Obituaries

James ‘Big Jim’ E. Voldseth, 90 James “Big Jim” E. Voldseth, 90, of Brandon, died Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, at Southridge Healthcare Center in Sioux Falls. No services are scheduled at this time. James E. Voldseth was born March 30, 1928, in Vermillion, S.D., to Arne and Gunvor (Fallen) Voldseth. He served in the U.S. Army, serving in both World War II and the Korean War. He married Verlyn Gillette on June 30, 1949. Jim owned and operated “Big Jim’s” garbage service in Brandon from 1965-1970, and then worked for the City of Brandon in maintenance from 1971-1975. The family then moved to Humboldt, S.D., where he worked in maintenance for the City of Humboldt from 1975-1985. They moved to Sioux Falls in 1985, where he worked for Gage Bros. from 1985-1993. In his retirement, Jim enjoyed fishing and woodworking. Jim and Verlyn moved back to Brandon in September 2013, where Jim resided until moving to Southridge in September 2018.

Geraldine Marie Miles, 97, of Valley Springs, died Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018, at the Bethany Home in Brandon.   Memorial services are pending with Heartland Funeral Home, Brandon. */

Funeral services for John A. Pontius, 84, of Sioux Falls, were held Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, at Heartland Funeral Home in Brandon. A private burial will take place at a later date. Mr. Pontius died at his home on Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2018, with his family at his side. He is survived by his wife, Doris; two children, Bradley Pontius and Shannon (Dan) Graber, all of Sioux Falls; four grandchildren, Alina Pontius, Elise Pontius, Annika Graber and Grant Graber; and brother, James, Hemet, California. For online condolences, visit heartlandfunerals.com. */

A Celebration of Life for Deryk Ulmer, 28, of Spearfish, will be from 3-6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, in the Roosevelt Room at the Ramkota Hotel in Sioux Falls. Memorial services were held Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Spearfish. Burial was in the Rose Hill Cemetery, also in Spearfish. Deryk passed away Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018 in Denver, Colo., from a lifelong congenital heart defect. He was born Sept. 19, 1990 in Rapid City to Brian Ulmer and Michelle (White Eyes) Harstad. Deryk attended Spearfish Public Schools and graduated from Spearfish High School in 2009. He went on to attend STI in Sioux Falls and graduating in 2014. Deryk starting working at the Ramkota in Sioux Falls at the age of 14 until he graduated from STI. He was currently working at Cadillac Jacks in Deadwood. Deryk was an avid sports fan and enjoyed basketball, baseball, football and golf. Golf was his passion and he took pride in the fact that he could defeat his Dad and his buddies on any given day.