Obituary Listings in Spearfish, Lead, & Sundance

Dec 28, 2023

Jeffrey Thomas McInally, 58 of Rapid City, South Dakota passed away on December 28, 2023.  In 2010 he had esophageal cancer surgery and was grateful for extra years in remission. The cancer returned 18 months ago. Valiantly and optimistically, he had chemo and radiation treatments but this time, the cancer could not be beaten. With the help...

Dec 27, 2023

Joseph James Mitzel, 76 of Spearfish, passed away peacefully on December 27th, 2023.

Joseph was born in Minot, ND on July 22nd, 1947 to Joe and Delores Mitzel and spent his early years helping on the family farm near Minot. Joseph spent three wonderful years enrolled in Ann Carlson School in Jamestown. In the 4th and 5th...

Dec 26, 2023

RUTH WOLF NELSON       10 February '31---26 December '23

Ruth was born to Walter and Bessie Wolf of the Rochford/Hill City area on February 10th, 1931. Her father worked for the US Forest Service in South Dakota, Colorado, and two years in Northern California, before returning to work for Homestake Mining Company along Sand Creek and Moskee, Wyoming...

Dec 26, 2023

Randall Jay Harvey, 63, of Hulett, WY took his eternal ride on December 26, 2023. He passed unexpectedly and peacefully at his home. He was known to most as Harv.

Harv was born to Ralph and Dorothy (Bebensee) Harvey on March 21, 1960, in Brookings, SD. His childhood was spent thinking up adventures on a farm just...

Dec 24, 2023

Wayne David Paananen of Lead, South Dakota passed away on December 24, 2023, at the age of 85. Wayne was born on September 15, 1938, in Deadwood, South Dakota. Wayne grew up and lived in Lead, South Dakota, and graduated from Lead High School in 1957. While attending Lead High School, Wayne was involved in basketball, baseball, football, track,...

Dec 23, 2023

Olga M. Nelson, 103, of Spearfish (but mostly Lead), passed away on Saturday, December 23, 2023.

Olga Marie Ghirardini was born on Saturday, October 2, 1920, in Sanzeno, Trento, Italy, to Giorgio and Angelina Ghirardini. At the age of thirteen months, Olga and her parents left their ancestral home of Samoclevon and traveled by land for Trieste...

Dec 23, 2023

Nathan Gary Rickman, age 46, was born August 27th, 1977, in Columbus, MT to Gary Rickman and Peggy Bernards.  He passed away on December 23, 2023, at his home in Deadwood, SD after a short illness.

He grew up on the ranch in Dean, MT graduated from Absarokee High School in 1996, and...

Dec 23, 2023

In loving memory of Dale Leander Toller

January 25, 1957 - December 23, 2023

Dale Leander Toller, a cherished writer, historian, and philosopher, departed this world on December 23, 2023. Born in Monterrey California he is predated in death by his Mother Johanna (1971), Father Gerald (1981) and sister Margaret (2017). He leaves behind his...

Dec 21, 2023

Laura Mae Bergstrom was born in Trail City, SD on August 20, 1928 to Raymond & Esther (Cessna) Bergstrom.  Laura was the fourth oldest of 17 children.  The family moved several times but Laura called Spearfish her home town where she went to Spearfish Normal School, which is now a part of BHSU.  She also attended a...

Dec 21, 2023

Lillian Marie Foss was born on September 12, 1928, in Washburn County, Wisconsin. She was the 6th of 7 children born to Oscar Foss and Emily Olsen Foss. Lillian remembered a happy childhood on the Family dairy farm where many chores were accomplished by horse-drawn equipment.

Lillian attended grade school at Long Lake, Wisconsin. When it was...

Dec 19, 2023

Vern W. Backens, 92, of Spearfish, South Dakota, peacefully passed away on December 19, 2023, surrounded by family.

Vern, the youngest of seven children, was born to William and Emma Backens, on April 3, 1931, in Wecota, South Dakota. He lived most of his life in the Spearfish area. After serving four years in the Air Force,...

Dec 19, 2023

Rita Frances Reuer was born in Selby, SD on January 31, 1938, to Thomas Lawless and Muriel Coffey. As a child growing up on the ranch, she became very fond of her grandmother Clara Coffey who was a strong role model for Rita in her younger years. She also had a close relationship in her teenage years...

Dec 16, 2023

Yvonne Marie Schaffer, 65 of Spearfish SD, passed away on December 16, 2023 at the Rapid City Monument Health with her husband, daughter and youngest son by her side.

Yvonne was born on February 7, 1958 in Belcourt, ND to Louis and Marie Houle. She had five sisters and two brothers. With a...

Dec 15, 2023

Beloved son, brother and uncle, Mark D. Nevin, 66, passed away at his home in Lead, on December 16, 2023.

Mark was born July 22, 1957 in Deadwood, South Dakota, the youngest child of Thomas and Colleen Nevin.  He graduated from Lead High School in 1977.  He served in the U.S. Navy before returning to Lead where...

Dec 14, 2023

Cory Don Diede, 60, of Spearfish, SD, passed away on December 14, 2023 after a brief illness.

Cory was born November 1, 1963, in Freeman, SD to Don and Laverne (Baker) Diede. Cory went to Freeman Elementary School and graduated from Freeman High School in 1982. After graduating high school, he went on to obtain his teaching...

Dec 14, 2023

Billy Orrin Carmichael, a proud veteran of the Navy and Korean War passed away peacefully with his family at his side on December 14th, 2023.

The son of Norma and Orrin Carmichael, Billy grew up in Red Oak, Iowa. He was born on November 25th, 1936 and attended Red Oak, Iowa public schools...

Dec 13, 2023

Brandon Pressley was born July 24th, 1985 in Orange County, California and passed away on December 13th, 2023 in Deadwood, SD.  He is preceded in death by his Grandpa Jack Pressley.  Left behind are many people who loved him but most importantly his four children.  He will never be forgotten.

Dec 12, 2023

Funeral services for longtime Hulett, WY resident Ellen Griffis will be held December 22, 2023, at 11:00 am at the Greater Hulett Community Center.  Pastor Wayne Wilson of Newcastle, WY will officiant.

Mary Ellen(Morris) Griffis left this world peacefully on December 12, 2023, at the age of 82. She was born to Glenn and Edna Morris on...

Dec 12, 2023

To view Nicholas's service please follow the link below.

Nicholas Drummond Memorial

Dr. Nicholas Drummond, 43 passed away on December 12, 2023.

Nicholas was born in Hawaii into a military family, spending his early life moving from one military installation to another for his first...

Dec 12, 2023

James Jennings age 93 died December 12, 2023 at the Spearfish Canyon health center in Spearfish, SD.

James Albert Jennings was born November 1, 1930 in Sioux Falls, SD, the only child of Albert and Ruth Jennings. He attended high school in Sioux Falls and graduated from South Dakota State College with a degree in Animal Science.  ...