Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application at Avera Sister James Care Center in Yankton after a brief battle with brain cancer Bernie always said he never wanted a funeral Please join the family in celebrating Bernie’s life on Saturday 2025 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at the VFW in Yankton Burial with military honors will be at the South Dakota State Veterans Cemetery in Sioux Falls Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Yankton South Dakota to Henry and Myrtle (Avenell) Esser Great admiration is given to Myrtle for raising Bernie as a single mom after Hank passed away when Bernie was 15 years old Bernie loved to play baseball every day which led him to playing in the little league world series in 1960 in Hershey Bernie was later inducted into the Yankton Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 Bernie served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War for four years and was honorably discharged in January of 1969 Bernie married Pam Kline and had three daughters: Cheryl He was a manager at Hiland Potato Chip Company until moving to Sioux City Bernie sold insurance until he owned and operated Yankton’s favorite Bernie loved to tell great stories and banter with his friends and grandsons over any of his favorite sports teams including the Oklahoma Sooners and St Bernie was known by many for playing in countless Pool leagues and tournaments spending a great deal of time with the Mount Marty Baseball team and bartending He enjoyed spending his Sundays at Gary Kozak’s patio sharing all of his Bernie-isms and knowledge Bernie always had a smirk that let you know he got the best of you His special wave was known by many around town Bernie is survived by his daughters: Cheryl Koch (Mike Hacecky) Kim (Bryan) Highland and Michelle (Dave) Schieffer; seven grandchildren; Josh (Brittni) Koch Cole Schieffer; and three great grandchildren: Sawyer Koch Bernie was preceded in death by his parents and several aunts and uncles Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInWarning this story contains graphic content that may not be suitable for all viewers (KTIV) - Law enforcement has charged a man with murder after a decapitated body was found in a Yankton Court documents show 32-year-old Craig Allen Nichols Jr. first-degree manslaughter and two counts of contempt of court authorities say the investigation started on Thursday when Yankton Police were called to a local apartment for reports of a deceased individual When officers got to the East Meadow Apartments at 1001 Memory Lane These three told officers they had come to the apartment to check on their friend and when they went inside they found a decapitated woman South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has confirmed the victim’s identity as 41-year-old Heather Ann Bodden Yankton Police interviewed one of the three women and she said that Bodden had messaged her in the afternoon on Wednesday Bodden said in the messages that her boyfriend was threatening her with a weapon After not hearing from Bodden for over a day two of the women entered the apartment Thursday afternoon and found her body Nichols was identified as Bodden’s boyfriend and video footage showing the outside of the Memory Lane apartment showed him at the residence Wednesday night Yankton Police say the footage showed two other men entering the apartment at about 10 p.m and police say they admitted going into the apartment to use narcotics with Nichols and Bodden The two men claimed Bodden was still alive when they left the apartment Police say the footage from outside the apartment also showed Nichols going in and out of the residence multiple times between 2:50 a.m Nichols is reportedly seen exiting the apartment with two trash bags and eventually leaving the area Authorities eventually went to Nichols’s apartment at 1017 Walnut Street to take him into custody but when the Yankton Special Response Team tried to enter they found the door was barricaded Authorities say they forced their way in and took Nichols into custody As authorities searched the Memory Lane apartment where Bodden’s body was found they did find a trash bag with the victim’s head in it Police say the bag’s color matched one of the trash bags Nichols was seen taking into the apartment Police also reported finding a bag with bloody clothes inside and one of the articles of clothing had “Craig N' written on it they reportedly found another trash bag that had three weapons wrapped in a floor mat All these items were found close to the bag where Bodden’s head was found when authorities tried to interview Nichols he invoked his right to an attorney Authorities say they got a search warrant to get a urine and blood sample from Nichols but he refused to cooperate Nichols is currently being held in the Yankton County Jail on a $500,000 cash-only bond He is scheduled to be in court on Thursday Nichols was supposed to be in court on Wednesday South Dakota’s Division of Criminal Investigation in conjunction with the Yankton Police Department and the Yankton County Sheriff’s Office KTIV’s Taylor Deckert knocked on a few doors at Bodden’s apartment complex and some of the neighbors told her that residents in the complex don’t interact very often She did meet one woman who lives next door to Bodden’s apartment who said their kids played together The neighbor called Bodden a friend who didn’t deserve what happened to her A GoFundMe has been started for Bodden, it can be found here. 2025 at Avera Majestic Bluffs Hospice House in Yankton A memorial service will be held at 1:30 PM South Dakota with Pastor Shadoe Hanson officiating A visitation where the family will receive friends will be from 5:30 to 7:00 PM March 7 at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton 1964 to Gernhart and Evelyn (Jorgensen) Nielsen Her mother often recalled the day as “a beautiful one where she drove herself to the hospital to find out if she was having a girl or a boy” She says she “lucked out” but all who knew Evelyn know she would have loved another boy just as much SD in a happy home with many siblings and as a child She graduated from Hurley High School among 14 classmates She loved sports and always felt lucky to be a member of the Dakota State College Women’s Basketball Team where she attended college  God blessed Beth with two amazing sons who were the true joys of her life Many family trips revolved around the boys’ sports The families they shared their love of soccer and basketball with became close family friends Beth made many friends over her lifetime and loved meeting new people She lived an adventurous life living in and traveling to many places including California Montana and Vermont as a nanny before settling down in Yankton to get married and raise a family she started working in the Sales Department at Kolberg-Pioneer and made many lifelong friends there She enjoyed the customers she grew to know from all over the world  Beth cherished her family and her many nieces Beth adored her sister and often said that Sue had the biggest heart in the whole world She also loved her brothers and felt that God had blessed her with 4 brothers to help fill the void left when her father died She appreciated all of them for different reasons and was so thankful she had a big family to lean on throughout her life.   Beth’s admiration for her mother was indescribable friendliness and giving spirit from her mother who was her greatest hero Beth loved the stories her mother told about her father Gurney and his immeasurable kindness and generosity Beth’s father nicknamed her the Candy Striper because she emulated the Stripers that he encountered in the hospital while fighting cancer The name “Striper” stuck; many people used this nickname for Beth throughout her life getting to know her biological father and her Heavenly Father confirmed and married in the Lutheran Church sang in the choir and played the organ at Bethany Lutheran Church in Hurley She spent her adult life as a member of St John’s in Yankton where her children were baptized and confirmed  Beth leaves behind two sons: Ethan Breen of Sioux Falls and Landon Breen of Yankton; four brothers: Wayne (Barb) of Sioux Falls Mark (Julie) of Yankton and Tim Nielsen of Denver  Beth was preceded in death by her parents; sister the family requests that donations be made to the mental health or suicide prevention organization of your choice Wisconsin-headquartered American Foods Group announced it would idle the harvest plant Monday citing "the current unprecedented cattle cycle and long-term industry changes" as reasons behind the decision The company ended harvest operations on Saturday More than 250 workers at the plant are affected According to WNAX a radio station headquartered in Yankton that first reported the closure staff were informed of the decision during a Monday morning meeting "We recognize the profound impact this has on our team members and the community," the Wisconsin-based company said "Our top priority is supporting those affected during this transition." The meat processor was first established as family-owned Cimpl Packing Co in 1949 before the owners sold the plant to Rosen Meat Group in 1988 which American Foods then acquired in 2005 The effective closure of the town's agricultural staple came to the shock of local leaders Yankton Thrive Chief Executive Officer Nancy Wenande said in a statement Monday the leadership organization was both "surprised and saddened by the decision." "This transition will undoubtedly have significant economic implications for our area; however our primary concern lies with the dedicated employees and their families affected by this decision," Wenande said in the statement we remain confident in Yankton's ability to adapt and thrive." Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInYANKTON (KTIV) - A mall in a Southeast South Dakota community is about to have new life breathed into it with three major retailers expected to move in next year Marshalls and Five Below will join Dunham’s Sports at the building and he has plans to make the mall a go-to location for the community “The mall is over 250,000 square feet in size which creates countless opportunities to bring new retailers to Yankton,” said Evans in a Yankton Thrive press release Marshalls and Five Below bring nearly 100,000 square feet of new retail.” Ryan Tysdal with VanBuskirk Companies is the leasing agent who helped Evans put the deals together and he says this is just the first wave of new stores is a draw for additional stores,” said Tysdal “National retailers like being next to other national retailers.” a local organization that works to improve economic development Hobby Lobby will open a 55,000-square-foot arts and crafts store while Marshalls will open a 25,000-square-foot store of their own this would be their fourth store in South Dakota and we are hopeful to gain the attention of additional tenants to fill the center,” said Evans Evans and Tysdal are reportedly in conversations with other retailers but first needed to secure Hobby Lobby and Marshalls before others would engage with the project “This project was a huge risk to put together Without the temporary sales tax abatement incentive from the city “It’s encouraging to see municipalities like Yankton take control of their future by stepping up to secure new retailers which ultimately leads to long-term sales tax revenue that would never have otherwise existed,” said Tysdal First Dakota National Bank is the project’s lender while VanBuskirk Construction is the general contractor “We completed the parking lot asphalt just in time to beat the winter weather,” added Tysdal “We are in really good shape to get everyone open for business on schedule.” Marshalls and Five Below expect to be open for the 2025 holiday season Evans is hopeful for additional 2026 announcements in the months ahead Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM on Saturday Benedict Catholic Church in Yankton with Reverend Thi Pham officiating Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Sioux City Visitation is from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Friday at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with a vigil service and rosary at 7:00 PM and graduated from South Sioux High School in 1976 He attended Briar Cliff University in Sioux City and then started his own business the family moved to Walker Valley lake area in Crofton NE They continued living in Crofton until moving to Yankton in 2019 They enjoyed shopping for antiques and watching the birds together He enjoyed building and remodeling people’s homes or fixing any project they might have had He never cut corners and always stood behind his work and watching his grandchildren play sports He had a strong faith in God and would do anything for anyone South Dakota; two children: Mandi (Brent) Mueller of Crofton Nebraska and Jesse (Katie) Graves of Yankton; three step-children: Ryan (Katie) Solma of Sioux City Iowa; Justin Solma of Sioux City and Josh Solma of Norfolk and Lila; three sisters: Susie (Pat) Livingston Pat (Diane) Graves and many nieces nephews and cousins He was preceded in death by his parents; two grandchildren: Kayden Solma and Evelyn Graves; brother A memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM 2025 at Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with Reverend Dani Jo Bierwagen officiating The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home South Dakota to Frank and Agnes (Kotalik) Pokorney He grew up on a farm west of Yankton and attended a country school near Tabor Ken graduated from Yankton High School in 1974 He married Janice Stratman and had three children: Brian He lived in Yankton all his life and at the start of his senior year began working at Morgan Manufacturing until the business closed in 2002 His early years were filled with a pool and bowling league and he even did a few years of square dancing Ken didn’t mind a good game of euchre or sheepshead He enjoyed visiting with his friends over a cold beer and keeping an eye on the weather Ken read the newspaper every day and always completed the crossword puzzle Ken also enjoyed going for a drive out in the country and loved spoiling his grandchildren He had a sense of humor that was anything but dry and always had a quick witty comeback Christopher Pokorney of Yankton and Stacey (Nick) Bartlett of Sioux Falls Ken was preceded in death by his parents; son American Foods Group plans has shut down the Cimpl Meats meat processing plant in Yankton, S.D., a plant it acquired in 2005 as part of the Rosen acquisition, leading to more than 250 employees losing their jobs, according to local news reports Long-term industry changes and “the current unprecedented cattle cycle” were cited by AFG as reasons for the idling of the facility which had been in operation for 76 years. Slaughter operations at the facility were halted on Saturday and employees were formally notified on Monday morning that the plant would be closing In a release from AFG sent to Food Processing president of American Foods Group's Fresh Meats Division said that "team members from our other locations are on-site to provide guidance and discuss relocation opportunities In addition to offering affected employees opportunities at other AFG facilities we plan to provide continued pay and benefits during the transition." the company noted that its other facilities will remain operational and supply chains will not be interrupted for its customers as it will continue to accept and divert cattle to other locations.  was founded in 1949 and eventually sold to Rosen Meat Group in 1988 — which was acquired by AFG in 2005 bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety a food safety software and consulting company Visitation will begin at 9:00 AM on Saturday The funeral service will follow at 10:30 AM with Reverend Jacob Van Der Linden officiating The funeral will be live streamed and can be viewed at www.facebook.com/WintzRay Graveside service will follow at the Yankton Cemetery Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton Pallbearers will include the following: Darin Larsen Honorary pallbearers will be nieces and nephews: Timothy Larsen Dustin William Larsen was born on December 13 He grew up in Yankton and graduated from Yankton High School in 1992 He then went on to receive his Bachelors of Science in Biology from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion They lived in Yankton where Dustin worked various jobs including construction and a Game and Dustin began working for the Department of Health in the Office of Health Protection They came back to Yankton in 2011 where Dustin worked briefly for the Department of Labor he returned to the Department of Health where after earning his Registered Sanitarian credentials unwavering in his convictions and standards He was loyal to those he loved and generous to anyone who needed help He had a great sense of humor and loved scaring people and playing pranks He and Shelly dedicated much time to home improvement projects and yard work He was an incredibly talented woodworker and spent many hours in his workshop creating one-of-a-kind gifts Dustin and Shelly spent most of their free time together they enjoyed a simple night at home in each other’s company He was easily persuaded to engage in impromptu plans and good conversation with family and friends Survivors include his beloved wife and best friend Shelly Larsen of Yankton; their devoted furry girl Roger and Betty Larsen of Yankton; two brothers: Darin (Sandra) Larsen of Omaha Texas; sisters-in-law: Tammi (Roger) Adam of Yankton and Charesh (Mike) Lewin of Merrill Ken (Tabitha Harris) Selvia of Yankton; and nine nieces and nephews He was preceded in death by his grandparents: Maynard and Vera Larsen and Tinus and Margery Jensen; mother-in-law Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInHUTCHINSON COUNTY (KTIV) - A rollover crash in Southeast South Dakota resulted in the death of a Siouxland woman The state’s Department of Public Safety says a 24-year-old woman from Yankton South Dakota died in a crash on the morning of Monday Authorities say the crash happened at about 11:20 a.m about nine miles south of the town of Freeman The preliminary crash report shows a 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 was going north on Highway 81 when The pickup’s driver was the 24-year-old Yankton woman in the pickup’s passenger seat who received minor injuries Authorities say neither person in the vehicle was using a seat belt The South Dakota Highway Patrol is still investigating the crash The names of the driver and passenger have not been released Want to get the latest news and weather from Siouxland’s News Source? Follow these links to download our KTIV News app and our First Alert Weather app at Avera Majestic Bluffs Hospice House in Yankton Funeral services will be 2:00 PM on Thursday Burial will be in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Yankton Visitation will be one hour prior to the funeral on Thursday at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home Idaho to Howard and Lou Anne (Young) Grimme She grew up on a farm between Springfield and Tyndall She attended country school and graduated from Bon Homme High School in Tyndall and then attended the University of South Dakota at Springfield She began working at the Tyndall Nursing Home and then worked at Gurney’s Seed and Nursery in Yankton While also waitressing at The Villiager Bar and Restaurant by Lewis and Clark Lake she met a special bartender Karen began operating a daycare out of her home She was a baby whisperer and took pride in providing a safe and nurturing home for countless children over the years whether it was her own kids or grandkids or her daycare kids She kept a spotless home and attended many auctions and garage sales to provide endless toys for the daycare was famous for her buttered noodles and enjoyed a good margarita with sugar on the rim She also enjoyed taking drives to the lake and spending time out on the family farm She was very artsy and loved spending time painting pottery and decorating wreaths for the holidays She volunteered while her children were in sports working in the concession stand and fundraising for the Booster Club She had a great smile a wonderful caring heart Mike Rhorer of Yankton; two sons: Michael (Kristen) Rhorer of Northville Michigan and Justin (Sarah) Rhorer of Overland Park Reid and Logan Rhorer and Jack and Emily Rhorer; two brothers: Raymond (Pat) Grimme and James (Pam) Grimme; and many nieces A meat processing facility in Yankton is closing Cimpl's Meats stopped harvesting operations this week according to a statement from the plant’s parent company The company submitted a notice to the South Dakota Department of Labor stating the move is eliminating 277 jobs "We are encouraging employees to apply for positions at affiliated facilities," the notice said The closure was first reported by WNAX Radio American Foods Groups officials said the the location was not profitable and that it would move operations to Missouri Cimpl's began as a family-owned business in 1949 and American Foods Groups acquired it in 2005 a community economic development organization released a statement saying it is both "surprised and saddened" by the closure calling Cimpl's a "cornerstone" of the community our primary concern lies with the dedicated employees and their families affected by this decision," the statement said "We are committed to assisting those impacted during this challenging period and will collaborate with local organizations to provide connections to necessary support and resources." The South Dakota Department of Labor is holding a job fair on March 25 from 9 a.m at the National Field Archery Association Headquarters to assist those looking for work after the closure Funeral service will be at 11:00 AM on Saturday 2025 at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton Visitation will be one hour prior to the funeral at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home Honorary pallbearers will be Clinton Millin in Oregon to Rick and Rebecca (Smith) Harman South Dakota and graduated from Hot Springs High School in 1990 She married David Millin in 1992 and together had three sons: Clinton South Dakota for a few years and then to Rapid City where Melissa worked at SCI helping to build computer components South Dakota for a few years and then to Newcastle Wyoming where she worked at a coal mine as a train car operator South Dakota and worked at Vishay Dale Electronics and then at Parker Hannifin formerly Baldwin Filters 2021 and began working as a receptionist for Grifols Biomat USA Plasma and Donation Center in Vermillion woman who had a great smile and genuine love for people she loved her children and would do anything for them South Dakota; three brothers: Michael Harman of Oregon Steven (Dawn) Harman of Rapid City; and Gregory (Terri) Harman of Thorton South Dakota; three sons: Clinton (Kylie) Millin of Box Elder South Dakota; Mark Millin of Yankton and Austin (Cassie) Millin of Yankton; one grandson on the way; step-grandson best friends: Jennifer Mincks and Robin Hoebelheinrich and special friends: Bill & Linda Whipple She was preceded in death by her sister-in-law Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInYANKTON S.D (KTIV) -Court documents are now revealing more details about the man accused of murdering his girlfriend South Dakota was charged with four counts of felony aggravated assault and four counts of simple assault in Minnehaha County Documents say Nichols reportedly used a taser to assault another man Nichols was found not guilty by reason of insanity in June of 2023 and then committed to the Human Services Center Records report Nichols was released from the center in August of 2024 Nichols was arrested and charged with driving while under the influence in Minnehaha County 28 which is just five days before he was arrested and charged in connection with Bodden’s murder in Yankton As previously reported, Nichols is charged with second-degree murder after he was taken into custody by Yankton officials and accused of murdering 41-year-old Heather Bodden on Thursday The investigation began after three women told police they found Heather Bodden’s body inside the East Meadow Apartments at 1001 Memory Lane A GoFundMe has been started for Bodden, which can be found online. Nichols will be back in court for an arraignment on Thursday Funeral services will be 10:30 AM on Friday Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Thursday at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with a prayer service at 7:00 PM He grew up in Yankton and graduated from Yankton High School in 1994 He then went to work for Cimpl Meats in Yankton and continued working for them for 29 years He also worked part time at Menards in Yankton and when he stopped working at Cimpl’s worked full time at Menards He was Gail’s lucky charm and enjoyed watching wrestling especially the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Pittsburg Steelers He enjoyed traveling and going for drives out to the lake He adored his nieces and nephews and loved being with family Gail Tweedy of Yankton; parents: Mike and Carol Tweedy of Yankton; grandmother Jeremy (Tressie) Tweedy of Yankton; sister and Emma Tweedy and Calvin Roy; father and mother-in-law: Ken and Jan Leise of Norfolk; sister-in-law Kendra (Justin) Homolka of Norfolk; and many aunts He was preceded in death by his grandparents: Rein and Dolly Bohlman and Ben Tweedy Mary (Podzimek) Hochstein passed away on December 5 after having valiantly fought Alzheimer’s/dementia for the last decade.  The celebration of Mary’s life and Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 AM on Thursday at Saint Benedict Catholic Church in Yankton Burial will follow in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Yankton Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Wednesday with a rosary and vigil service at 7:00 PM at Wintz and Ray Funeral Home in Yankton Visitation continues one hour prior to the funeral at the church Michael’s Hospital to John and Leona Podzimek She was the first baby born in that hospital and the hospital asked her parents if they would name her Mary after the Blessed Virgin Mary grew up helping on the family farm and graduated from Wagner High School in 1967 She moved to Yankton and married Leon Hochstein on October 14 where they raised their four children.  Mary felt motherhood was her vocation and in Mary’s words “My greatest Christian service to God was to raise and enjoy every aspect of my four greatest and blessed gifts from God: Joshua They are always on my mind and mention of their names always brings a huge smile to my heart.” She always had her children’s best interest in mind was never afraid to tell them how much she loved them and how proud of them she was including helping with homework and attending all their activities: cross-country but all the people I got to know that mattered to me and encouragement I received along the way also helped to shape my life.” She especially enjoyed interacting with and helping students at YMS and customers at Walgreens She had an amazing quality to make everyone feel important and special Mary really enjoyed her time at Walgreen’s but had to retire due to health issues Mary was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 10 years ago and her husband and daughter were able to care for her at her home all throughout her illness Mary enjoyed dancing with Leon and listening to music She also enjoyed spending time outdoors and going on walks Mary was a great listener with a giant heart She was always willing to help someone in need and was loved by many Mary was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Yankton God and family were at the center of her life “God’s guidance in my life lit the path and helped meet my needs and friends who taught and helped me to love and endure each day of my life I didn’t realize that they would all help me along the way to find my way “home” to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” She trusted the Will of God When Mary was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s she said she wasn’t afraid because she had faith that God would take care of her “We cannot know what the future holds but we can trust the One who holds the future.” Her lifelong mission “The only way I will ever feel good about dying is by knowing I did everything in my power to help my children know and love God because they are my gifts.”  Mary is survived by her husband of 52 years Leon Hochstein; their four children: Joshua and Nicholas (Lydia); their five grandchildren: Mason and Jim; and many nieces and nephews.  A memorial service will be at 11:00 AM on Tuesday at River City Assembly of God Church in Yankton The family will receive friends one hour prior to the memorial service on Tuesday at the church He grew up in Oelwein and graduated from Oelwein High School and together had seven children: Kristopher Leon worked various jobs in Iowa until he became an engineer for the railroad He had accumulated more than a half century of service in the rail industry Leon started with Watco on the Yellowstone Valley Railroad in 2011 and joined the KO in 2013 He also assisted many locations over the years as a Go-Teamer Over the years Leon had worked for many short line railroads including Chicago He also moved to several states due to the railroad including Iowa Leon was a member of River City Assembly of God in Yankton He was always very active in a Church community no matter where he lived He had a passion for the railroad which expanded into collecting model trains and books He loved sightseeing and taking pictures along the way He videotaped everything and loved making family home movies He always had a smile on his face and was well known for his dad jokes Survivors include his seven children: Kristopher (Michelle) Steege of Speedway South Dakota; Nancy (Shawn) Schaefer of Sioux Falls South Dakota; Jon (Robyn) Steege of Gilbert South Dakota; Thomas Steege of Sioux Falls and Catherine (Robert) Konrad of Tripp; 16 grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; and sister Leonhard and Eleanor Steege; and granddaughter Angel Holzbauer Click to watch