Eugene Fristad, 82, of Mt. Vernon, died Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, at Avera Brady Health and Rehab in Mitchell. 

Funeral services will be 11 a.m., Friday, Jan. 3, 2020, at Storla Lutheran Church in Storla, with burial at Trinity Cemetery in rural Letcher. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020, at the Will Funeral Chapel in Mitchell, with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m.

Eugene Fristad, son of Richard and Lelia (Strand) Fristad, was born Nov. 6, 1937, in Mitchell. He grew up on the family farm and attended country school. He graduated from Mt. Vernon High School and attended South Dakota School of Mines for a year and a half. Eugene served in the South Dakota National Guard from 1959 to 1965.

Eugene was united in marriage with Mary Hall on Nov. 25, 1966, in Mitchell. Eugene farmed in rural Mt. Vernon his entire life.

He was a member of Storla Lutheran Church, where he taught Sunday school for 35 years and did the blueprints for the church sculpture at the front of the sanctuary. He served in various positions on the church council. Eugene also served on the Blendon Township Board and the Firemen’s Board. Eugene was chosen by the Mitchell Jaycee’s in 1970 as “Outstanding Young Farmer” of Davison County. In 1991, he was selected by Commercial Bank in the category of farmer in the “Sharing New Horizons” program.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Fristad of Mt. Vernon; two children, Pamela Fristad (Frank Wells) of Mitchell, and Monte (Heather) Fristad of Mt. Vernon; three grandsons; a sister, Ilene (Verne) Carpenter of Colorado Springs, Colo.; two brothers, David (Nancy) Fristad of Vivian, and Kalen (Darlene) Fristad of Dows, Iowa; a sister-in-law, Elva (Dennis) Engelhart of Puyallup, Wash.; and a brother-in-law, Dennis (Mag) Hall of Lake Stevens, Wash.

Eugene was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Lelia Fristad; in-laws, Marion and Leona Hall; two brothers, Vincent (died in infancy) and Verlon Fristad; two sisters, Joyce (Harold) Peterson, and Dorothy (Kenneth) Lane.

In lieu of flowers, memorials will go to the Storla Lutheran Church or Trinity Cemetery Association.

Jason Knigge, 33, of Watertown, passed away Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, from a brain aneurysm. 

Funeral services were held Friday, Dec. 27, at Downtown Mitchell First United Methodist Church, with visitation on Thursday, Dec. 26. Burial was at Graceland Cemetery in Mitchell. Arrangements were made by Bittner Funeral Chapel.

Jason Robert Knigge was born in Sioux Falls, on May 12, 1986, to Robert and Jeannette (Lehman) Knigge.  He graduated from Mt. Vernon Public School in 2004. 

He continued his education at Lake Area Technical Institute and graduated with an associate degree in Automotive Technology in 2007. Jason worked at Angus-Palm in Watertown as a welder.  He then left to work with his father, Robert Knigge, at B & L Foods in Redfield.  He later worked at Worthington Industries in Watertown. 

Jason’s passion was riding his Harley, and he officially became a member of the Boozefighters Motorcycle Club in January 2019. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing, and gaming with his friends. Beyond his rough exterior, Jason was one of those men who gave you his whole heart. He had a gentle, kind spirit, and lived and loved fiercely. He was a fun-loving, charismatic uncle, and loved his entire family. However, his daughter, Shaylin, was his world. 

Jason is survived by his daughter, Shaylin Knigge of Mt. Vernon; his mother, Jeannette Knigge of Mitchell; his grandmother, Alice Lehman of Mitchell; his many sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.  He is also survived by his second family, the Swank family, and the brotherhoods he found in both the Redfield Fire Department and the Boozefighters.

Jason was preceded in death by his father, Robert Knigge; grandparents, Bob and Toyoko (Hirai) Knigge; and grandfather, Clyde Lehman.

Beverly Joyce Wire, 89, of Mitchell, died Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, in Edgewood Memory Care under hospice care, in Mitchell.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28, at First Presbyterian Church in Mitchell. Burial will be at Graceland Cemetery in Mitchell. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 27, at Bittner Funeral Chapel, with a 6:30 p.m. prayer service.

Beverly Joyce Wire was born Feb. 13, 1930, to Etta (Foster) and Allen Poling in Fulton. She grew up and attended Manley County School and graduated from Fedora High School. She married Delton Wire on March 20, 1949, in Fedora.

Bev and Del raised their two children, Lynn and Van, first in Fedora, then moved to Sioux Falls for a short time before settling in Mitchell in 1960.

Bev was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother. Before she was married, she worked in the office at Methodist Hospital. She was a stay-at-home mom until her children left home, and then worked at the Mitchell Chamber of Commerce for 13 years. She was very active in the First Presbyterian Church as an Elder, Deacon, and served on many committees. She enjoyed the Red Hatters and playing card games, especially bridge.

Bev is survived by her daughter, Lynn Kane (Paul) of Champaign, Ill.; son, Van Wire (Kathy) of Mitchell; one grandson; one step-grandson; brother, Wesley Poling of Buffalo, Texas; sister-in-law, Sonja Poling of Phoenix, Ariz.; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Delton Wire; sister, Bonney (Bill) Case; brother, Stanley Poling; mother, Etta Poling; and father, Allen Poling.