James Merk, 64, of Freeman, S.D., passed away Monday, April 4, 2022 at the Firesteel Nursing Home in Mitchell, S.D. A remembrance of life service will be held on Saturday, May 27 at 2 p.m. at Walter Funeral Home in Freeman.    James (Jim) Robert Merk was born Aug. 12, 1957 to Clifford and Ardis (Pankratz) Merk in Freeman. Jim attended Diamond Valley District 56 and Freeman High School. He graduated in 1975. Jim lived and farmed on the family land until ill health necessitated his move to Firesteel Healthcare Community in Mitchell. 

Freeman High School's Class of 2023 graduates toss their caps in the air after leaving the commencement stage Saturday afternoon, May 13 following a ceremony that lasted short of an hour. Graduation at Freeman Public featured a time to recognize honor students, a PowerPoint presentation featuring the seniors and their journey, a gift of carnations shared with loved ones, and the presentation of diplomas. There were other graduations on on Saturday, as well, including at Menno, where 26 seniors said goodbye in an afternoon ceremony at the school's high school gym.

The inch-plus of badly-needed rain that fell across the Freeman community is reason for celebration, as are the graduations scheduled for today; commencements at Freeman Public (pictured) and Menno are both scheduled for this afternoon.

This photo, taken by famous Freeman photographer Willard Waltner sometime in the later 1960s, features Freeman's baseball field and a government C.C.C. bin site the foreground, with the community further to the south behind it. The relatively new-at-the-time St. Paul Lutheran Church is pictured toward the upper center, and what was then Freeman Public School is pictured right of center in the upper third of the photo. 

  JEREMY WALTNER - PUBLISHER Randall Koehler, the pastor of the Hutterthal Mennonite Church who delivered the address at the Freeman Ministerial Association’s community baccalaureate service last Sunday afternoon, May 7, had a message for the Class of 2023 that may have been hard for some to hear. Graduates, he told those assembled in the auditorium inside the Freeman Community Center, you probably don’t have life all figured out.

Banners honoring the Freeman High School and Freeman Academy classes of 2023 went up on along Sixth Street Wednesday night, and banners honoring the Menno High School Class of 2023 are going up along Fifth Street in Menno Thursday morning. Hanging the banners in Freeman were Mitch Kleinsasser and Tabitha Schoenwald, and Ken's Electric is assisting in Menno this morning. The 26 banners recognizing the seniors in Menno and the 31 recognizing the seniors in Freeman are sponsored by various businesses, organizations and individuals.

This photo by Courier reader Evan Waltner was taken Sunday morning. While the community hasn't received much of the rain that has been in the forecast, it has been partly cloudy the past few days, with a brief shower coming on Tuesday. And rain and wind are in the forecast for the next several days, with a chance for stormy weather.

Merchants State Bank in Freeman is pictured beneath cloudy skies on Tuesday — part of an overcast week that may produce rain and thunderstorms. There's a chance for both each of the coming days, with the best chance of severe weather Thursday and Friday.

Myrdes Ruth Steffen, 103, of Menno, S.D., passed away Thursday, May 4, 2023, at the Menno-Olivet Care Center in Menno. A memorial service will be 11 a.m., Wednesday, May 10 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Menno with Rev. Brian Moseman officiating. Inurnment will be in the Menno Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent at www.opsahl-kostelfuneralhome.com.

Randall Koehler, pastor at the Hutterthal Mennonite Church northwest of Freeman, offers the message Sunday afternoon, May 7 at the Freeman Ministerial Association's community baccalaureate held at the Freeman Community Center. Many of the graduating seniors from Freeman Academy and Freeman Public attended the religious worship service that included music, scripture, prayer and the keynote from Pastor Koehler. Watch for a recap from Sunday's baccalaureate in this week's Courier.