Elmer Losing, 88, of Huron and formerly of Alpena, passed away Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018, at the SunQuest Health Care Center. 

His funeral service was held on Thursday, Dec. 6, at the Huron First United Methodist Church, with military honors conducted by the Huron Veterans Council. Burial was in the Rest Haven Cemetery at Alpena. Visitation was held Wednesday, Dec. 5, at the Kuhler Funeral Home with family present, followed by a prayer service.

Elmer Losing was born Jan. 4, 1930, to Henry and Pauline (Becker) Losing in rural Sanborn County. His father died when Elmer was nine-years-old, so he and his family moved to Washington State. They lived there for a year, and then returned to the Alpena area. In 1945, Elmer was confirmed in Alpena. His mother remarried, and Elmer resided with Albert and Tena Koerner, friends of his mother. Elmer served in the United States Marine Corp in the early 1950s.

On Oct. 15, 1954, Elmer married Myrna Mae Lehr at the Alpena Congregational Church. After their marriage, they lived 7 miles west of Alpena for nine years. In 1963, Elmer and Myrna moved to the Koerner farm, just west of Alpena. They took over the operation of the Koerner farm and worked side-by-side until moving to StoneyBrook Suites on Nov. 15, 2015.

Elmer served on the Alpena school board. While a member of the United Church of Christ at Alpena, he sang in the choir and taught Sunday school for many years. In recent years, Elmer was a member of the Huron United Methodist Church.

Grateful for having shared in his life are his daughter, Roxanne Bobolz, of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa; two sons, Gaylan (Peggy) Losing and Scott (DeVonne) Losing, both of Alpena; six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, one sister, Ella Mae (Allen) Hofer, of Sioux Falls; and three sisters-in-law, Margaret Lehr and Yvonne Sprecher, both of Huron, and Elaine Losing, of Sioux Falls.

He was preceded in death by an infant son, Todd; his parents, Henry and Pauline Losing; his parents-in-law, John and Iola Lehr; his wife, Myrna; one brother-in-law, Ron Lehr; one son-in-law, Roger Boblz; his brother and sister-in-law, Curt and Ginny Losing; and sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Harold Walter.

Ellen M. Holzbauer, 100, of Wagner, passed away on Dec. 5, 2018, at the Good Samaritan Society in Wagner.

Funeral Mass was held Monday, Dec. 10, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Wagner. Burial was in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery, rural Wagner. Visitation was held the hour prior to services at the church. Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Ellen M. Holzbauer was born Dec. 3, 1918, on the Leopold Hrdlicka farm north of Wagner, the daughter of John and Alice (Hrdlicka) Pol.

Ellen’s mother died in 1931, and in 1932, she went to live with her mother’s sister, Mary Burian, in Wagner. She attended one-and-a-half years of high school in Wagner. Ellen then quit school to take a job in the Marty Mission grocery store. She was hired by Fr. Sylvester OSB and worked there until 1939.

Ellen was united in marriage to Harold Holzbauer on Feb. 14, 1939. They lived on the Holzbauer farm for 13 years. Three children were born during this time. They moved to Wagner in 1953. She worked at Frager’s Cleaners, Spot Café and then GF Buche Co. for 28 years as a grocery checker, then bookkeeper. She retired in 1983. Harold died on Feb. 18, 2003, after 64 years of marriage.

Ellen was baptized at St John’s Catholic Church and was a member of St. John’s Altar Society. Ellen also sang in the church choir for many years.

Thankful for having shared her life are her daughters, Delores (Marvin) Anderson of Mission Hill, Shirley (Dale) Weber of Salem, and Janice (Jerry) Bobier of South Sioux City, Neb.; nine grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Ellen was preceded in death by her husband, Harold; parents; brothers, Roland, Bob, Howard and Donald Pol; and sister, Violet Pol.

Joan Gaston, 87, Mitchell, formerly of Artesian, died Nov. 29, 2018, at Firesteel Healthcare Center in Mitchell.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6, at St. Charles Catholic Church in Artesian. Burial will be at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Artesian. Visitation was held Wednesday, Dec. 5 at Bittner Funeral Chapel in Mitchell.

Joan was born in Huron on May 26, 1931, and was soon after adopted by Leon and Anna (Crawford) Rudy of Artesian. 

Joan married Royal “Bud” Gaston on March 3, 1951. They were blessed with four children, Linda Horner, of Hot Springs; Nita Kingsbury, of Williamsburg Va.; Peggy Konopka, of Woodstock Ill.; and Steve (Judy) Gaston, of Mitchell. They farmed north of Artesian until Bud’s death in 1976.

Joan then moved to Artesian and worked at Dethlef’s Flower Shop in Mitchell. In 1979, Joan moved to Denver, Colo., where she worked at The Denver Clothing Store for several years. She retired and moved back to Artesian in 1991, where she was involved in numerous organizations. She was very happy to be involved in the Senior Meals program for the community of Artesian. In 2015, she moved to Mitchell.

By chance, through DNA testing, Joan learned this year that she had a half-brother, Bob Pratt of Grants Pass, Ore., who had been searching for her for many years. They were able to meet and get to know each other when Bob visited her this summer.

Joan is survived by her four children; seven grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; and her sister-in-law, Ardith Thompson, of Lincoln, Neb. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Bud; and two sons-in-law, Gene Horner and Phil Konopka.