Former Superintendent Passes Away

Our thoughts, condolences, and prayers go out to the family of Bruce Crosswait, who passed away recently. He became superintendent for the Brookings school district in 1966, succeeding Mr. Horrigan, who had been in Brookings many years as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. The funeral arangements have been made by Kirk Funeral Home in Rapid City. The manager and one of the owners is Ken Kirk, a BHS graduate of 1971. He also had an older sister Kathy, who graduated in 1968.

I became acquainted with Dr. Crosswait when I began teaching at the Brookings Middle School in 1973. His son Mark was in the seventh grade and played on the basketball team that I was coaching. I was promoted to eighth grade basketball coach next year, so I had essentially the same boys again. I was reassigned to the ninth grade coaching spot the following season, thus having the good fortune of teaching the same boys three years in a row. That class graduated in 19979. When they had their class reeunion last summer, they invited a number of their former high school teachers (Mr. Tlustos, Mr. Jostad, Mrs. Fiedler, Mr. Gibbons, Mr. Walder, Mrs. Gerberding {she was our student teacher for sophomore English; Joan Donaldson, Nancy Webbenhurst's sister, was one of the sophomore English teachers}). I was honored that they included me in that elite group.

Thanks to Nancy Webbenhurst for informing me of his passing. Her father, as the business manager for many years at the school, worked very closely with Dr. Crosswait.

The complete obituary can be found at http://www.kirkfuneralhome.com/index.php?option=com_obituary&task=details&oid=1958

Georgia Wright's Father Passes Away

Just received word yesterday that Georgia Wright's father passed away on Tuesday, July 7, 2010. Some of you may remember Kenner Plumbing from our younger days. Mr. Kenner passed away a number of years ago, and Mr. Wright married his widow. I often saw them in church. The Kenners had two boys, Marty and Brian. Marty was two years behind us in school (some of us had siblings in that class, also), and Brian was a little younger yet. Marty went to Dartmouth, and returned to Brookings to teach Middle School science in 1975. I got to know him quite well during that time, as we were just down the hall from each other for many of those years. He then went to the Twin Cities area in 1983(?), where, I think, he made a little bit more than he did teaching. Our thoughts, condolences, and prayers go out to Georgia, her brother Jim and sister Barb, Marty, and Brian at this difficult time.

Kenneth M. Wright age 92, of Brookings, South Dakota., died Wednesday, July 7, 2010, at Brookview Manor in Brookings. Funeral services will be 10:30 A.M. Saturday, July 10, 2010, at Ascension Lutheran Church of Brookings, with interment in the St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery in Humboldt, South Dakota. Visitations will be from 4-7 P.M. Friday at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings. Ken’s family requests that memorials be directed to Ascension Lutheran Church.Kenneth Milton Wright was born on February 10, 1918, in Elliot, Iowa, to Gail and Blanche Wright. He grew up in Elliot and graduated from Elliot High School. In 1939 he moved to Humboldt, South Dakota, to work at Tuthill Lumber Yard, prior to entering the army. On October 8, 1942 he married Dorothy Bunning in Humboldt. Ken was stationed in Portland, Oregon, and Okinawa, Japan.After World War II, Ken and Dorothy returned to South Dakota, where Ken worked in lumber yards and in the construction industry in Sioux Falls, Gregory, Lennox, and Clark, South Dakota. In 1960 the family moved to Brookings, where Ken built houses for Oliver Gottschalk. In his retirement, Ken and Dorothy owned and operated Ballons Because from 1983 to 1988. Also during this time, Ken started the Wright Locksmith business. He was Journeyman Electrician, as well as a masterful carpenter.Dorothy died July 22, 1996. November 8, 1997, Kenneth married Audrey (Welsh) Kenner. Ken was a charter member of Ascension Lutheran Church and a Lifetime Member of the VFW.Ken is survived by his wife, Audrey of Brookings; two daughters, Barbara (Darwin) Egeberg of Madison, South Dakota, and Georgia (Bill Kopp) Wright of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; a son, Jim (Nancy) Wright of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; five grandchildren: Chad and Eric Egeberg, Colin and Jason Kopp, and Lauren Wright; two stepsons: Marty (Pam) of Burnsville, Minnesota, and Brian of Philip, South Dakota; two step grandchildren; Abbi (Cory) Koscielski, and Patrick Kenner; a sister, Katherine Slater; a sister-in-law, Ollie Wright; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Dorothy; his parents, Gail and Blanche Wright; two brothers, Donald and Jack; three grandchildren, Dane and Johannah Wright in 2005, and infant, Sean Kopp in 1987; and a nephew, Dennis Slater in 2010.

Teresa Steen's Father Passes Away

Teresa Steen's father passed away last week. I personally became acquainted with him when I worked at the post office during 1968. He was wonderful to work with, and was very kind and helpful to me as I learned the ropes. He took great interest in our basketball team, and really cared about the players. He was a pretty talented athlete himself. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Teresa and Russ at this difficult time. Here is the obituary from http://www.rudesfuneralhome.com/index.php?option=com_obituary&task=details&oid=762

Wayne E. Steen
May 10 1923 - Jun 30 2010
Wayne E. “Husker” Steen, 87, of Brookings, SD died Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at Brookings Hospital, Brookings, SD. Memorial Services have been set for 11:00am, Tuesday, July 6, 2010 at Ascension Lutheran Church, Brookings. Visitation will be from 4:00pm to 7:00pm Monday, July 5, 2010 at Rude’s Funeral Home, Brookings. Wayne E. Steen was born May 10, 1923 in Brookings, SD the son of Elmer and Ruth (Hollands) Steen. Wayne was baptized in the Baptist Church and was raised in Brookings where he attended grade school and high school. Wayne was called into active duty in the U.S. Naval Air Core in August of 1943. He went from Brookings, SD to St. Olaf Minnesota. After several weeks there he was transferred and attended classes at Wold Chamberlain Field in Minneapolis. When his tour of duty was over he was called into the University of Minnesota for a brief session and was then transferred to the University of Chicago, Illinois. After several weeks of instruction he was called in for a meeting and given the option of assignment. Wayne chose Bell Telephone Research in New York. While attending classes at the Bell Telephone Research Lab, he stayed at the Dolphin Hotel at 57th and Broadway, New York.He served until June of 1946 when he was honorably discharged.Wayne was united in marriage to Leona Meyer on October 8, 1949 in Yankton, SD. He worked in Pickstown, SD helping build the Fort Randall Dam and also worked in Amarillo, TX with the Atomic Energy Commission. He returned to Brookings and was employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a window clerk for 31 years. During his career at the Post Office he was also a Civil Service Examiner, was promoted to Chief Examiner, and gave tests for the Peace Corp. He retired from the Postal Service in 1983. Wayne will be long remembered for his love and devotion to his family and many friends across the nation and Canada. Wayne loved the outdoors and spending time at his cabin at Lake Poinsett. During his high school years he lettered in baseball, basketball, football and tennis. He was an avid hunter, fisherman and hiker. After his retirement he enjoyed playing golf nearly everyday with many of his friends and spending winters in Florida with his wife Leona. When he returned to Brookings he enjoyed working in his yard and having morning coffee in his backyard. Wayne was an avid organizer of various reunions for his high school classmates.Wayne has been a member of the Ascension Lutheran Church since 1964.Wayne is survived by his wife, Leona of Brookings; his children, Teresa (Russ) Anderson of Rock Springs, WY, Marcia Greene of Ft. Myers, FL and Randall (Kathy) Steen of Eden Prairie, MN; two granddaughters; one grandson; one brother Clarence (Bette) Steen, a brother-in-law Alan (Colleen) Rickert and several nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister Betty Rickert, son-in-law Patrick Greene, and his niece Debra Rickert.The family suggests memorials be directed to the Ascension Lutheran Church in Wayne’s memory. 2030 3rd Street, Brookings, SD 57006.