Eleanor Elsie Esther Zell, 97, of Howard, passed away on Feb. 15, 2023, at the Good Samaritan Society in Howard. 

Funeral services were held Monday, Feb. 20, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Canova. Burial will happen at a later date in the spring of 2023. Visitation was at the church on Monday.

She began her life on Feb. 1, 1926, being born in Sanborn County several miles north of Artesian, on a farm. She lived on the farm with her family until about 1941, when the Zell family moved to a farm a mile or two west of Canova. Eleanor lived on this farm until the 1990s, and then moved with her sister, Caroline, to their home in Howard. In 2017, Eleanor moved into the Good Samaritan Society nursing home.

Eleanor grew up speaking German, as her parents Charlie and Annie Zell both spoke German. After moving to Canova, living on the farm was an enjoyable time. She enjoyed the gardens, flowers, pets, and poultry. Eleanor was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church. When her parents passed on, Eleanor, her sister, Caroline, and brother, Willard, continued farming. Willard developed multiple sclerosis and died early in life. Eleanor and Caroline continued operating the farm but leased the land when operating the farm became too challenging.

Eleanor is the last of the Charlie and Annie Zell family. Eleanor and siblings never married and have no offspring. The family had many cousins, uncles, aunts, and good friends on both sides of the families.

Lorraine Laverne Lehr, 94, of Woonsocket, formerly of Alpena, died Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, at Prairie View Healthcare Center, Woonsocket.  

Funeral services were held Monday, Feb. 13, at the United Parish Church of Alpena. Burial was in Rest Haven Cemetery, Alpena.  Visitation was Sunday, Feb. 12, at Will Funeral Chapel, Mitchell.

Lorraine LaVerne (Pfeifer) Lehr was born on Jan. 18, 1929, to Jacob and Elizabeth (Losing) Pfeifer near Herreid. She attended country school until sixth grade when the family moved to Wessington Springs. She graduated from Wessington Springs High School in 1946. Following school, she went to work at the Pierre Capitol for the summer. That winter, she furthered her education at the Mitchell Business College.  She worked as a secretary/bookkeeper in Mitchell for several years. She then moved to Minneapolis and worked as a stenographer at a bank for three years. 

Lorraine and Ellwood Lehr were united in marriage on July 3, 1959, in Wessington Springs. They farmed in the Alpena area and, after several years, moved to the farm east of Alpena, where they remained for forty years. They retired to Mitchell in 2005. In July of 2011, after 52 years of marriage, Ellwood passed away from a long battle with cancer.  Lorraine moved to Countryside Living in 2013. She enjoyed her time there, but as a battle with dementia progressed, she required more help. Prairie View became her home in 2020 after COVID progressed her illness further. 

Lorraine was an active member of the United Church of Christ in Alpena, which is now the United Parish of Alpena. Lorraine filled in playing the piano for church for many years. She also was a member of the Women’s Church Circle and the American Legion Auxiliary.  She kept busy on the farm raising a large garden every year from which she canned. Lorraine enjoyed having animals on the farm and loved kittens. She was a wonderful cook. Her specialty was chocolate pie.

Lorraine is survived by her children, David of Kimball, Keith (Carol) of Mitchell, and Brenda (Robert) Schmit of Artesian; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; brother, Vern (Jeanette) Pfeifer of Sauk Centre, Minn.; and many nieces and nephews. 

Lorraine was preceded in death by her husband, Ellwood; infant daughter, Diane Marie; daughter-in-law, Sarah Lehr; her parents, Jacob and Elizabeth Pfeifer; and brother, Jack Pfeifer. 

JoAnn Davis, 88, died Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, at the Sanford Hospital in Luverne, Minn.

Funeral services were held Saturday, Feb. 11, at St. John’s American Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, with burial at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Storla. Visitation was held Friday, Feb. 10, at the Will Funeral Chapel.

JoAnn Keever was born on Feb. 8, 1934, in Kadoka to Earl and Gwen (Loveless) Keever.

JoAnn grew up in South Dakota, Michigan, and Washington. JoAnn graduated from Colome High School in 1951 and went on to attend Methodist School of Nursing, graduating with her nursing degree in 1954. She was employed at the Methodist Hospital after her graduation.

JoAnn was united in marriage with Donald J. Davis on Jan. 9, 1955, at the Methodist Church in Colome. The couple lived in rural Letcher until moving to Portland, Ore., in 1960. They lived in Portland for two years before her husband was transferred, and they moved to Albany, Ore., for the next 15 years. She worked part-time at Albany General Hospital. JoAnn was active at Faith Lutheran Church, attending her children’s school activities, PTA and served as a co-leader for the Girl Scouts.

Her husband was transferred to South Dakota in 1972, and the couple moved to Mitchell. JoAnn started working part-time at the Community Health office, which turned into full time. She worked many years as a Community Health Nurse.

She was an active board member on the Council on Aging, having served as president. She was a board member of the American Cancer Society, on the Child Protective Team, the American Nurses Association, and the Methodist Hospital Alumni Association. JoAnn was a member of the First Lutheran Church and an active member of ELCA, served on the Parish Nurse Council, the Altar Society and served as a Deacon.

After Donald passed away in 2002, JoAnn moved to Sioux Falls in 2007 to be closer to her children. She was a current member at St. John American Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls and First Lutheran Church in Mitchell.

She is survived by her children, Joni Davis of Sioux Falls, Jay (Kathy) Davis of Sioux Falls, and Judy (Larry) Wick of St. Paul, Minn.; four grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; her sister, Belva Anderson of Spearfish; four nieces and three nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald; her parents; a brother, Joseph Keever; sisters-in-law, Lila Lindsey and Donna Runestad; and brothers-in-law, Gary Lindsey, Myron Runestad and Chris Anderson.