Alumni News Obituaries


Olive Peggy Bacon, Deadwood, died April 26, 2006. After receiv ing her teaching cer tificate from Spearfish Normal School, Peggy taught at the Hay Creek School.


Laila Eleanor (Balo) Pixley, attended, Sheridan, Wyo., died April 25, 2006. She owned and operated restaurants in South Dakota, Wyoming and Washington and sev eral tourist resorts in South Dakota. She and her family also ran businesses includ ing transporting train crews for Burlington Northern, a potato chip factory in Belle Fourche, and a taxicab business in Sheridan.


Robert Bob Snyder, attended, passed away April 26, 2006, at his home in Rapid City. Bob worked for the railroad on the coal transportation routes in Wyoming and later spent many years working for Captain Clean in Rapid City.


Lucretia Lou (Morris) Williams, attended, Rapid City, died Feb. 24, 2006. Lou and her husband, James Williams, owned various busi nesses in the Black Hills, including the Keystone Café, WW Western Store, Silver Dollar Café, and the


King s X Lodge and Liquor Store. She was also employed by the City of Rapid City and actively promoted Black Hills tourism.


The 20s


Helen Ercel Morris Ercel


Mathieu, Class of 28, Yucaipa, Calif., passed away Feb. 25, 2006. Ercel was a member of Eastern Star and Phi Beta Kappa. She received her teaching certificate at Spearfish Normal School and taught piano. She also held a real estate license.


The 30s


Blanche (Oldfield) Keller, Class


of 31, Rapid City, died June 6, 2006. She taught eight grades in a one room prairie school for several years. She later served as the postmaster of the U.S. Post Office in New Underwood and operated a small ice crème parlor.


Lucille Kent (Stoughton) Whitlock, attended 32, Spearfish, died June 6, 2006. She was the secretary for the United Methodist Church in Spearfish for 32 years.


Marian (Tauck) Willard, attended 32, Spearfish, died June 5, 2006. She was active in


her church, serving as Sunday school teacher, secretary, treasurer, and organ ist. She also worked a number of years at the Ben Franklin Store in Spearfish and as an Avon representative.


The 40s


Herma Marsden, Class of 45, Wall, died


Aug. 6, 2005. She taught elementary school in Custer and Wall, and then took an active roll in operating the family ranch. She was also very active in the community.


John (Don) Bloedel, Class of 48, Spearfish, died June 6, 2006. He taught school in Coos Bay, Ore., before returning to Spearfish, where he worked in general construction. He later opened and operated Bloedel Construction.


Glenn Burgess, Class of 48, Sheridan, Wyo., died March 28, 2006. Glenn was a long time Fremont County educator. He enjoyed coaching, competing in and watching high school and collegiate athletics.


The 50s


Rita


Joanne Jurisch, attended


49 50, Piedmont, passed away Feb. 22,


2006. She taught, ranched, owned a restaurant, was a bookkeeper, sold real estate and was a Jack Russell Terrier breed er. During the last two years of her life, she wrote three books, one of which has been published The Amazing Adventures of Hobo the Dog.


Warren Kellogg, Class of 54, Riverton, Wyo., died May 25, 06. He was an elementary teacher in the Riverton School District for over 30 years. He also enjoyed working as a handyman.


Velma Walker, Class of 55, Rapid City, died Sept. 7, 2005. She co owned the Sundance Times in Wyoming, taught high school in Belle Fourche and Deadwood, and served as a librarian. She was also instru mental in helping Hill City establish a youth center.


Marvin Isensee, Class of 56, Ventura, Calif., died May 17, 2006. He owned and operated the Isensee floor covering business for many years.


August Albers, Class of 57, Spearfish, died Feb. 23, 2006. He was a high school guid ance counselor and founder of the


Technical College of the Rockies. He was also active in many civic organizations and church activities.


Robert Ward Johnson, Class of 58, Island Park, Idaho, and Mesa, Ariz., passed away April 17, 2006. For 35 years he taught at the junior high level and served as a junior high princi pal. He also coached football, basketball, track and wrestling.


Ray Sohn, Class of 57, Puyallup, Wash., died Feb. 24, 2004. Ray was an athlete and a coach. He retired after 30 years as a psychol ogist in the Highline School District.


The 60s


Palma Albertus Hurley, Class of 58


and 69, Sioux Falls, died Jan. 30, 2006. She was the supervisor of special education for BHSU and started the first all denominational Sunday school for retarded children. She authored the Retarded Children s Bill of Rights and was coordinator for obtaining state aid for the children in pub lic schools. She received the Special Achievement Award and The Albert Schweitzer Award for Humanitarianism from BHSU.


Black Hills State University Alumni Magazine Page 15


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