Monsignor Edward Burian, 90, of Sioux Falls, formerly of Kimball, died Monday, Dec. 11, 2023, at his home in Avera Prince of Peace Independent Living in Sioux Falls.

Mass of Christian Burial was Tuesday, Dec. 19, at St. Margaret’s Catholic Church in Kimball. Burial was at St. Margaret’s Catholic Cemetery. Visitation was Monday, Dec. 18, at the church with a prayer service. Arrangements were made by Bittner Funeral Chapel.

Edward Paul Burian was born on April 13, 1933, in Mitchell, to Adolph and Della (Brady) Burian. He was raised in Kimball. He graduated from Kimball High School in June of 1955. He attended the University of South Dakota and graduated from the business school in June of 1955. He loved music, played trombone in the college band and played in a dance band. He went to the US Army in January 1956 for six months. After that, he began teaching in the Bonesteel school system. He taught math and bookkeeping for three years. He started the first instrumental band for grade and high school. He entered the Seminary at Saint Jerome’s College in Kitchener, Ontario in 1959, studying Philosophy and Latin. In 1961, he entered the Saint Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minn. On May 29, 1965, Edward Burian was ordained to the Priesthood in Holy Family Catholic Church in Mitchell.

After Ordination, Msgr’s first assignment was June 15, 1965, as Associate Pastor of Holy Family Parish in Mitchell. His next assignment was to Roncalli High School in Aberdeen, teaching and directing the high school band and helping at St. John the Baptist Parish in Groton and Andover. In June 1970, he moved to Saint Joseph Cathedral in Sioux Falls and was Associate Pastor. In January 1975, he moved to Saint Mary’s Parish in Sioux Falls, teaching at the grade school and helping with the Parish work. In March 1977, he moved to Sacred Heart Parish in Aberdeen. In August of 1977, he moved to Mellette, Conde, Turton and Chelsea. In June, 1978, he moved to St. Michael’s Parish in the Clark and Doland churches as pastor. In May of 1981, he moved to St. Anthony’s Church in Hoven. In April of 1986, he went to St. Peter’s Church in Jefferson. In June of 1994, he moved to Holy Cross Parish in Ipswich and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Leola.

Father Edward Burian was ordained a monsignor June 10, 1996. In June of 1999, he moved to St. John de Britto Parish in Britton and St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Hecla. In January of 2003, he moved to St. Joseph Parish in Wessington Springs and St. Placidus Parish in Duncan.

In July of 2006, Msgr. Burian retired and went to be Chaplain of Sisters of Our Lady of Guadalupe Convent in Mitchell. In August 2007, Msgr. moved to St. Joseph Parish in Wessington Springs and helped with Wessington Springs, Woonsocket, Duncan and Artesian. August of 2011, he moved to Hawarden, Iowa to be near his sister, Virginia. He helped out with four different parishes. In 2015, Msgr. moved to Sioux Falls to live with his sister, Connie. On Sept. 26, 2016, Msgr. moved to Avera Prince of Peace Independent Living, Sioux Falls. On May 29, 2023, Msgr. celebrated 53 years being a priest.

Msgr. Edward was an avid hunter and loved to fish. He followed car racing, and different sports including Notre Dame, the USD Coyotes, SDSU and NDSU, the Vikings and the Twins. He was a musician and enjoyed playing the keyboard for his family. He was a third- and fourth-degree member of the Knights of Columbus, a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters, along with being a State Chaplain.

Msgr. Edward was the most kind, gentle, loving person and always saw the best in everybody. Msgr. was a man of deep faith. He devoted his life to God and to the service of the people. He enjoyed giving to charities of all types and was compassionate in anything he did. 

Survivors include two sisters, Connie (Jim) Reuland and Della (Larry) Mathis, and nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

Preceded in death were his parents, Adolph and Della (Brady) Burian, and one sister, Virginia McCarthy Sederstrom.

Dewayne L. Edwards, 80, of Forestburg, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, in his home under hospice care. 

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023, at Spirit of Faith Church in Woonsocket with burial at Restlawn Memorial Garden in rural Huron.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Arrangements by Will Funeral Chapel. The family requests memorials be sent to Spirit of Faith Church or Sanborn County 4-H.

Dewayne was born on Dec. 7, 1943, in Huron, to Harold and Myrtle (Stacey) Edwards. He grew up on the family farm and attended country school, later attending Forestburg School and graduating from Forestburg High School in 1963. In 1964, he joined the South Dakota Army National Guard.

Dewayne was united in marriage with Margo Skattum on Nov. 27, 1971 in Hills, Minn. He farmed his entire life, custom farming and family farming as well as raising cattle and hogs. He was a lifelong resident of Forestburg.

Dewayne was a member of the Spirit of Faith Church, the American Legion, and the Floyd Township Board. He enjoyed watching online auctions, hunting, fishing, traveling, and sports, especially DWU basketball games, the Twins, and the Vikings. He was a coin collector and loved playing cards.

Dewayne is survived by his wife, Margo; children, Greg (Tammy) Edwards and Gretchen (Phil) Franklin; five grandchildren; and two sisters, Lorraine (David) Altizer of Ft. Wayne, Ind. and Pamela (Craig) Stout of Hilton Head, S.C.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Karen Hedwig Backman, 83, of Huntsville, Ala., formerly of Artesian, died Dec. 8, 2023, after several weeks of illness. 

A direct cremation will be held at Serenity Funeral Home. Her ashes will be scattered on her parents’ farm as were her parents’. Services will be held this summer in South Dakota.

Karen was born June 29, 1940, to Elis and Signe Backman in Mitchell. She grew up in Artesian and graduated from Artesian High School in 1958. She attended Dakota Wesleyan University in South Dakota and later earned her Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude in journalism, from the University of Pittsburgh in 1976. Karen was married to Martin Marsden 1961-1983 and later to Jeff Burns until his death in 1992.

During her life, Karen was a poet, a newspaper columnist, an avid letter writer, and political gadfly. She worked for several firms in clerical or writer roles. She owned and ran the Dragon’s Nest store in Albuquerque. Primarily, she did public relations, paid or as a volunteer, especially for feminist and liberal political issues. She worked for Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR), the National Organization for Women (NOW), helped found the Freedom Feminist Federal Credit Union in Pittsburgh (and was its president at one point), and facilitated many women’s festivals and conferences in the U.S. and Canada. She was an active Code Pink Peace protester and Democrat through her retirement years.

Karen had letters to the editor published in the Wall Street Journal, the Federal Way Mirror (Washington state), and the Dothan Eagle (Alabama) and probably many other newspapers. The Dothan Eagle editor once called and told her he was afraid to publish one of her better (but incendiary) letters lest someone shoot her.

Karen is survived by three children, Jennifer Marsden (Ronald King), Joseph Marsden, and Gabrielle Marsden (Todd Kaufmann); two grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Gene Fisher; and her husband, Jeff Burns.