The Platte Enterprise from Platte, South Dakota • Page 12

Page Twelve Thursday, September 10, 2009 The Little Things As you might remember, the head of a company survived because his son started kindergarten. Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts. One woman was late because her alarm clock didn't go off in time. One was late because of being stuck on the Turnpike Because of an auto accident. One of them missed his bus.

One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change. One's car wouldn't start. One couldn't get a taxi. The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a band-aid.

That is why he is alive today. Now when I am stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to answer a ringing the little things that annoy me, I think to myself, this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment. Next time your morning seems to be going wrong, the children are slow getting dressed, you can't seem to find the car keys, you hit every traffic light, don't get mad or frustrated. It may be just that God is at work watching over you. May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little things and may you remember their possible purpose.

Author Unknown Safe Arrival in Niger I received this e-mail last week from Cindy Sybesma, daughter of Jean and the late C.Dale Sybesma, telling of her safe arrival in Niger where she will be teaching. I made it! After two days of travel, I flew into Niamey, Niger on Friday my was greeted by Tim, my dorm dad. He drove me to the dorm and I was greeted by 13 awesome kids. I'm still trying to get to know them better, but jet lag and meeting all the different missionary families seems to take time as well. My goal for this week is to have a bit of one on one time with each student.

I start teaching my one English class today. I'm excited to get to have this time with a class. The course has a lot of freedom, but will also require a lot of work. This is also my first time teaching so many students to whom English is a second, third, or fourth language. My dorm mom, Janice, is taking me shopping this morning.

I'm excited to see Niamey and the culture. Hopefully I can buy some skirts so I can return the one I borrowed from her. Prayer requests: My French: There are some Africans who come in to the dorm and work (laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc). I would love to talk to them by my brain shuts off when I need some French. Pray that my memory improves and I get some studying done.

Relationships: I feel bad that I don't know the dorm kids too well yet. Pray that I will have some quality time with them. Class: Pray that I will stay organized and have some cool ideas for teaching this class. Praise: That I have made it and am meeting some awesome people. Thank you for all your prayers and emails.

I've been very encouraged in my first few days here. Cindy Sybesma Cindy's address is: Sahel Academy Cindy Sybesma BP 11324 Niamey; Niger I don't recall this happening at the wedding of my niece, Becky and Aaron Rachel, Saturday, but it did happen somewhere according recent email. All eyes were on the radiant bride as her father escorted her down aisle. They reached the altar and joined the waiting groom. The kissed her father and placed something in his hand.

The guests i in the front pews responded with ripples of laughter. the priest smiled broadly. As her father gave her away in marriage, bride gave him back his credit card. In Memory of My Dear Father, "Gramps" A Soldier Died Today He was getting old and thin and his hair was fulling fast, And he sat around the Legion telling stories of the past. Of a war that he one fought in and the deeds that he had done.

In his exploits with his buddies; they were heroes, every one. And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors his tales became a joke. All his buddies listened quietly for they knew whereof he spoke. But we'll hear his tales no longer. for ol' Bob has passed away.

And the world's a little poorer for a soldier died today. He won't be mourned by many, just his children and his For he lived an ordinary, very quiet sort of life. He held a job and raised a family, going quietly on his way; And the world won't note his passing. 'tho a soldier died today. When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state, While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories from the time that they were young But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung. Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land. Some jerk who breaks his promise and cons his fellow man? Or the ordinary fellow who in times of war and strife. Goes off to serve his country and offers up his life? The politician's stipend and the style in which he lives. Are often disproportionate.

to the service that he gives. While the ordinary soldier, who offered up his all Is paid off with a medal and perhaps a pension, small. It's so easy to forget them for it is so many times That our Bobs and Jims and Johnnys went to battle, but we know. It is not the politicians with their compromise and ploys. Who won for us the freedom that our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger with your enemies at hand. Would you rally want some op-out. with his ever waffling stand? Or would you want a soldier- -his home, his country, his kin. Just a common soldier, who would fight until the end? He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin. But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict, we find the soldier's part Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start. If we cannot do him honor while he's here to hear the praise, Then at least let's give him homage at the ending of his days. Perhaps just a simple headline in the paper that might say: "Our country is in mourning, a soldier died Unknown Something terrible happens when you don't NOTHING! We can help you promote your business! Platte Enterprise Platte Reminder Ph. 337-3101 Platte, SD MOVIES: CESA GIFTED GOODING ATENEY HANDS IE. Brooke's Noon Specials: Pizza Special: New at 44 44 Dance Flick; Crank 2: Redeem your High Voltage; The Nail; egg Friday, roll.

Sept. 11: Chicken lo mein with Buy any large pizza at Perks Points Road Diamond Dawgs; Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson regular price and get a for Cabela's Story; Wow! Wowl Goes Monday, Sept. 14: BLT wrap. thin crust apple dessert gift cards. Stop Wubbzy! Wuzzby Friday, Sept.

18: Ravioli and breadBool; and Where's dessert. for FREE! 1000 points $10 gift Ph. 337-3304 card Winky's Horse? 2000 points $20 gift card Platte, SD stick and a special homecoming pizza 40 Obituaries Obituaries Helen Rasmussen Funeral services for Helen LaMaye Rasmussen will be held today (Thursday) at 10 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Platte with Pastor Dan Daum officiating. Helen LaMaye Rasmussen, 87, of Platte, died peacefully at her home under hospice care on Sunday, September 6, 2009.

Visitation will be Wednesday at the Platte Funeral Chapel from 5-7 p.m. with a prayer service to follow at 7 p.m. Vocalists will be Rev. Daniel Daum and Alison Dykstra. Maylou Stanforth is organist.

bearers will be John Lloyd, Mark, Dan and Doug Pranger, Ronnie Vanderheiden and Ellison Kalda. Honorary bearers are Janice Dimick, Lucy Dufek, Helen Dyk, Dolores Kalda, Pegge and Ruth Pranger, John and Dick Rasmussen. Interment will be in the Platte City Cemetery with Platte Funeral Chapel in charge of the arrangements. Helen (Pranger DeHaan) Rasmussen was born on April 2, 1922, to John and Annie (Meyerink) Pranger in Platte. She grew up on the Pranger homestead farm and graduated from Platte High School.

In 1944 Helen graduated from Southern State Normal School in Springfield with a degree in education. She taught at a rural school near Platte until she married Arlo C. DeHaan August 21, 1946. Helen lived in the Platte area her entire life. After Arlo's death in 1967, Helen took over the family business, DeHaan's IGA Market.

She became active in the South Dakota Retailers Association and was the first female president from 1982-83. She was also on the Governor's Small Business Council. On September 5, 1970, Helen married Marvin Rasmussen of Platte. Helen enjoyed studying God's word and was active in her Lutheran Ladies Circle. She participated in women's bowling and golf leagues.

Helen was an outstanding cook and loved hosting gettogethers with friends and family around the dining room table. She upheld the family tradition of Sunday coffee with her twin brothers and their families all of their adult lives. Some of her favorite pastimes were crewel stitchery, crossword puzzles, and watching golf on TV. Helen is survived by two daughters, Jane (Terry) Rafferty, Phoenix; Jean Ann (Gene) Qualm, Mesa, AZ; two sons, Paul (Jeanette) DeHaan, Custer; Donnie (Brenda) DeHaan, Wagner; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Arlo DeHaan and Marvin Rasmussen; her brother, Beryl Pranger; and her parents.

Memorials may be directed to Wings of Hope Cancer Fund, Trinity Lutheran Church, or Lake Platte Golf Course. Condolences may be sent to www.plattestickneyfh.com Golf Fund-Raiser Tops $9,000 Mark The four-person scramble sponsored by the Platte-Geddes Athletic Foundation Sunday at the Lake Platte Golf Course had a good turnout. About $9,200 was raised for the proposed track. The team of Rob and Pat Reiser and Kevin and Myles Kuiper and the team of Arlo, Rocky, Monte and Jason Nelson tied for first. Funeral services for Herman Korthals, 86, will be held Friday, Sept.

11, 2009 at 10:30 a.m., at the Olive Presbyterian Church in Platte with Pastor Dale Sallans officiating. Mr. Korthals died at the Platte Care Center Tuesday, Sept. 1, after a courageous struggle with cancer having first been diagnosed with the disease in 1967. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m.

today (Thursday) at the church with a 7 p.m. prayer service. Patricia Nachtigal will be soloist and Vicki Erickson will be organist. Casket bearers will be Ralph Nachtigal, Jamie and Jason Huizenga, Shawn Travis, Aaron Rachel and Matt Mueller. Burial with military honors by Campbell-Timmerman American Legion Post 115 will be in the Platte City Cemetery.

Mount Funeral Home will handle the arrangements. Herman was born as the eighth child in a family of 12 children on Nov. 8, 1923 in 1 Rock Valley, IA to Henry and Lina (Mulder) Korthals. He moved with his family as a child to a farm near White Lake and graduated from White Lake High School. He enlisted in the U.S.

Army during World War II and served in Germany. At one point there were five Korthals brothers serving in the U.S. military. He began working at The Platte Enterprise Oct. 20, 1947 and still helped with inserting at the time of his death since, the word "retirement" was not in his vocabulary.

He married Thelma VanHeest on Dec. 31, 1948. He was one of the original members of the Platte National Guard unit when it was organized in 1956 and served for years. He was a volunteer weather observer for the National Weather Service for more than 60 years. He served on the Platte Community Building board of directors and was president of the Men's Bowling Association for many years.

He bowled on several leagues each week. He helped organize a horseshoe pitching league in the early 60s and helped get horseshoe pits installed in North Park. He was a member of CampbellTimmerman Post 115 of the American Legion for 62 years and helped wherever needed in that organization serving as a ticket taker as Legion baseball games, military color guard for parades and funerals, conducting flag etiquette programs in the schools, speaking to PHS high school government classes on his WWII service and became a legend at selling raffle tickets. He also dispensed money to needy individuals for the Salvation Army and later the Platte Ministerial Association. He was a blood donor for many years and collected untold numbers of aluminum cans on his bicycle.

He also fixed countless strings of Christmas lights for residents and still found time to decorate the Korthals home with of lights and decorations each Christmas. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Thelma; two daughters: Sharon (Norm) Huizenga and Barb (Tom) Travis, all of Platte; five grandchildren: Jamie (Paula) Huizenga, Pierre; Jason (Tana) Huizenga, Platte; Rebecca (Aaron) Raichel, Parker, CO; Rachel (Matt) Mueller and Shawn Travis, Sioux Falls; eight great-grandchildren Casi and Caleb Huizenga, Pierre; Maggie, Allie and Emmie Huizenga, Platte; and Annika, Alisha and Amelia Mueller, Sioux Falls; a brother, John Korthals, George, IA; and several nieces and nephews. Herman Korthals Donald D. Kuper A memorial service for Donald D. Kuper was held at 11 a.m.

Saturday, Sept. 5, at First Presbyterian Church in Sioux Falls. Memorial visitation was held Friday at 2 p.m. at George Boom Funeral Home in Sioux Falls with the family present from 5 to 7 p.m. Donald D.

Kuper, age 76, died Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009 at the Dougherty Hospice House. Don was united in marriage with Dorthea "Dort" Johnson October 21, 1955 in Platte. They have lived in Sioux Falls from 1955 until the present. Following high school Don served in the United States Army from 1953 -1955; serving a year in the Korean War.

He was employed at the Maytag District Store in Sioux Falls from 1955 to 1962. From 1962 to 1993 he worked as a lineman and head of the meter department for Northern States Power. Don loved the outdoors and enjoyed a lifetime of camping, hunting and fishing. In addition he and Dort were active in square dancing with Sioux Squares Club for many years. Survivors include his wife, Dorthea; daughters, Cheryl (Paul) Timm of Eugene, OR, Patricia (Tom) Lynch of Marshfield, WI; son, Ronald (Candy Knopf) Kuper of Sioux Falls; six grandchildren; sisters, Shirley Pitman, Montrose, CO, Bette (Paul) Jackson, Sioux Falls; and brother, Dave (Mary) Kuper of Sioux Falls.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Dick and Hilka Kuper; sisters, Geneva Carver and- Sandra Carver; and one brother, Lee. Donald D. Judith A. (Pavlis) Eckert Mass of Christian for Judith A Eckert, 64, Arden Hills, MN was held at St William's Catholic Church in Fridley, MN on Monday, Sept. 7, 2009 with Miller Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

A parish prayer service was held Sunday evening at Miller Funeral Home. Private interment was held Tuesday, Sept. 8, at Sunset Cemetery in Minneapolis. Judith Eckert of Arden Hills, MN passed away Sept. 3, 2009 of cancer.

She is survived by husband, Richard "Dick" Eckert; daughter, Julie (Brian) Boehmke; two grandchildren; three step-children Patricia (Larry) Keen, Robert (Grace) Eckert, Joseph (Teresa) Eckert; eight step-grandchildren; two step-great-grandchildren; a sister Dodie (Manny) Slagerman; parents-in-law, Harold and Iona Pavlis of Geddes and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by first husband, Lyle Pavlis (2001). Memorials are preferred to The Lodge on Summit Oaks, 1412 Summit Oaks Burnsville, MN 55337. He was preceded in death by his parents and 10 brothers and sisters: Henry, Mason, Ed and Leonard Korthals, Gert Boone, Jen Hoogeveen, Grace Axemaker, Kate Gales, Jean Foltz and Leona Ramharter. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wings Hope Cancer Fund, Box 192, Platte, SD 57369.

Robert M. Johnson Funeral services for Robert Milton Johnson, 83, Highlandville, MO were held at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009 in Adams Funeral Home with Pastor Randall Harwood officiating. Burial was a at 2 p.m., in Missouri Veterans Cemetery, Springfield, with military honors.

Robert Milton Johnson, Highlandville, passed away Wednesday, September 2, 2009, with his family at his side, following a courageous battle with cancer. He was born December 30, 1927, in Platte, the son of Sherman and Bessie Johnson. He grew up in a farming family i in the Platte countryside, attended Yankton College in South Dakota, and Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1952, he met and married Ruth Karbon, while both were serving in the U.S.

Air Force. Mr. Johnson was a hospital administrator for over 30 years in the Midwest. In 1982, he retired with Ruth to Highlandville. He was a member of Spokane First Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth; his mother, Bessie Johnson, Platte; a daughter, Nora Schaeffer and husband, Jerry Beckerson, Chillicothe, Ohio; and a son, David Johnson and wife, Rebecca Sroge and grand Memorial donations may be made to Spokane First Baptist Church. Travis to a the bride Even the Paul James Iverson A memorial service for Paul James Iverson was held at Heritage Funeral Home in Sioux Falls at 11 a.m. Saturday, August 1, 2009 with Rev. Michael Brandt officiating. Paul James Iverson, age 49, of Sioux Falls, died July 25, 2009, at Sanford Medical Center in Sioux Falls.

He was born on June 11, 1960. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1979. Paul was especially accomplished in golf, receiving the fourth place medal in the State A Golf Tournament in 1979. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education at Northern State University and an Associate Engineering Degree at South Dakota State University. Paul enjoyed nature and outdoor.

activities and spent many hours biking, hiking, canoeing and hunting. He also enjoyed many different creative and artistic pursuits such as drawing, painting, and woodworking. Surviving are his father, James D. Iverson, of Sioux Falls; sister Nancy (Bob) Schantz, and their children, Christina, Katie, and Jimmy Schantz, Ft. Wayne, IN; and Julie J.

Iverson, of Sioux Falls. He was preceded in death by his mother, Joan C. Iverson. Something terrible happens when you don't NOTHING! We can help you promote your business! Platte Enterprise Ph. 337-3101 Platte.