Timothy Clarke, 69, of Howard and formerly of Fedora, passed away on Sept. 3, 2023.

Funeral services were held Friday, Sept. 8, at Beach United Methodist Church, Howard. Burial followed in Morgan’s Cemetery, Fedora. Visitation was Thursday, Sept. 7, with a prayer service and reflection at the Methodist Church in Howard.

Timothy Bernard Clarke was born to Bernard and Rose (Manthe) Clarke on March 26, 1954, in Mitchell. He was raised on a farm near Fedora. Tim attended school in Fedora until it closed in 1966. Then, he attended school in Howard, where he graduated in 1972. 

As a young teen, having been exposed to mechanics from an early age, he became the youngest Yamaha dealer, both selling and repairing motorcycles. After high school graduation, Tim worked as a teller at Miner County Bank. He simultaneously began his flight training, which eventually led to a commercial pilot’s license and a crop-dusting business: Clarke Aerial Spraying.

On Nov. 18, 1978, he married Peggy Austreim. To this union, four daughters were born.

During his years crop dusting, Tim shifted his full-time work back to the family business, Clarke and Sons Implement, where he sold and repaired farm implements and facilitated snow removal. 

In 1992, he purchased the homestead that his great-grandparents had worked.

After a thirty-year career at Clarke and Sons, Tim returned to the Miner County Bank, which later became River’s Edge Bank, where he worked as a loan officer and vice president until his retirement in 2022. 

In his later years, his body was overwhelmed by several health challenges, including polycystic kidney disease. On July 6, 2023, Tim opted to have his ailing kidneys removed in a complicated but successful surgery.

Timothy is survived by his wife, Peggy; daughters, Abigail Bisschop (Chris), Megan Wright (Andy), Emily Heilman (Shane) and Allison Muilenburg (Tim); 19 grandchildren; sisters, Bernetta (Dick) Burghardt and Jean Clarke (Jeff Krieger); and a brother, David (Wanda) Clarke. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Bernard and Rose Clarke; Peggy’s parents, Orrin and Margaret Austreim; and his sister-in-law, Kathleen (Austreim) Quinn.

Connie Ann (Marken) Swenson, 81, of Woonsocket, passed away on Sept. 7, 2023, at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital in Mitchell. 

Funeral Mass service will be Friday, Sept. 15, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Wilfrid Catholic Church in Woonsocket. Visitation at the church will be on Thursday, Sept. 14, from 5-7 p.m., with a wake service at 7 p.m., followed by Catholic Daughters rosary. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Fr. Larry Regynski and Fr. Terry Weber will officiate. Arrangements are by Basham Funeral Service, Woonsocket.

Connie was born to Fred and Viola (Burma) Marken on Sept. 18, 1941, in Huron. Connie’s first five years were spent on the family farm near the Jerauld and Buffalo County line. In 1946, the family moved to Wessington Springs, where Connie graduated from high school in 1959. Connie met Charles Swenson at Ruskin Park, and they were united in marriage June 11, 1959, at St. Wilfrid Catholic Church in Woonsocket.  To this union, six children were born. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters and Altar Society at St. Wilfrid.  She was a religious CCD teacher. Connie and Charles were leaders in the Catholic Church Marriage Encounter. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, active in the Farmers Union, 4-H, and NFO. She and Charles were active Woonsocket FFA advisors. She was a homemaker and farmwife, driving silage truck, raising watermelons and tomatoes. In her retirement years, Connie was an avid quilter, making quilts for all her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. 

In 1991, Connie started to attend Dakota State University and graduated in 1993 with an associate degree in health information management. She worked at Weskota Hospital in Wessington Springs until February 1999 when she and Charles moved to Sioux Falls, where Connie went to work for the VA Hospital in medical records. In April 2008, Connie retired from the VA, and she and Charles moved back to Woonsocket where Connie resided until her death.    

Connie is survived by her children, Lisa (Bill) Mathis of Storla, Doug (Liz) Swenson of Woonsocket, Kathy (Swenson) Thomas of Garretson, Dan (Jane) Swenson of Woonsocket, Darren (Heidi) Swenson of Mitchell, and Paul Swenson of Woonsocket; 15 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Colleen Swenson, Phyllis Swenson, and Lynette Marken; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and special friends.

Connie was preceded in death by her husband, Charles; parents; and brother, Lloyd Marken. 

Florence J. Bockorny, 92, Huron, passed away Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023, at the Huron Regional Medical Center.

Her Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 2, at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish in Huron. Interment will follow at Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery. Her service will be live streamed. Visitation will be from 3-7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 1, at the Kuhler Funeral Home, Huron. Family will be present from 5-7 p.m., with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m.

Florence Jane Bockorny, daughter of Clarence and Frances (Feldhaus) Esser, was born on June 21, 1931, in Canova. She grew up in the Howard area. In 1948, Florence graduated from St. Agatha High School in Howard. Following graduation, she worked as a bookkeeper for a clothing store in Mitchell.

On Nov. 23, 1950, Florence married LeRoy Bockorny at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Mitchell. They made their home in Artesian until 1952 when they moved to Huron. 

From 1970 to 1973, Florence worked as a bookkeeper for Terrace Park Dairy.  In 1973, Florence and LeRoy purchased the Bell Motel, which they owned and operated until their retirement in 1996. At that time, they purchased their home at 1756 Idaho SE, where Florence resided until moving to the Wellshire Senior Living apartments in 2018. 

Florence was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church and the Altar Society. She enjoyed spending time with her family. She loved to have coffee with friends and filled her time with card playing, bingo, visiting with friends and reading books. 

Florence is survived by her three children, Cindy (Ed) Klein of Rockford, Ill., Larry (Peggy) Bockorny and Jerry (Janet) Bockorny, both of Huron; six grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her stepfather, Beryl Tracy; three sisters, Vivian Jones, Evelyn Pasket and Grace Durst; one brother, Martin Esser; five brothers-in-law, Elwyn Jones, Lyle Pasket, Harry Durst, and William and Harry Bockorny; and four sisters-in-law, Jeanne Esser, Janice (Bockorny) Haas, Eileen Bockorny and Jan Bockorny.