Ronald L. Chyba, 67, passed away on February 9 2014, in Lihue, Hawaii as reported by Janet Chyba Thoresen DHS1955

Ron is holding his Derringer dual barrel  .45/410 shotgun for self defense

Ronald L. Chyba, 67, passed away on February 9 2014, in Lihue, Hawaii.

He was born September 18, 1946 to Joseph and Ann Chyba, in Deadwood, and attended school there and Riverside, Calif. He went to Black Hills State University, and took courses at Riverside City College.

Ron was a computer programmer for ESCO Technologies, working on guidance systems for submarines. He received helicopter training in the Army, and was stationed in Texas.

He is survived by his brother, Robert Chyba of Campbellsport, Wisconsin; sister, Janet Thoresen of Spearfish South Dakota; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Cremation has taken place, with inurnment to be at a later date.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DickD Remembrance

Ron at his 81 Stewart Street house

I knew Ron his whole life.  He was my friend. 

Chybas, Allens, Veitls, Lesters, myself, and others lived in the neighborhood behind the Deadwood Hospital.  Ron was much younger than the rest of us so he was always left behind.  As a result he was loner when growing up.  He attended the Deadwood School and was already in high school when he and his mother moved to California. After high school graduation Ron attended college. 

Being extremely intelligent, he was interested in computing and electronics.  He excelled at ESCO Technologies with major contributions.  Ron was always a voracious reader and developed mystical beliefs along with a strong wanderlust to travel.  His computing ID was Shivaron from his interest in the Hindu Shiva.  Ron’s belief of Shiva set his spiritual life and minimalist quiet lifestyle of a complete loner.  His wonderlust to travel was strong so he lived wherever he had a interest to be. 

He left California and ESCO and eventually returned to Deadwood and the Black Hills. At one time he had a rough terrain motorbike and completely explored the Black Hills.  

Ron and I spent quiet times talking and at my urging, he explained his beliefs and lifestyle.  He agreed it was different that most people but observed it was not a life for most people.
 

For his last destination he moved to Kauai HI USA as he felt his exploration of the Black Hills was complete. Little was heard from Ron until his death.

I did receive an email from Shivaron two years ago that addressed my email question of his writing about cave living:

Ron’s email response reads:

DickD wrote: "For a cave, how you (Ron) picked the spot, planning, access, cave set up, how you passed time, experiences, and why you gave up on the idea. I think this is a great personal interest story. As I remember you never felt that you were alone there and felt a strong need to leave"

I did a lot of camping in the hills, but never lived in a cave. So.. there was never a "giving up on the idea" or "feeling a strong need to leave. True, it would make for a GREAT human interest story on your website if that were the case. I think this is how rumors get started, no?
 

I can tell you truthfully that one night at one of my base camps and on a full moon, a pack of four or five coyotes showed up and began howling just a few yards from my tent. I attached some significance to that encounter at the time because it just happened to be on the morning of my birthday!

Also, I can address the issue of not feeling alone.  As a kid, I spent a lot of time by myself in the forest behind our old house on Stewart St. I would hike up to White Rocks or Devil's Cave and eat lunch there or sometimes take a book and climb a tree and read. I read the entire book "Old Yeller" in a tree. It was during that period that I learned to feel comfortable being alone. Early on I realized one could feel "lonely" in a crowd of people and also one can feel "crowded" when all by oneself. It occurred to me that it's simply a  point of view. It was one of those "Aha" moments that I've always valued. No matter what circumstances I've found myself in throughout my life, I've never felt crowded OR alone. But more importantly I've never made decisions based on that kind of subjective perception.

Josephine Faye (Parker) Zellmer passed away Februrary 9, 2014

Zellmer, Josephine 'Josie'
Oct 16, 1944 - Feb 9, 2014

RAPID CITY | Josephine Faye (Parker) Zellmer was born Oct. 16, 1944, to H. Jay Parker and Doris (Wilson) Parker in Pierre, SD. Josie passed away Sunday, Feb. 9, 2014, at Hospice of the Black Hills with dignity and self-confidence at the age of 69, from complications of cancer and pneumonia.

Josie’s early school years were spent at Kirley School until her family moved to the farm south of Deadwood, where she continued her education in the Deadwood School system. After high school she relocated to Pierre where she worked in various bookkeeping jobs. It was in Pierre she met her soul mate, Bill Zellmer. They were married on June 25, 1988. After Bill retired they moved to Rapid City.

Josie was active in quilting clubs in both Pierre and Rapid City and especially enjoyed quilting retreats and workshops. She made many quilted items for family and friends and made sure she had a denim quilt ready for her great-nieces and great-nephews as they graduated from high school. Josie also loved rides through the Hills, gardening, and photography. She always enjoyed the Parker family reunions and attended as she was able.

Josie is survived by her husband, Bill; her sister, Hannah (Jim) Heath; her brother, Keyron (Mary) Parker; and several nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents.

As per her wishes, she was cremated and will be remembered at a Celebration Of Life to be held at a later date.

A memorial has been established by the family.

GUEST BOOK

Mary L. (Roebuck) McGovern DHS1960 died in IL at age 71 reports Bonnie (Roebuck) Huber DHS1954

Mary L. (Roebuck) McGovern
April 1, 1942 - December 19, 2013
DHS1960

Mary L. McGovern, age 71 of Maquon, Illinois died at 4:27 A.M. on Thursday, December 19, 2013 at OSF St. Mary Medical Center in Galesburg, Illinois.

She was born on April 1, 1942 in Deadwood, South Dakota, the daughter of Reinhold and Irene Colwell Roebuck. She graduated from Deadwood High School and completed two years of college. She married Donald E. McGovern on October 3, 1970 at Deadwood, South Dakota. He survives of Maquon, Illinois.

Surviving are her children: Kelley S. (Nathan) Kohring of Cleveland, Ohio; Heath J. McGovern of Peoria, Illinois; Daniel D. (Charlet) McGovern of Pekin, Illinois; Anita D. (David) Novak of Brimfield, Illinois and Michael S. (Marcie) McGovern of Kansas. Also surviving are twelve grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. One brother, Clifford (Vicky) Roebuck of Yorba Linda, California and one sister, Bonnie Huber of Sparta, New Jersey. She was preceded in death by her parents, one daughter Tamara, one grandson Tyler and one sister Shirley.

She was a letter carrier for eleven years at the Peoria, Illinois post office. She was a 4-H leader, Cub Scout and Girl Scout leader in Yates City, Illinois. She enjoyed bowling and working with senior citizens in Maquon, Illinois. She was a member of the Douglas United Methodist Church, Douglas, Illinois.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M., with a one hour visitation prior, on Monday, December 23, 2013 at the Maquon United Methodist Church in Maquon, Illinois. Rev. Sue Bryce will officiate. Visitation will be from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. on Sunday, December 22, 2013 at the Hurd-Hendricks Funeral Home in Knoxville, Illinois. Interment will be at the Maquon Cemetery, Maquon, Illinois. The family requests memorials be made to the Lung Transplant Patient Care Fund. On-line condolences and sympathy cards may be sent through www.hurd-hendricksfuneralhomes.com

Chan Biggs DHS1960 passed away in Montana February 8, 2014

Chan Biggs' Obituary
1942 - 2014
DHS1960

Chanler Clarence - "Chan" - Biggs passed away early Sunday February 8, 2014  after a long illness. He was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1942, and spent most of his youth through high school in Deadwood, SD. Chan served in the U.S. Navy before graduating from Oregon State University and joining the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. He spent much of his career with the BLM working on the Missouri River and the Fort Benton and Lewis &Clark Visitors Centers.

Chan's knowledge of the Missouri River Breaks' flora, fauna, geology and history was encyclopedic. In 1984 he accompanied Jacques Cousteau and a film crew as they traveled the Missouri River between Fort Benton and Fort Peck dam filming a documentary about the Mississippi-Missouri system. He was also co-author of the 2001 book Montana's Wild and Scenic Upper Missouri River Guidebook, and was featured in William Least Heat-Moon's 1999 book River Horse. Chan cared passionately about the preservation of Montana's natural and cultural heritage and public understanding of that heritage. He was an active member in the National Association of Interpreters and served as the group's president in 1998.

Chan took great joy in introducing his children and other family and friends to the Missouri River, and his children believe to this day that teaching them to maneuver a jet boat through rocky waters or a canoe through rapids was his way of preparing them for life's challenges. Chan's family will also remember him fondly for his supporting role in the B movie “Ski Troop Attack”, a 1960 “classic” filmed in the Black Hills near Deadwood. Chan’s full bio on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) reads: “Chan Biggs is an actor, known for Ski Troop Attack (1960).” The curious and the doubters are invited to view the full length movie on YouTube.

One of his other great loves was singing in a barbershop quartet, performing at events large and small. He was also an honorary member of the Great Falls Garden Club, designing award winning yearbooks for their events.

Chan is survived by his wife, Patricia, children Michelle "Shelby" Zenahlik and Daniel Biggs, and three grandchildren, as well as three siblings: sisters Barbara Biggs (Denver), Patrice Williamson (Spearfish, SD) and brother Gary (Omaha). He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Frances Biggs, his brother Byron, and wife Kally.

Chan's family will welcome friends to an Open House in his honor on Saturday, February 15, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at 3925 6th Avenue South, Great Falls, MT. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations in Chan's honor be made to the Friends of the Missouri Breaks Monument (www.missouribreaks.org) and the River And Plains Society, Inc. of Fort Benton, MT. Contributions can be sent to the family or directly to these organizations.

Duane Palmer DHS1952 Passed Away in Idaho January 27, 2014

Duane Palmer
DHS1952 
 Friday, January 31, 2014
Mountain Home News

Harlen Palmer, 80, of Mountain Home, passed away on Monday, Jan. 27, 2014, at the Boise ID VA Medical Center.

A viewing will be held from 4-6 p.m., on Thursday, Feb. 6, at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel. A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m., on Friday, Feb. 7, at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church and burial with military honors will follow at Mountain View Cemetery. ...