He was incredibly proud and thankful to be married to his beautiful Jan for 60 plus years and have Jan by his side as Vice-President of Rezac Drug Inc. In 2007, Gene and Jan decided to spend retirement in Mitchell.

Gene loved being a pitcher for the Highmore American Legion baseball team and various amateur baseball teams. Gene’s other hobbies included flying his Mooney airplane across the country. He also enjoyed bowling, playing golf, and watching sports. He was a Nebraska Husker, SDSU, and Minnesota Twins fan.

Gene was a member of the South Dakota Pharmacist’s Association and in 2010 was recognized as one of their 50-year pharmacists. He was also a member of Holy Family Catholic Church and a member of the Knights of Columbus in Mitchell.

Gene is survived by his wife, Jan Rezac of Mitchell; one daughter, Lynne (Ken) Schmidt of Woonsocket; two granddaughters; one great-grandson; and two great-grandchildren on the way.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Dale; and a sister, Phyllis Parlin.

The family has chosen memorials to be given in Gene’s honor for a Pharmacy Scholarship and Alzheimer’s Research (Fisher Center).

Norman Gutzmer

Walton, Neb.

Norman Gutzmer, 87, of Walton, Neb., passed away on Thursday, May 6, 2021, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls.

Services and a celebration of his life will be held this summer near the Fourth of July in Woonsocket. Norman will be buried alongside his daughter, Kim.   

Norman Lee Gutzmer was born on Dec. 7, 1933, to Otto and Margaret (Parker) Gutzmer, the first of six children.   He graduated from Woonsocket High School.

In 1956, he married Verla Rothchild, and together they had six children.   They lived in the Woonsocket/Huron area. For many years, Norman farmed with his dad.  Later, he began selling World Book Encyclopedias and ChildCraft to many families in the Midwest.

In 1970, Norman married Doris Hardy Stavig; in addition to Doris’ daughter, they had two daughters.   They lived in various communities in South Dakota and then moved to Nebraska.   There, he changed careers, sold real estate, and started his property management business. He managed Gutzmer Rentals until the end of 2020.

Norman enjoyed attending sporting and school events of his grandchildren, as well as the annual Fourth of July family reunion at the family farm outside of Woonsocket.

Norman is survived by siblings Marilynn Peters, Janet Witte, Wayne (Bonnie) Gutzmer, and Wally (Judith) Gutzmer; children, DeAndria Gutzmer, Dwight Gutzmer, Dean Gutzmer, David (Jana) Gutzmer, Donna (Terry) Williams, Diane Virchow-Bunker, Becky (Ron) Temple, and Heather (Boyd) LaFoon; 23 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Norman was preceded in death by his parents, Otto and Margaret Gutzmer; infant sister, Marlene Gutzmer; infant daughter, Kim Marie Gutzmer; brother-in-law, Wayne Peters; brother-in-law, Fay Witte; daughter-in-law, Julie Gutzmer; and nephew, Matthew Gutzmer.

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