Melanie Macomb Wangsness, 55, of rural Miller, passed away on Monday, Oct. 31, 2022, at home under hospice care, after a year-long battle with bladder cancer. 

Melanie’s memorial service was held Friday, Nov. 4, at the First Presbyterian Church, Miller.  A Celebration of Life and burial will take place at a later date.

Melanie Jane Macomb was born Sept. 29, 1967, to Richard A. Macomb III and Ruth Beatrice Reynolds Macomb in Ashland, Ky. She grew up in Bellefonte, near Ashland, Ky. While in high school, she worked at the local hospital. Melanie was an outstanding student and was chosen by her teachers to place a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. In 1985, Melanie graduated from Russell High School.

Melanie then continued her education at Eastern Kentucky University, where she graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Registered Health Information Administration. Melanie was also a member of the Delta Zeta sorority. She continued her work in the medical field as the director of medical records, at the Veteran’s Administration, and University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington, Ky.

On Nov. 22, 2002, Melanie married JD Wangsness at the Nicholasville Presbyterian Church, Nicholasville, Ky. For the next six months, Melanie stayed in Kentucky to finish her job and sell her house. She joined JD at his rural Miller home in May of 2003. Melanie worked as a medical coder for Datatrak and finished her coding career with UASI.

Malanie gave birth to a son, James, on Sept. 8.

Melanie enjoyed baking, processing raw honey, and putting together beautiful home décor. She shared her baked items through her business, Mel’s Upper Crust and Confections. Melanie partnered with Randall and Terry Ezell of Oklahoma, who would keep their beehives on the Wangsness’ land during the spring and summer months. Melanie created “605 Hives,” making several kinds of delicious honey-based products. 

Melanie was survived by her husband of 20 years, JD of rural Miller; her son, Ben of rural Miller; one brother, Richard “Rusty” Macomb IV; two sisters-in-law, Melissa Wangsness of Billings, Mont., and Angie Wangsness of Woonsocket; and many nieces and nephews.

Melanie was preceded in death by her parents and her in-laws, Carol and Darrell Wangsness.

Walter “Buddy” Bracha Sr., 93, of Forestburg, passed away on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022, at Prairie View Healthcare Center.

Funeral services will be at 11:30 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 10, at Will Funeral Chapel. Visitation will begin one hour prior. Burial with military rites will be in Calvary Cemetery.

Wayne August Steichen, 96, of Brandon, formerly of Woonsocket, passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022, at Bethany Home Brandon.

Visitation was on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, from with a Liturgical Wake and Holy Rosary at George Boom Funeral Chapel in Brandon. Mass of Christian Burial was at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022, at Saint Wilfrid Catholic Church in Woonsocket, with public visitation from 12-2 p.m. at the church on Wednesday. A luncheon was served in the church basement following burial. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations in his name to the Sanborn County “Raise the Roof” 4-H Building Addition.

Wayne was born on Sept. 10, 1926, at home in Woonsocket, to Battis and Marie (Rauch) Steichen. He attended Saint Joseph Catholic School and graduated from Woonsocket High School in 1944. Wayne entered the United States Navy in December 1944, attending boot camp in Great Lakes, Ill., and radio/radar school in Gulf Port, Miss., for five months. He was sent overseas and served in the South Pacific and China area aboard a landing craft support ship. Wayne was honorably discharged from the US Navy in July 1946. He entered South Dakota State University in the Fall of 1946 and graduated from SDSU in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife conservation and forestry. He then taught veterans agriculture class in Woonsocket for two years. Wayne operated a family-owned bar business, Bot’s Bar, with his father, Battis Steichen, and brother, Raymond Steichen, and continued with farming and ranching in the Woonsocket area.

On Feb. 25, 1974, he married Betty Wagner at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Bellevue, Iowa. To this union two children were born, Terry and Janelle. Wayne and Betty lived on a farm southwest of Woonsocket continuing to farm and ranch. He was a member of Saint Wilfrid Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, American Legion Post 29, and an honorary Woonsocket Fire Department member. Wayne enjoyed the outdoors and was an avid deer, pheasant and goose hunter, fisherman and trapper. He was a sports fan with his favorite teams being the Chicago Bulls and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Wayne is survived by his wife of 48 years, Betty Steichen of Brandon; two children, Terry Steichen of Dakota Dunes and Janelle (Mitch) Zerr of Brandon; and five grandchildren. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Battis and Marie Steichen, and his brother, Raymond Steichen.