Obituaries

A celebration of life service for Donald D. Davison, age 86, of Ainsworth, will be held on Monday, July 27, at 11 a.m. in the Congregational Church in Ainsworth. Inurnment will follow in the Ainsworth Cemetery with Military Honors by Ainsworth American Legion Post #79. Donald Davison passed away January 9.

Graveside service for Lois I. Titus, age 93, of Springview will be held on Wednesday, July 22, at 11 a.m. in the Mt. Hope Cemetery at Springview. L ois Titus passed away Wednesday, July 15, at the Rock County Hospital Long Term Care in Bassett. Survivors include children Linda (Stanley) Keever of Winner, S.D., Jean (Scott) S tewart o f M ontrose, S.D., and E dward T itus o f S pringview; seven grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; four step-great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Kathy Titus of Springview; along with nieces, nephews and other family members. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been suggested to the family in Lois’ name. Hoch Funeral Home of Ainsworth is in charge of arrangements. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.hochfuneralhome.com.

Everett E dward B rown p assed a way J uly 8 a t A zria H ealth i n G reat Bend, Kan. He was born August 8, 1943, in Ainsworth to Everett and Wilma (Lake) Brown. He married Dorothy Jean Owens January 31, 1974, in Vernon, Texas. She saved him a seat, in heaven on April 25, 2026. Everett proudly served in the United States Army from 1960 until 1963, earning the rank of Sergeant. He continued to show his patriotism by becoming a member of the American Legion and the NRA. He then worked for over 20 years at Westoff Sand Company and then moved onto Sherwood Construction Co, Inc. After leaving there he continued his construction career at Stone Sand Co., Inc. as a Heavy Equipment Operator for many years until he retired June 4, 2020. He enjoyed m owing, c asting a l ine f ishing, o r h unting w ith his b rother and friends. He had a special interest in guns, collecting many through his years. Everett was a good ‘ol boy with an ornery streak a mile wide but, you knew he liked you if he w as picking on you or giving you a well-earned nickname. He lived up to his nickname of “Pick” bringing smiles to other’s faces, and he succeeded in that well in life. Survivors include daughter Shauna Buffinton of Great Bend, Kan.; sons Michael B rown a nd h is wife A udra o f Mountain P ark, O kla., J ason Brown a nd h is w ife A ngela o f P erkins, O kla.; g randchildren A mber Brown, Cindy Brown, Brittany Brown, Trey Buffinton, Cadence Buffinton and Logan Brown; great grandchildren Kannon Brown, Delaney Brown, Oliver Depiesse and Eva Brown; numerous nieces and nephews; his beloved yorkie pug Yoda (affectionally known as Yodie Bear); brother-in-law Ken Marsten of Texas; sister-in-law Jan Brown of Nebraska. He was preceded in death by his parents; beloved wife of 52 years Dorothy Jean Brown; brothers Eldon Brown, Glen Brown and Ivan Brown; sisters Viola Sears, Maxine Davis, Betty Jean, Cindy Marsten and Lillie Duffield. A private family burial for Dorothy and Everett to be reunited will be held at a later date. Memorials have been designated to Golden Belt Humane Society, in care of Bryant Funeral Home, 1425 Patton Rd., Great Bend, KS 67530.

A private graveside memorial service for Esther Lorraine Biltoft, age 79, o f A insworth w ill b e h eld a t a l ater d ate in t he Grandview Cemetery at Long Pine. L orraine Biltoft passed away Friday, July 10, at the Sandhills Care Center in Ainsworth. Survivors include nephews Bill (Tammy) Dillon of Valentine, Donnie (Christi) Dillon of Lincoln, and David Foose of Oklahoma City, Okla.; niece Carolyn Foose of St. Albans, W.V.; along with other family members. Memorials have been suggested to the family in Lorraine’s name for future designation. Hoch Funeral Home of Ainsworth is in charge of arrangements. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.hochfuneralhome.com.

Leray L avern L ytle w as b orn t o E ldon a nd Adeline ( Ehlers) L ytle o n J anuary 2 , 1 935, i n Garfield County at his maternal grandparents’ home. H e w as the o ldest o f f our b oys i n t he family. H e a ttended r ural s chools t hrough t he eighth grade. In 1 951, t he f amily m oved t o a ranch in C uster, S .D. H e w orked i n v arious areas of construction until 1965 when he bought a plumbing and heating business in Custer. On September 4, 1970, he married Doris M. Bettcher a t t he Z ion L utheran C hurch i n Rapid City, S.D. He was baptized and confirmed on May 21, 1972, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Custer. On November 26, 1971, their first child, Adeline, was born. Their second child, Aaron, followed on May 5, 1974. In 1978, the decision was made to move Lytle’s Plumbing and Heating, to Ainsworth. The family moved t o a s mall a creage o utside o f A insworth. L eray g rew t he business. He raised a small herd of cattle as his “hobby.” In 2000, he sold t he b usiness b ut continued t o w ork f or t he o wner u ntil h e “retired” i n 2 009 b ecause of h is h ealth. I n 2 015, L eray a nd D oris moved to Juniata to be closer to family. On July 6 he passed away at his home. Leray was preceded in death by his grandparents and parents; brother Gary Lytle; and grandsons Ezekiel and Zebediah Johnson. He is survived by his wife Doris; brothers Donald (Joan) Lytle of Custer, S.D. and Galen (Lynn) Lytle of Long Pine; his children Adeline (Wade) Johnson of Hastings and Aaron (Sara) Lytle of Houston, Texas; his children from a p revious m arriage S ally, S cott a nd S teve; a long with his grandchildren Zipporah and Zoe Johnson, and Abrianna, Zachariah, Aaliyah and Amariah Lytle. A graveside memorial service was held on Friday, July 10, in the Zion Lutheran C emetery n orthwest o f A insworth. P astor P aul D unbar officiated at the event. The music selections were: “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” and “Nunc Dimittis.” Memorials were suggested to the F aith L utheran C hurch i n H astings o r Z ion L utheran C hurch i n Ainsworth. Arrangements were handled through the Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home of Hastings and the Hoch Funeral Home of Ainsworth. Condolences may be left for the family at www.hochfuneralhome.com.

Merle Stephens Alberts was a Christmas Day baby, b orn o n D ecember 2 5th, 1 937, a t t he hospital in Ainsworth to John J. Alberts and M. Leone Peacock Alberts. He was joined two and a h alf years l ater b y h is y ounger s ister, Marilyn. The c hildren g rew u p o n t he f arm just west of Ainsworth. They both attended Ainsworth Grade School and later, Ainsworth High School. Merle graduated with the class of 1956. D uring h is h igh s chool years, he w as active i n F FA a ll f our years, and t rack t hree years. As Merle was growing up, he learned the skills of hunting, trapping and fishing. This he did all through his high school years. During the rest of his life, Merle enjoyed hunting and fishing. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was inducted in August of 1956. Boot camp was at Oceanside, California, followed by advanced combat training at Camp Pendleton near San Diego, Calif. Upon his honorable discharge from the Corps, two years later, he returned to Ainsworth and then went on to Murphysboro, Ill., where he and his high school sweetheart, Mildred Young, were married. The couple returned to Ainsworth and lived with Merle’s parents for a few weeks. In mid November, they gathered up their possessions and headed for California a few days before Thanksgiving, 1958. His first job was with the postal service and a year or so later he got on with the La Habra Fire Department. Merle loved this job and was employed there for 25 years. After his retirement, Merle had his own upholstery business. I n a ddition t o h is f ire d epartment w ork h e h ad o ther j obs including the work he and Millie did together for several years with a house painting service. Their marriage was blessed with two children, Tom in August 1959, and Teri in July 1962. Survivors include his beloved wife Millie; son Tom (Penne) Alberts; daughters Dr. Jessica Alberts Alvarez (Adam Alvarez) and Brittney, daughter T eri M orales, h er s on M arc ( Cindy) M orales, C laire, M ila, Isaac, her son John Morales, daughter Cecilia Morales and her daughter Elaina; sister Marilyn Stewart; brother-in-law Tom (Laural) Young; sister-in-law Marci Martin; and cousins, nieces, nephews and many friends. Preceding Merle in death were his parents John and Leone (Peacock) Alberts; parents-in-law Tom and Mildred Young; brothers-in-law Jerry Stewart and Cliff Martin; and son-in-law Frank Morales. Following a diagnosis of cancer two and a half years ago, Merle passed away June 10. As per his wishes, no service will be held at this time.

Rodney Fred Shelton was born in Gregory, S.D., on J uly 1 2, 1 939, t he o nly child o f F red a nd Ileen (Ludemann) Shelton. His early childhood was spent attending country schools in Keya Paha County and he graduated from Springview High School in 1957. He worked in Wyoming for several years before joining the Army in 1962. He was stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., a nd w as d ischarged in 1 965. H e w as married t o E lla M ae P edersen f rom 1 969 t o 1987 and to this union a daughter, Angela, was born in 1971, and settled in Ainsworth in 1975.

Rev. Stanley “Stan” Dale Crawford died June 22, in South Hutchinson, Kansas of complications from dementia. He was born September 11, 1942, in Indiana, Pennsylvania, to William Dale and Mary Lois (Binkey) Crawford. From the moment o f his b irth, S tan h ad a n unquenchable curiosity and a disregard for authority. S tan lived a full and vibrant life a s m uch on h is o wn t erms a s i s humanly possible.

Timothy “Tim” Jon Iverson, 63, of Long Pine, passed away on J une 1 7. Tim w as b orn o n March 11, 1963, in Ord. He was welcomed into the family of Stan and Betty (Daniels) Iverson through adoption, beginning his life on the Iverson Ranch that he would proudly call his home for the remainder of his life. At the age of seven, Tim lost his father, Stan, and t ook o n r esponsibilities f ar b eyond h is years. Helping support his family at such a young age profoundly shaped his character and laid the foundation for a lifetime of hard work on the ranch. From an early age, he found meaningful ways to contribute to the ranch and support his family, developing the strong work ethic and sense of responsibility for which he was known throughout his life. Before he was old enough to drive, he would ride his motorcycle to the hayfield to help Clayton Chase. D uring his h igh school y ears, h e w ould w ork the n ight s hift welding at Daniels’ Manufacturing. And perhaps, his favorite work experience outside the ranch included his stint with Todd Kicken on a wheat harvest crew. Tim graduated from Ainsworth High School in 1981. It is well known among those close to him that school was not his favorite place. Still, he made the most of his time there by participating in activities that aligned with his passions outside the classroom, including FFA, wrestling a nd t he r odeo c lub. In h is f inal y ears o f h igh school, increasing responsibilities on the ranch ultimately took precedence over extracurricular activities. The winter following his graduation Tim's m other, B etty, p assed a way a fter a long b attle w ith c ancer. I n her final days, he made it a priority to spend each evening by her side after the day's chores and responsibilities were complete. His steadfast presence spoke to the depth of his love, sense of responsibility, and unwavering devotion to family. On July 7, 1984, Tim was united in marriage to his love, Joleen Schipporeit, in Grand Island. Together they were blessed with a daughter, Jessica Jo. Life carried on at the ranch, marked by the steady change o f s easons t hat d efine t he r anching w ays. S pring w as his favorite, bringing new calves and the hope of green pastures and lush meadows to follow. He took great pride in ensuring they were well cared for and made it to the sale barn in good condition. In the most recent years, sharing ranch experiences with “the blondes” (Jes, Kalli and Klaire) was truly “icing on the cake!” In addition to ranching, Tim co-owned Long Pine Feed & Grain and was a realtor with Mid-America Land & Realty. He was very involved with Daniels’ Manufacturing and Bassett Livestock Auction. His contribution to the community spanned more than four decades, including membership to Elks Lodge B.P.O.E. 1790, serving on the South Pine Volunteer Fire Department, and the Brown C ounty A g Society. O ver t he y ears, a way f rom t he ranch a nd routine duties, Tim enjoyed roping, golfing and other various hobbies. Throughout the summer, he enjoyed spending his downtime at Hidden Paradise. Alumni weekend was a highlight that he regularly attended, his classmates considered Tim the alumni director for their honored years. Vacations to Mexico, Iverson Family Reunions and work trips with Daniels’ Manufacturing venturing as far as Australia were some of his many travels. Tim w ill be r emembered f or h is l oyalty t o f amily a nd f riends, h is respect f or a ll a spects o f livestock handling, always w illing t o lend a hand AND also the first to say, “let’s go have a drink.” Preceding him in death are his parents Stan and Betty Iverson; father-in-law Don Schipporeit; cousin/best friend Danny Daniels; and numerous other family members. He leaves behind his wife of 41 years, Joleen; daughter Jessica (Nate) Kempcke; granddaughters Kalli and Klaire; mother-in-law Kem Richstein and special family friend Keith Allison; sister-in-law Tsipi (Mike) Gibson; brother-in-law Tate (Sarah) Schipporeit; brother Tom Iverson; and the “Iverson” cousins whom he dearly loved, along with many extended family and friends. Funeral service was held on Friday, June 26, at the Rock County Fairgrounds Arena in Bassett. Mike Baxter officiated at the services. Music was provided by Joe McBride singing “The Cowboy Rides Away” and “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys.” The CD Selections of “Call A Cowboy” by L ainey W ilson a nd “ Cowboys and S unsets” b y Oliver Anthony Music were played. Casket bearers were Nate Kempcke, Kade Blake, Mark Shaul, Jim Dougherty, Todd Kicken, Bret Younkin, Jake E. Maurer, Shawn Nelson, Robert Seidel, Bob Alberts, Ryan Welke, Jason Good, Paul Josoff Jr. and Jim Hoch. Memorials were suggested to the family in Tim’s name for a future designation. Interment was in the Grandview Cemetery at Long Pine under the direction of the Hoch Funeral Home in Ainsworth. Online condolences, photos and memories may be left for the family on Tim’s webpage at www.hochfuneralhome.com.

Maxine Harty of Rapid City, S.D., entered into eternal r est o n April 2 4th. S he w as t he beloved w ife o f t he l ate J ohn ( “Jack”) H arty, and remained the devoted mother of John P. Harty and Maureen (“Sis”) Jackman (née Harty), and cherished grandmother of Aiden Jackman and the late Conner Jackman until her passing. She is also survived by her older brother Jerry (“Duke”); younger sister Sally; and nieces, nephews, and extended family. Maxine graduated from Bemidji State in Minnesota. After college, she lived and worked in Amsterdam and Copenhagen for a season. She later taught English before transitioning to become a stay-at-home mom w ho w as d early l oved by h er c hildren a s w ell a s a ll t he neighborhood kids. Two celebration of life events will be held this summer to honor her legacy—the first in the Black Hills with neighborhood “family” and a second in northern Minnesota in her hometown of Deer River with relatives.