TRIBUTE TO THE FALLEN:

Staff Sgt. Zachary Tomczak, age 24, formerly of Huron, and a member of the United States Army stationed out of Ft. Bragg, NC, died in combat on Tuesday, September 25, in Baghdad, Iraq. His funeral mass will be 11:00 am Wednesday, October 3, at the Huron Arena with Father Joe Holzhauser and Father Terry Anderson officiating. Burial will be at St. Martin Cemetery with Military Rites by the Ft. Bragg Honor Guard. Visitation will be 1-4 pm Tuesday at the Welter Funeral Home and 6-8 pm Tuesday at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish with a Scripture Service at 7:00 pm at the church, or visitation one hour prior to the funeral mass at the arena on Wednesday. Zachary Blaise Tomczak was born on September 11, 1983 to Blaise and Mary (Jarvis) Tomczak at Moose Lake, MN. He moved to Huron in 1985. In 1993 moved with his mother to Minnesota and Wisconsin returning to Huron in 2000 to live with his father. Zac played football and was on the wrestling team while he attended high school. He was a member of the Holy Trinity Life Teen along with his sister, Megan. He also was employed at Coborns and Matt Busch Construction Company. Zac graduated from Huron High school in 2002. On June 6, 2002, Zac enlisted in the U.S. Army. He completed Infantry One Station Unit Training in September 2002, the Basic Airborne Course in November 2002, and Ranger School in 2007 at Fort Benning, Ga. He arrived at the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C., in November 2002, and was assigned as combat infantryman and squad leader with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment (AIR) as a machine-gunner, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division based in Fort Bragg, N.C. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal with two clasps, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with the No. 2, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, and the Ranger Tab. He had returned to Iraq on June 10, and was on his fourth tour of duty in Iraq at the time of his death. On May 28, 2004, Zac married Beth Moore. His many interests included hunting, fishing, 4-wheeling, paint-ball, model cars, cooking, and watching football on television, especially the San Francisco 49ers. He had a knack for mechanical things and loved to tinker with fixing things. He is survived by his wife, Beth Ann of Fayetteville, NC; his father, Blaise (Jackie) Tomczak of Huron; his mother, Mary (Mike) Flowers of Sioux Falls; 4 sisters, Megan McGillvrey of Fargo, ND, Siera Tomczak of Huron, Andrea Flowers of Sioux Falls, and Tatum Tomczak of Huron; 1 brother, Nathan Tomczak of Huron; his grandparents; Richard and Karen Hamman of Huron, and Theodore Tomczak of Kettle River, MN; and 1 nephew, Tyjion Tomczak of Huron. He was preceded in death by grandparents; Celia Tomczak, and Pete and Irene Jarvis. 

Jerry Lynn Steger, 69, of Northville, SD, passed away Sunday, April 2, 2023, at Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.

Funeral Services will be, 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 8, 2023, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Mansfield, SD with Pastor Bret Bierman officiating.

Burial will be at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Mansfield at a later date.

Visitation will be 3-5 p.m., Friday, at Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary with a prayer service at 5 p.m. Visitation continues one hour before the funeral at the church in rural Mansfield.

Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements.  Family and friends may sign the online guestbook and also view the service at www.schriversmemorial.com.

Jerry Lynn Steger was born on January 27, 1954, to Virgil and Mary Ruth (Scobey) Steger in Aberdeen. He was raised on the family farm in rural Mansfield.  Jerry was baptized on March 21, 1954, at Trinity Lutheran Church in rural Mansfield.  He was also confirmed there on July 14, 1968.  Jerry attended and graduated high school from Northwestern High School in 1972.

Jerry married Sherry Morgan on March 27, 1976, at St. John Lutheran Church in Warner, SD. They were blessed with two children, Tarah and Jared. The family lived near Chelsea on the family farm.

Jerry farmed with his father on the family farm for many years until his parents moved to Oklahoma. Jerry and Sherry took over the farm and farmed together until retirement in 2019.

Jerry was very active at the Trinity Lutheran Church. He also served for eighteen years on The Spink County Conservation District.  Jerry enjoyed the outdoors.  He loved to fish and hunt, especially with his son Jared.

Grateful for having shared Jerry’s life are his wife Sherry of 47 years; one daughter Tarah Usselman; one son Jared (Amy Hiuser) Steger; four grandchildren: Carter, Hailey, Keira, and Miles; parents Virgil and Mary Ruth Steger; one twin brother Jay (Lana) Steger, and brother Danny (Melissa) Steger; one sister Sonja (Brian) Jenner; mother-in-law, Shirley Morgan; brothers and sisters in law: Marlin and Rhonda Nilsson, Jay and Tammy DeLange, Neil and Felicia Morgan; and many nieces and nephews. 

Jerry was preceded in death by his father-in-law Ron Morgan.

Clifford George Coleman was born in Faulkton, SD on October 11, 1935, to James and Daisy Coleman. He was 87 years old when he passed away due to cancer on August 6, 2023. He was a retired Master Chief Petty Officer Navy Veteran for 24 years. He met and married his wife, Flora Annie Kirkwood in Edinburgh, Scotland. The two were joined in marriage for 33 years. He retired from the Navy in Norfolk, VA and moved to Rapid City, SD. After retiring from the Navy, Clifford worked at Sears for 18 years. He then fully retired to care for his wife Flora before she passed away from cancer. 

In 2000, he responded to an ad in the paper and met his second wife, Nancy Letner Patterson. The two were married in February 2001. They spent 23 years together up until his passing. They both loved watching Sports and Fox news together as well as many Netflix shows. Nancy’s family took Clifford in as if he was their own. Perhaps his only flaw was that he was a Duke fan! There were many holidays spent with the Olson junior and seniors. Clifford would always love to cook for everyone on special holidays. He brought so much happiness to those around him. In 2015, he and Nancy became proud owners of their fluffy white dog, Petey. Petey would always nibble crumbs off Clifford’s shirt and lay on his lap when he was sitting in his recliner. He was a simple man, but very dedicated to family. He worked diligently on his parents' farm growing up.  In uniting with Nancy, he acquired a step grandson Carson whom he loved dearly that always made him smile as well as two stepsons, Todd and Mark and a stepdaughter Tracy who would forever only call him by the name “George.” Tracy’s husband, Scott would become an important person to him as well, always offering him help when it came to mowing, picking him up from car repair shops or just enjoying conversations about politics as they both had many of the same political beliefs. 

His parents were James and Daisy Coleman. He had two brothers and three sisters, Jerry, Jimmy, Cleo, Delores and Carol. He and his wife Flora were blessed with three daughters, Bonnie (Dwight) Falconer, Kelly Coleman and Mairi (Tony) Martin. Those daughters in turn blessed him with grandchildren, Amanda, LeRoy, Kellen, Andrew, Segan, CarrieAnn and Chelsea. Clifford was fortunate to live long enough to be blessed with great grandchildren Gabriel, Aiden, Roain and Jude. 

He is preceded in death by his first wife, Flora, Timothy Coleman his grandson and Erin Olson, his step granddaughter.

George’s presence will be missed by many! 

 Thomas “Tom” Joe Carda, 73, of Northville, SD, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer on Thursday, August 10, 2023, at Bethesda Home in Aberdeen.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, September 1, 2023, at All Saints Catholic Church in Mellette, SD with Father John Short officiating.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the mass at the church.

Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Mellette with a luncheon and time of fellowship following the burial.

Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook and also view the service at www.schriversmemorial.com.

Thomas Joe Carda was born on November 16, 1949, in Aberdeen to Louis and Eileen (Kenyon) Carda. He was raised on the family farm Northwest of Northville. Tom attended school in Northville and graduated high school in 1968.

Following graduation, Tom went to Universal Trade School in Omaha, Nebraska for auto mechanics. After his schooling, he returned to the family farm. Tom joined the Army in 1969 and spent one year in Vietnam and was honorably discharged in 1971, and again returned to the family farm where he farmed with his dad. Tom eventually took over the family farm after his parents retired.

Tom belonged to the Northville American Legion and was also a township supervisor for ten years. He belonged to Sacred Heart Parish in Chelsea until it closed in 2004. Tom then joined All Saints Catholic Parish in Mellette. Tom enjoyed hunting and fishing. His greatest love was farming, and he wished he could have farmed forever.

Grateful for having shared Tom’s life are his sisters: Patricia Heckathorn of Clovis, Ca, and Mary (Milt) Kolb of Aberdeen; three nieces, and three nephews.

Tom was preceded in death by his mother and father, his brother James, his sister Jan, and his brother-in-law Ty Heckathorn. 

NEIL HORN: A SON, BROTHER, HUSBAND, FATHER, COWBOY, MARINE, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.

Neil Joshua Horn was born on November 26, 1977 in Thief River Falls, MN to Terry and Sheila Horn. He grew up on the Horn farm outside of Gonvick, MN and graduated from Clearbrook-Gonvick High School in 1996. In his youth he loved to swim, fish, hunt, ride horses, play sports, and spend time with family and friends. He loved visiting at Grandma and Grandpa Horn’s house, where he enjoyed catching minnows, sharing cookies and lefse with Grandma, and taking many-a-nap on their couch.

Neil worked hard on the farm and especially enjoyed his time with the animals. He won numerous State Fair trips showing dairy cattle in 4-H. Besides farm work, Neil’s summers included lifeguarding at the Bagley lake. As a teenager, Neil’s Thunderbird was famous around town and his cowboy style preceded him.

At a young age, Neil showed a deep interest in the military; playing with army men and often reading books depicting historical events and battles. After high school graduation, he joined the Marine Corps. He proudly served his country for 8 years. It was early in his career with the Marines that he got to ride saddle-bronc for their rodeo team. Neil spent most of his Marine career traveling the world as a Marine Security Guard to defend the US Embassies where he was stationed. In 2002, Neil served in anti-terrorism capacities in North Africa, and part of his job was to train Marines in door-to-door combat and enhanced marksmanship. He was also an instructor for combat water survival.

While stationed at the Embassy in Ottawa, Canada, Neil met the love of his life, Jessica Simmons. They were married on July 3, 2003. Neil and Jessica proceeded to build a family together while moving around the world wherever his career took them. Neil became a special agent with Diplomatic Security for the Department of State on June 8, 2008. His position brought the family to live in Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Cuba, Colombia, and Minnesota.

During his 14 years working in Diplomatic Security for the State Department Neil engaged in a wide array of investigations including human trafficking, terrorism, counterintelligence, the location and return of US fugitives, large scale visa fraud, and passport/identity fraud. As part of his Diplomatic Security position, Neil ensured the security detail for many dignitaries and leaders from around the globe. In June of 2022, Neil was honored to be selected for a position as a criminal investigator for the Department of Homeland Security, Tampa office.

Neil was presented countless awards for valor, accomplishments, and sharp skillful abilities. These awards were accepted with honor, grace and a humble pride. Neil’s most cherished accolades were his four beautiful daughters Alexis Cali, Lindsey Clara, Grace Camryn, and Chloe Rey.

Along with spending time with his family, Neil enjoyed riding his motorcycle, playing guitar, and coming up with great mead and beer brews. He loved putting puzzles together and figuring out challenges. A firm foundation in Christ served as a moral compass throughout his life. Neil was a reader, a thinker, a solver, and had a captivating way with words whether writing or speaking. He could start by speaking to only one person, but before he was done he would hold an entire room's attention with the stories he told about his experiences. One meeting with Neil and you never forgot him. Neil was humble, yet larger than life.

Neil passed away on February 3rd, 2023 in St. Petersburg, Florida at the age of 45. He is survived by his wife Jessica, daughters Alexis(16), Lindsey(15), Grace(12) and Chloe(9). Grandmothers Arlene Horn and Shirley Vettleson. Parents Terry and Sheila Horn. Sisters: Jean Horn, Jodi (David) Fedje, Jackie (Logan) Kalinowski and brother Nathan (Tricia) Horn. Nephews: Everett, Tallon, Ayden, Joseph, Theodore, and Carter. Nieces: Elizabeth, Kennedi, Rosalyn, and Maddisyn. Many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Neil is preceded in death by his grandfathers Francis Horn and Walter Vettleson, uncles Chad Behrens and Kevin Vettleson, and cousin Heather Behrens.

Neil once wrote that the factors that defined him as a person were his intense loyalty to God, his country, and his family. It was his hope that he would continue to serve those things that he loved so much until the day, (in the words of our 40th President) that he “slipped the surly bonds of earth, to touch the face of God.” And, that is what he did. May his memory be blessed.

A visitation will be at the Cease Family Funeral Home of Bagley, MN from 5:00-7:00 on Thursday evening February 23rd, 2023 with a Prayer Service starting at 6:30. A Funeral Service will be held at Clearbrook Community Center on Friday, February 24th, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. with a visitation an hour prior. Internment will be held at United Lutheran Cemetery , Berner immediately following service. A Lunch will be served at Clearwaters Life Center in Gonvick following service and internment. The Cease Family Funeral Home of Bagley is assisting the family with arrangements.

From Doc… “I will miss you forever, and I will mourn your passing for a long time.  Rest in peace Marine…I will never forget how proud you were when you came home and picked me up  wearing your Marine Uniform….the pride in you, I will never forget it, and I will help carry on your legacy for caring for others as well.  Rest in Eternal Peace Marine.”