A Celebration of Life Service for Joan A. Bakke, 82, of Sioux Falls, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, May 25, 2018 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 909 W. 33rd St., Sioux Falls.
Mrs. Bakke died Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017 at Avera McKenan Hospital.
She is survived by her children, Jennifer (Roger) Bean, David (Cindy) Bakke, Kathryn Cowgill, Michael Bakke and Daniel (Mary) Bakke; siblings, Betty (Warren) Larson, Judy (Bill) Anderson, Charels (Rita) Erickson, Don (Judy) Erickson and Bill (Dee) Erickson; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
For online condolences, visit heritagesfsd.com.
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Obituaries
James “Jim” VerMeer, husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend, and enthusiast of food and travel, passed away on the morning of May 9 after a brief and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Memorial services will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, May 15, 2018, at Faith United Church in Brandon. Memorial visitation with family present to greet friends will be from 5-7 p.m. Monday, May 14, 2018, at Faith United Church with a 7 p.m. Prayer Service.
He is survived by his wife, Jackie VerMeer; their children, Jamie VerMeer, Justin VerMeer, and Julie Westphalen (Michael Westphalen); their granddaughter, Emmalyn Westphalen; sisters, Linda Martinson (Jim) and Shawna VerMeer (Ray); brother, Ray VerMeer; mother-in-law, Barb Jones; brothers-in-law, Bart and Blaine Jones; sister-in-law, Kim Christiansen; and a growing band of cousins, nieces, nephews, and grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
He is preceded in passing by his parents, grandparents, his sister-in-law, Suzy VerMeer, and his brother-in-law, Dan Christiansen.
James ‘Jim’ VerMeer
James “Jim” VerMeer, husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend, and enthusiast of food and travel, passed away the morning of May 9, 2018, after a brief and crushing battle with pancreatic cancer. Memorial services will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, May 15, 2018, at Faith United Church in Brandon. Memorial visitation with family present to greet friends will be from 5-7 p.m. Monday, May 14, 2018, at Faith United Church with a 7 p.m. Prayer Service.
George Boom Funeral Chapel in Brandon has been entrusted with arrangements.
Dan Lee Murphy, 70
Dan Lee Murphy, 70, Brandon, died Monday, May 7, 2018, as a result of a homicide while visiting friends in Baltimore, Md.
Funeral arrangements are pending at this time with Heartland Funeral Home in Brandon.
Dan will be deeply missed by his wife, Joan and son, Matt, both of Brandon; one sister, Patricia Hollanbeck, Sioux Falls; brother-in-law, Wayne Kerslake, Sioux Falls; one niece and three nephews, Katie (Andy) Abernethy, Wheaton, Ill., Jay (Jody) Hollanbeck, Valentine, Neb., Shawn (Mardee) Hollanbeck, Pretty Prairie, Kan., and Christopher (Jessica) Kerslake, Chicago, Ill.; one aunt, Agnes Koos, Aurora, Ill.; and many, many cousins.
Dan was preceded in death by his parents, George and Margaret (Speckman) Murphy; one sister-in-law, Gayle Kerslake; one nephew, Andrew Kerslake.
Edward John Lens, 84, of Brandon, formerly Valley Springs and Hills, Minn., died May 6, 2018, at State Veterans Home, Luverne.
Visitation with family will be 5-6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 10, at Risen Savior Catholic Church in Brandon, with Scripture Services and Rosary Prayer at 6:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, May 11, at Risen Savior with Full Military Honors. Inurnment will be at Holy Name Catholic Cemetery in Rock Rapids, Iowa.
Ed is surved by his wife, Pat, Brandon; children, Michael (Jeanne) Lens, Brandon, Kimberly (Bruce) Pedersen, Dakota Dunes, and Kathleen (Jose) Nunez, Eagan, Minn.; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; five siblings and two sisters-in-law.
For online condolences visit heartlandfunerals.com.
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Funeral services for the Rev. Robert C. Berndt, 83, of Burnsville, Minn., were held Saturday, May 5, 2018 at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Apple Valley, Minn.
Rev. Berndt died Friday, April 27, 2018.
He is survived by his wife, Joanne (Vinnes); children, Mark (Julie), Tim (Shuhui), Kristine (Shelley) and Paul; grandchildren, Elisa (Sam), Isaac, Robert and Joshua.
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Funeral Mass for Walter Henry Baustian, Jr., 84, of Luverne, Minn., was held Saturday, May 5, 2018, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne, with burial in St. Catherine Cemetery with Full Military honors provided by the Luverne American Legion and VFW.
Mr. Baustian died Friday, April 27, 2018, at the Minnesota Veterans Home, Luverne.
He is survived by his wife, Jean Baustian, Luverne; children, Mike (Cyndy), Jasper, Minn.; Diane (Andy) Kunkel, East Wenatchee, Wash.; Lori Edmundson, Harrison, Mont.; Pat (Katie), Luverne; Kim (Mike) Mohr, Mitchell; Kris (Tom) Denevan, Sioux Falls; 24 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; son-in-law, Jim Smart, LaHarpe, Kan.; siblings, Neva Clausen, Luverne, Lester Baustian, Brandon, Joan Baustian, Adrian, Mich.; and sister-in-law, Mitzi Baustian, Jasper.
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Funeral services for Norbert Ponto, 86, of Brandon, were held Saturday, May 5, 2018, at the Worthington Christian Church in Worthington, Minn. Burial, with military rites, was held in the Worthington Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Mr. Ponto died Monday, April 30, 2018, at the Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls.
He is survived by his wife, Esther; son, Bruce (Kris) Ponto, Sioux Falls; daughter, Lona Sue (Mike) Jensen, Garretson; four grandchildren, Brooke Anne Ponto, Sioux Falls, Andrews James (Spencer) Ponto, Aberdeen, N.C., Melissa Sue Jensen, Sioux Falls, and Benjamin Michael Jensen, Garretson; three great-grandchildren; and sister, Beverly Houska, Canyon City, Colo.
For online condolences, visit bensonfamilyfuneralhome.com.
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Donald H. Quimby, 77, of Brandon, passed away Thursday, April 26, 2018, at Sanford Hospice Centennial Cottage in Sioux Falls.
Mass of Christian burial was held Saturday, May 5, 2018, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Aberdeen, with interment at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife of nearly 55 years, Margaret, Brandon; son, Kevin (Lori) Quimby, Sioux Falls; daughters, Staci Quimby, Brandon, and Nicole (Kris) Palmquist, Clear Lake; granddaughters, Jessica (Ben) Lamfers, Clear Lake, Karsen Hauser, Brandon; grandson, Tyson Palmquist, Clear Lake; sister, Shirlee (Eddie) Karr, Newport, N.H.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
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Peggy A. Kessler, 58, of rural Valley Springs, passed away Friday, May 4, 2018 at the Avera Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls. Her funeral service was held Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at First Congregational Church, Sioux Falls, with burial at Beaver Valley Lutheran Cemetery, rural Valley Springs.
Peggy A. Kessler was born Aug. 12, 1959 in Fargo, N.D., the daughter of Celestine and Marvelyn (Tollgaard) Kessler. They moved to Brookings in 1965. Peggy graduated from Brookings High School in 1977 and attended South Dakota State University graduating in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science degree in public recreation. While attending SDSU, Peggy met Jana Carlson and the couple moved to Sioux Falls, where Peggy went to work for Zip Feed Mills until they closed in 2000. In 1984, they moved to Valley Springs and Peggy began work with Luverne Truck Equipment in 2000 until the present. Peggy and Jana were married Nov. 27, 2013.
