… William M. Naessig 1940 Eminent FarmerDay William M. Naessig, Webster, was born in Saxony, Germany, July 6, 1861. He attended school in Germany until he was 17. After completing a period of service in the German army he worked at the carpenter trade in his native land until he had saved about $150. At 21, he set out alone for America. The young man went to work as a carpenter, following his trade in and around Minneapolis for three years. He purchased a land relinquishment in …
… Nellie M. Willuweit 1995 Eminent HomemakerPennington Nellie (Nell) Willuweit is a true leader and teacher who has positively influenced the lives of many youth in western South Dakota. Her leadership has helped greatly to improve her community, county and state. She taught school for 35 years and is still actively involved in ranching. Nell Willuweit organized the Pedro Rough Riders 4-H Club and has served as a 4-H … other and other communities to gain a perception of responsibility and learn to interact with children/adults from other areas. Willuweit began as a country school teacher more than 50 years ago. This was the beginning of a life-long career in building better futures for hundreds of children described as "lucky enough to be touched by this gracious, hardworking, …
… Ella (Peter P.) Vallery, was a resident of Butte County continuously for 64 years. She was born March 1, 1857, in Green Lake, Wisconsin. Her family lived in Minnesota during her youth. Vallery is a graduate of the Normal School, Mankato, Minnesota. She taught several years in Minnesota before her first marriage to George R. Ames in 1879. Ames died two … from 1884 to 1891. As county superintendent of Butte County which then included Butte, Harding and Perkins counties, she received $100 a year. In addition she received $2.50 for each school visited. Her two small sons always accompanied her on these trips in a buckboard over prairie roads and trails. In 1892, she married Peter P. Vallery, who died in 1937. Three children were born to this marriage. Vallery’s …
… in 1983. Bogue, of Beresford, had begun his public-service career as the first leader of the Lincoln County 4-H Livestock Club when it was organized about 1924, and he went on to distinguish himself not only as an agricultural leader, but also as a legislator and a strong proponent for elementary, secondary and higher education in South Dakota. He began farming with … now the farm handles 2,000 head per year. David took over the farm after Bogue’s semi-retirement in 1972, and the cattle feeding ended. And now, Bogue’s grandsons maintain a flock of registered Suffolk sheep on the farm, and this marks the fourth generation of the family to be involved on this same place. Over the years, Bogue has been a lifetime member of the Farm … of the advisory board of the Intermediate Credit Bank of Omaha when, in 1972, he represented the states of South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming and Iowa before the joint Agriculture Committee of the United States Congress in Washington, D.C., in testifying for the agriculture bill. In 1947, he was appointed to the State Board of Education, when school district …
… Elden (Delila) Tompkins 1977 Eminent HomemakerHyde Delila Tompkins, Highmore, likes to do her part for Extension. That’s why she cannot overlook a lesson, her chance to learn something she hasn’t done, and why she was chosen as 1977 Eminent Homemaker by the South Dakota Board of Regents and South Dakota State University. Active as a 4-H leader for over 10 years, … year. Following two cataract operations, she has chosen to take a less active part in Extension programs. She used to take lessons in other counties to learn a new craft, and then come back to Hyde County to teach the homemakers. She did the same with 4-H. The husband and wife Tompkins’ team organized the Bramhall Boosters 4-H Club when children in the community … Women’s organization. The Tompkins have worked side by side in the operation of their 2,800 acre farm. She has kept all of the farm records, including the paperwork for their registered livestock—Hereford cows, Rambouillet and Hampshire sheep. As a member of the County Library Board, Tompkins helped oversee the moving and remodeling of the new library. She …
… Janice Snyder 1984 Eminent HomemakerMeade Twenty-one years after her father, Enos Blair, had been named Eminent Farmer, Janice Snyder received the Eminent Homemaker honor. As a young bride in 1929, Janice saw her husband's mother fear the electric stove "because it had too many buttons. "It was at that point she resolved for herself that she would keep up with … got me beat." Her quest for learning and her interest in teaching other have been dominant throughout her adult life. She is a 33-year, recently retired volunteer 4-H leader and a 50-year Extension Homemaker. She has passed her life-long interest in wildflowers, grasses and conservation to her eldest grandson and she practices gardening full-scale in her … to build a new house in 1945, she headed straight for the Meade County Extension Office where she picked up bulletins and fact sheets and planned--for four years. She looked at magazines, studied house plans and construction methods, learned about modern conveniences and appliances, drew plans, built furniture and appliances to scale and arranged them inside …
… Dorthy Nothdurft 1993 Eminent HomemakerLincoln Dorthy Nothdurft is a woman with many talents, a true leader in her community, county, state and region. Dorthy is described as a very special person who unselfishly invests her expertise and convictions to make a difference in the lives of young people and adults. In the community service arena, she has been a 4-H volunteer leader for 21 years. She has also been a Key Leader providing educational training for 4-H members … she was the coordinator of the State Fair 4-H Barbecue and has served as a judge at county and state fairs. Dorthy is a member of the Camp Lakodia Board and was co-chairperson of the 50-year celebration of Camp Lakodia. She is now helping raise funds for the 4-H Foundation. She is a vocal supporter of the Cooperative Extension Service and has conducted a number of …
… Orrin Korth 2018 Eminent FarmerCodington Codington County farmer Orrin Korth has contributed to the good of South Dakota agriculture in many ways. He has also been an innovator in both crop and livestock production. “I grew up helping my father, Otto, on the farm that was homesteaded by my great-grandfather in 1885 and knew I wanted to get a college education to be able to come back and apply what I learned to diversify and advance our farm and help our community,” Korth says. He decided to attend South Dakota School of Agriculture, now South Dakota … own land a quarter mile down the road. After returning, he gradually took over leadership in the operation. He grew small grains, corn, soybeans, flax and sunflowers. He also raised registered and certified seed and provided a seed cleaning service to help prevent the spread of weeds. “I wanted to be sure that South Dakota farmers had the best performing seed to …
… Ann Vostad 2019 Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and CommunityBrookings Two of Ann Vostad’s main passions are the dairy industry and striving to positively impact the lives of youth, both of which she has dedicated her life’s work to … gaining a degree in agriculture banking from Pipestone Vocational Technical Institute in Pipestone, Minnesota, she and Kevin returned to her family’s dairy farm where they milked registered Jersey’s. Following the dispersal of her family’s herd, Vostad went to work at Post Lane Dairy. In December of 1994, the Vostad’s started their own dairy operation, with Vostad continuing her employment at Post Lane Dairy. Their three kids, Stephanie Mattson, Ashley Seifert and Thorwald Vostad, showed the family’s dairy cattle in 4-H, FFA and open class shows. The Vostad’s now help several of their grandkids show the cattle in 4-H. Vostad served as an officer in the South Dakota Jersey Cattle Association. She also regularly …
… To provide a good home for her husband and nine children and give the children opportunities toward success were the first interests and goals of Grace Fairchild, Philip. An outstanding personality in her community, she is also recognized for her ability to manage a farm and ranch. Fairchild was born in Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin, May 30, 1881. Her father was a horticulturist. Mrs. Fairchild was graduated from the two-year elementary course at Platteville, Wisconsin, teachers college when she was seventeen. She …