Emma A. Kotas, 102, of Huron, passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017 at SunQuest Healthcare Center. Her memorial service will be 4 p.m., Sunday, March 4, 2018 at the Welter Funeral Home in Huron with memorial visitation one hour prior to the service. Private inurnment will be at Riverside Cemetery.

Emma was born on Dec. 4, 1915 to Henry and Anna (Fischer) Krutzfeldt on the family farm near Virgil, and was educated at the Meadow Lark School in Carlyle Township.

Emma was united in marriage to Edward Kotas on Feb. 25, 1942. Edward passed away on March 1, 1992.

Emma loved bowling, dancing, playing cards and reading.

She is survived by one son, Neil (Mona) Kotas of Huron; one daughter, Norma Ann Churma of Lakewood, Colo.; two granddaughters; three great-grandchildren; several nieces, including Shelly Wheeler of Woonsocket; and two nephews.

Emma was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Edward; three sisters, Viola Longcor, Elenora Fuehrer and Erma Hoy; and four brothers, Herbert, Waldo, Gilbert and Murvin, in infancy.

Norval “Shorty” M. Mathis, 84, Woonsocket, died Monday, Feb. 19, 2018 in his home.

A celebration of life is planned for Saturday, March 10 from 2-4 p.m. at the Woonsocket Community Center with a prayer service at 4 p.m.

Norval “Shorty” Monroe Mathis was born on Oct. 17, 1933 to Dewey and Alverta (Newton) Mathis.

He lived with his family on a farm south of Mt. Vernon until 1950, when the family purchased and moved to a farm north of Twin Lakes, where Jim and Luci Grassel now live. He spent the balance of his life farming and raising livestock in that community.

Shorty served in the Army from 1952-1955 serving a tour of duty in the Korean War.

He married Delores (Ischen) Grassel on Nov. 20, 1965, and they lived their entire married life on the farm south of Woonsocket. He loved the farm life, especially taking care of the animals. His favorite was taking in all the orphaned calves and raising them until they were big enough to join the other calves again.

He is survived by his step-children, Cheryl (Bill) Ball, The Villages, Fla., and Vicki Miller, Jackie (Everett) Evers, and Jim (Luci) Grassel all of Woonsocket; 11 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and one great-great granddaughter; sister-in-law, Donna Uhre; three brothers-in-law, Bill Ischen (Sheryl), Clell Scott and Robert Hendrix; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and children who called him Grandpa Shorty.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Delores; stepdaughter, Jody Forbes; his parents; three brothers, Donald, Robert (MIA) and Eldon; sister-in-law, Ardis June Mathis; and a nephew, Dwight Mathis

Arrangements are by Basham Funeral Home, Woonsocket.

Darwin Frank Beintema, 87, died Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, at Prairie View Healthcare Community in Woonsocket.

Memorial services were Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Will Funeral Chapel, with burial and military rites at Graceland Cemetery. Visitation was Friday, Feb. 9, from 5-7 p.m. at the Chapel, with a prayer service beginning at 6 p.m. Arrangements were under the direction of the Will Funeral Chapel.

Darwin R. Beintema, son of Frank and Lakota (Lambrechts) Beintema, was born Aug. 20, 1930, in Twin Brooks. He grew up in Twin Brooks until the age of 12, when he moved with his family to Woonsocket. Darwin attended school in Woonsocket before entering the U.S. Army.

Darwin was united in marriage with Maria Lichtenstern on Aug. 2, 1958, in Schonbrunn Bavaria, Germany.

He served 20 years in the U.S. Army, serving in Germany and Austria, Kansas, Korea, White Sands, N.M., Kentucky, Vietnam, and Maryland, and was honorably discharged in 1972. After his discharge, Darwin and Maria lived in Letcher from 1972 to 2006. While in Letcher, Darwin was employed at Dakota Manufacturing for 10 years.

In 2007, the couple made their home in Mitchell.

Darwin enjoyed gardening, fishing, traveling and reading.

Darwin is survived by his wife, Maria Beintema of Mitchell; one daughter, Gabriele (Dr. Robert) Snortum of Sioux Falls; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; two brothers, Myron (Kyong) Beintema of Sioux Falls, and Roland “Slim” (Patty) Beintema of Sioux City, Iowa; one sister, Velma (Louis) Tuecke of Garnavillo, Iowa; a sister-in-law, Franziska (Hans) Kock of Wiesen, Austria; and nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Karen; a brother, Milo; brothers-in-law, Roland Prince, Dennis Conner, Philipp and Joseph Lichtenstern; and his in-laws, Anastasia and Joseph Lichtenstern.