Stories Behind the Scholarships

Jean Anderson was a former teacher in the Milbank School District.

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Connor Dale Munson was born March 31, 1993, in Milbank, SD. Connor attended school in Milbank and was in the seventh grade. He was baptized in the Catholic faith and was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church. He was active with the Grant County ARC.

Connor Munson, age 14 of Milbank died April 8th, 2007 at Sanford Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls.

Below is an inscription on Connors Headstone from his mother, father and brother.

OUR GIFT

Gifts are often given in celebration of birthdays, anniversaries and just because. Gifts can be money, a candle to a friend, or cookies for a sick neighbor. Gifts can be small, large or somewhere in between. Gifts are given in Love; with Love; and in expectation of Love. God's gifts are given with unconditional LOVE! Children are the greatest gifts we will ever receive from God. What we do with that gift is our appreciation of that gift. We raise them, feed them, clothe them, Love them. We teach them right from wrong, good from bad. We teach them to share their gifts with family, friends, church and neighbors; but in the end we must return the most precious gift ever bestowed upon us by God. Our gift this day, to you, God is the laughter Connor gave, the Love he shared and his soul that touched everyone he met. It is not a gift that is returned in spite, or in anger. It is not returned freely, or without hesitation, but returned with LOVE! We know deep in our hearts that our gift to you, God, is the greatest gift ever given to us.

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Doug and Linda Buri were both born and raised here in Northeast South Dakota. Linda graduated from Castlewood High School and Doug from Milbank high school. Both Doug and Linda attended SDSU in Brookings. Doug is a life-long farmer / rancher, now retired and Linda is the owner of Linda's Fashions in the Milbank Mall. They both feel very fortunate to have had successful business careers which allowed them to fund several Education Foundation scholarships.

First or Second Generation scholarship: This scholarship is awarded to a deserving student who themselves or their parents / grandparents were born outside the USA. In effect we are all descended from ancestors who were immigrants to this country. This scholarship acknowledges the courage, faith, and achievements of these first-generation students.

Doug and Linda Buri were both born and raised here in Northeast South Dakota. Linda graduated from Castlewood High School and Doug from Milbank high school. Both Doug and Linda attended SDSU in Brookings. Doug is a life long farmer / rancher, now retired and Linda is the owner of Linda's Fashions in the Milbank Mall. They both feel very fortunate to have had successful business careers which allowed them to fund several Education Foundation scholarships.

Student's Selection scholarship: No one is better positioned to know who is deserving of a scholarship than their peers. Other students know best about the need, quality of character, and abilities of an applicant. To that end, all scholarship applicants are given an opportunity to vote on who they feel is most deserving of this scholarship. Simply, the student with the most votes is awarded this scholarship.

Douglas Tschetter started his career in Milbank in 1978 after teaching in Highmore, SD for two years. Doug’s career in Milbank continued until 2014 when he retired. Doug taught speech and English his entire career in Milbank.
Throughout his career in Milbank, he coached Oral Interpretation, Debate and Speech, and Student Congress. He was named the South Dakota Debate Coach of the year four times in his career: 1991, 1998, 2003, and 2014.
Doug advised the National Forensic League (National Speech and Debate Association) chapter and was the seventh person in the history of the nation to achieve his seventh coaching diamond. In 2016, he did receive his eighth diamond. In 2018, he was put into the Hall of Fame of the South Dakota Coaches Association. Doug also helped institute the debate camp/workshop held on the campus of SDSU for over 25 years.
Doug enjoyed being around young people and established some lifelong friends through the classroom and through speech activities, both from his own team and from the teams of others.

Dr. Norman C. Madsen was born to Enoch and Marie (Paulsen) Madsen on May 13, 1925, in Hetland, SD. In 1943, Dr. Madsen enlisted in the United States Navy and served in WWII. After his discharge, he married the love of his life, Carol Hansen on October 16, 1945.

Carol May Hansen was born on January 19, 1926, in DeSmet, SD. She was the daughter of Roy and Carrie May (Pirlet) Hansen. After Carol graduated from high school, she attended Huron College. Carol and Norman were blessed with five children. All five children graduated from Milbank High School.

Dr. Madsen and Carol were faithful and long-time members of the Congregational Church in Milbank. Carol was active as a Sunday School teacher. Carol was also an active Girl Scout Leader and volunteered at the Milbank Hospital as a Pink/Grey Lady.

Dr. Madsen attended college and earned his Doctor of Dental Science Degree from Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. The family lived in DeSmet, Brookings, and Chicago before settling down with his dental practice in Milbank, SD. He and Carol resided in Milbank from Aug 13, 1951, until Oct 16, 2010.

Dr. Madsen was involved with many organizations. He was a charter member of Kiwanis, member and past Commander of the American Legion V.F.W., past President of the Milbank Country Club, 69-year member of the Masons, a Sioux Land Dental Study Club charter member, and one of the original members of the Whetstone Valley Nursing Home Board of Directors where he served for 20 years.

Dr. Madsen served on the Milbank Board of Education from 1956 - 1982 and as the president from 1971 - 1982. In 1978, he was named South Dakota Outstanding School Board Member. Dr. Madsen was one of the founders of the Milbank High School Scholarship Foundation.

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Gaylene Marie (Holen) Stengel was born November 29, 1951, in Clear Lake, South Dakota, to Julius and Ruth Holen. She graduated from Clear Lake High School and attended South Dakota State University. On September 1, 1973, she married Douglas Stengel in Brandt, South Dakota. Together they made their home north of Milbank, where they raised their three children, Seth, Ryan, and Libby, all of whom attended and graduated from Milbank High School.

Gaylene worked as a teacher’s aide and at First Federal Bank before joining her husband in the family business, Stengel Seed and Grain, where she worked for many years. She was deeply devoted to her family while also holding a strong appreciation for education and the importance of supporting opportunities for all children to learn and succeed.

Gaylene passed away at age 57 after a brief battle with cancer. Her family’s deep appreciation for the Milbank community and their belief in the power of education continue to inspire their support of opportunities for local students.

Carol attended rural schools and graduated from Corona High School in 1951 where she enjoyed being a basketball cheerleader. She was united in marriage with Glenn “Bud” Aden on September 27, 1952.

Carol and Bud farmed together in Vernon Township for 16 years. In 1969, they moved to the Aden family farm in Grant Center Township. In 1994, Bud passed away and Carol moved into Milbank.

Carol was a faithful member of American Lutheran Church and later, Living Word Lutheran Church. She enjoyed volunteering with her baked goods at the church and working on the bulletin weekly. She was happy to be wherever needed. She enjoyed spending time doing yard work. She loved to watch sporting events, especially high school girls basketball. For many years, Carol worked with her sisters-in-law painting and staining woodwork for many families in the area.

A former resident of Milbank.

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James E. "Duke" Emanuel, was born on September 2, 1919, in Milbank. He graduated from Milbank High School in 1937 and from South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD, in 1941 with a degree in agricultural economics. As a Veteran of WWII, Duke served his country as a Captain in the US Army from June 25, 1941, until he was honorably discharged on May 25, 1946. He served in New Guinea and Luzon in the Philippines. Jim was united in marriage to Marion Dempster on January 12, 1946, in Sioux Falls, SD. He attended mortuary school at Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, from 1946-47. He then joined the family business as a partner with his parents.

Jim was called back into the US Army during the Korean War as an instructor to commissioned officers. Jim was honorably discharged on December29, 1952. After his father's death, Jim owned and operated Emanuel Funeral Home, Emanuel Furniture Store, and Emanuel Ambulance until retiring in 1997. He then sold the furniture and carpet store and ambulance service to his son and daughter-in-law, John and Heidi Emanuel, and the funeral home to his daughter Nancy (Emanuel) Patterson and her husband, Norm Patterson.

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Gladys Irish was raised and educated in Huron, SD. John R was raised in Houghton, SD, and was educated at Houghton, Aberdeen Central, and the University of North Dakota. Gladys and John R met in Huron, South Dakota. Gladys was employed in the office of Northwestern Public Service and John R was an employee of the Firestone and Rubber Co. They were married on August 11, 1941. John R served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in Europe in WW II from 1942 through August 1945. Following John R’s return, Gladys and John R resided in Jamestown, North Dakota where they became parents to their two sons, John L and Richard.

In 1948, Gladys and John R relocated to Milbank to establish and operate the Firestone Store, a tire and hardware store located on the north end of Main Street; a location later occupied by the Valley Queen Heritage Center and Cheese Shop. John R served on the Board of Education of the Milbank School District and was a Board member and President of the Milbank Country Club. He participated in many improvements to the golf course. Gladys was active in the Congregational Church as Treasurer, served as a member and President of the Pink Ladies, and was a bookkeeper at the Firestone Store. Gladys and John R enjoyed the Milbank community, their customers and friends, and having the opportunity to raise and educate their sons in the Milbank School District. After over 30 years in business in Milbank, they retired to Arizona. John R passed away in 2005 and Gladys passed away in 2009.

Their sons John L and Richard were graduates of Central Elementary and Milbank High School. John L is married to Diane Anderson Maynes and both are 1964 graduates of Milbank High School. Richard is a 1966 graduate of MHS. Diane, John L, and Richard went forward with their educations and received degrees in higher education. All of the Maynes family is appreciative of the education received in the Milbank School District.

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Joanne Burges Andersen was born and raised in Milbank and graduated from Milbank High School with the class of 1951. From there, she went on to attend the University of South Dakota.

Lawrence “Andy” Andersen grew up on a farm near Irene, SD and after graduating from Irene’s high school also went on to attend the University of South Dakota.

Joanne and Andy met as USD students, while on tour with the university concert band. Andy majored in music and planned on a teaching career. After the couple married, he was hired to lead the Arlington (S.D.) High School music department. During their years in Arlington, the couple had two children. Joanne gave piano lessons and worked on completing her degree, graduating Phi Beta Kappa from USD.

When Joanne’s father (Charles Burges) died unexpectedly, in 1957, the Andersens moved to Milbank to help with the family newspaper business, the Milbank Herald Advance. Apart from managing the newspaper, a strong civic commitment to the success and growth of Milbank was always a priority. They remained proud residents of Milbank their entire lives.

Although Andy’s professional career in music ended with the move to Milbank, he continued to enjoy playing the piano both in public and at home. Joanne was the organist at her church, and offered piano lessons to young students.

Joanne was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1983, and the Andersens were eventually forced to sell the Milbank Herald Advance in the 1990s. Joanne and Andy lived out their retirement years in Milbank, still playing music. Their children, Charlie and MJ, now live in suburban Chicago and Attleboro, MA, respectively.

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Leo P. Flynn was born in Iowa in 1908 and moved with his family to a farm near Milbank in his youth. He graduated from Milbank High School and went on to achieve a law degree from Creighton University in Omaha, graduating at the top of his class.

In the 1930s, Leo Patrick Flynn was among the first members of the Whetstone Valley Electric Cooperative in northeastern South Dakota. Flynn was among a few local leaders who organized the South Dakota Rural Electric Association (SDREA) in 1942. Flynn was the SDREA’s attorney for 50 years and worked with every South Dakota Governor and legislature from 1939 up through the mid-1970s.

Although the federal government authorized the establishment of rural electric cooperatives in 1936, little guidance was provided in terms of authorization at the state level. The legal structure needed to simply run the business of providing power to farms and ranches had to be built from the ground up, and for many years, that was Leo P. Flynn’s primary job as a lawyer and lobbyist.

President Harry S. Truman appointed Flynn as the U.S. attorney for South Dakota, a position Flynn held onto even after Truman left office. In the end, Dwight Eisenhower had to fire Flynn to get him to leave.

Flynn was also a generous philanthropist, donating more than $27-million dollars to various causes in Milbank, Grant County, and elsewhere.

Flynn passed away in 2001 at the age of 93.

Lester Roslyn Bloem was born in Rapid City, SD on November 14, 1944. He attended school in Emery, SD graduating in 1963. Les then attended Northern State University. He graduated in 1967 with a Math degree.

After graduating from NSU, Les moved to Milbank to teach Math. This started his 48-year career in the Milbank School system. Les started teaching 7th grade Math progressing to high school, teaching Algebra I, Geometry, Pre-Calculus and Calculus. During the summers of 1968-1971, Les attended summer school at Purdue University graduating with a Masters in Teaching.

In 1974 Les married his wife Nancy, who was also a teacher in Milbank. Nancy began her teaching career in Milbank in 1968. Nancy was an elementary and middle school teacher and/or librarian throughout her career.

Les is an avid Bulldog fan. He follows the Bulldog events faithfully. In April 2025, Les was given a Recognition of Excellence Award from the Milbank Booster Club for always supporting the Milbank students. Les embodies what it means to be a true Bulldog fan.

Doug and Linda Buri were both born and raised here in Northeast South Dakota. Linda graduated from Castlewood High School and Doug from Milbank high school. Both Doug and Linda attended SDSU in Brookings. Doug is a life long farmer / rancher, now retired and Linda is the owner of Linda's Fashions in the Milbank Mall. They both feel very fortunate to have had successful business careers which allowed them to fund several Education Foundation scholarships.

Linda's Fashions in the Milbank Mall was started by Linda (Junker) Buri over 45 years ago. The first scholarship was awarded 32 years ago in 1994. Since then, every year, graduating Milbank high school students have had financial help attending higher education. An education can never be taken from you and never goes out of fashion.

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Max Gonzenbach was born to Alfred and Trudy Gonzenbach in Milbank on July 15, 1936. He attended school in Milbank and graduated from Milbank High School in 1954. He participated in many activities including football and basketball in high school. After graduation, he attended Michigan State University, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree while playing basketball for the MSU Spartans.

After graduating from Michigan State, Max returned to Milbank, where he joined his father, Alfred and the Nefs (Alfred and Rudy) at the Valley Queen Cheese factory where his career spanned 42 years. Max and his wife Jeanne were blessed with three children who all graduated from Milbank High school.

Max was very involved in the Milbank community and his church. He served on many committees and boards. He loved Milbank for the people, strong community, and values. He was proud to call Milbank his home. Education was very important to Max and he was honored to be able to contribute to furthering the education of students from the Milbank community.

Max was born November 4, 1931, at Mitchell, SD, to Charles and Catherine Gruenwald. He attended rural grade school. He was salutatorian of the Corsica High School Class of 1949. He attended two years at Yankton College before transferring to the University of South Dakota where he graduated in 1956 with an undergraduate degree in government and a law degree. While at USD, he was elected Student Body President. Max was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and served as President of the fraternity. He married Dona Olson in 1954. Together, they raised three children: Lane, Mark, and Shari.

Max served in the Navy in the late 1950s at Pearl Harbor Naval Station and Hickman Air Force Base. He was honorably discharged as Lieutenant Junior Grade in November 1959.
Max began his practice of law in Milbank, SD, in January, 1960, and continued in the practice until 2009. He served as attorney for the Milbank School District for over thirty years, Milbank City Attorney for twenty-one years, and two terms as Grant County State's Attorney. He also was state president of the South Dakota State's Attorney Association. Max was Chairman of the State Bar Ethics Committee. He was owner and president of the Grant County Abstract and Title Company and was a past president of the South Dakota Land Title Association.

Max was a member of the South Dakota Legislature in 1969-1971 and did not run for re-election to concentrate on his law practice. He was appointed in 1987 as a member of the Board of Regents by Governor Mickelson and served ten years, including a term as board president.

Max was also active in community organizations as president of the Milbank Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, and the Milbank-Grant County Industrial Development Corporation. He was a member of the Milbank High School Educational Foundation and served as secretary-treasurer. Max was a fifty-year member of the Masons. He had been involved in SD Public Broadcasting, Grant County Historical Society, Pheasants Forever, Milbank Golden Living Center Advisory Board and Grant County ARC. Max also was a member of the Dakota State Bank Board of Directors.

Max passed away June 17, 2009, at the age of 77.

The Milbank High School Educational Foundation was incorporated as a non-profit organization in June of 1986. The initial Board of Directors were:

President - Rudy Nef
Vice President - Hollis (Jack) Davenport
Treasurer - M.W. (Marwood) Wise
Secretary - Carlon VanWagner
Member - Norm Madsen
Member - Max Gruenwald
Member - Jack Stengel

Initial funding came from the funds donated by the partners of Whetstone Valley Nursing Home that were acquired from the sale of the facility, $23,932.99, as well as two scholarships transferred from MHS, Jean Anderson Scholarship, $10,000 and the Gus Kline Scholarship, $10,555.

The first scholarships were given out to the seniors of the graduating class of 1987. There were 5 recipients, who each received $1000.

Nelson and Mildred (Millie) Ransom farmed in the Stockholm area. Nelson and Millie worked side by side on the farm for 42 years. Nels was a man with a big heart and enjoyed visiting with friends, family and neighbors. Millie started the scholarship fund after Nelson had passed away.

Dorothy was born on May 24, 1916, in Milbank, to Albert and Nellie (Roberts) Patridge. She graduated from Milbank High School as salutatorian with the Class of 1934. She graduated from the Minneapolis Business College and studied at the University of Minnesota and the American Institute of Banking.

Mrs. Brisco was active in the speech program of AIB and was a national runner-up. She was a volunteer worker with the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Lake Harriet United Methodist Church, and the Thursday Musical. Over the years she was a generous contributor to the Milbank Education Foundation and the Grant County Historical Society. Dorothy established three substantial scholarships within the Milbank Education Foundation in the fields of education, nursing, and the medical field.

Dorothy passed away on April 15, 2010, at the age of 93. She is survived by nieces and nephews.

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POET was founded in 1987, in Scotland, South Dakota where it has grown from a single, humble bioprocessing facility, to the world’s largest producer of biofuel and a global leader in sustainable bioproducts. Today, POET is headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with 35 bioprocessing facilities across the Midwest. One of the bioprocessing facilities is located in Big Stone City, SD. POET Bioprocessing - Big Stone began full operation in June of 2002. The plant produces 105 million gallons of bioethanol per year. POET also has three corporate offices, four terminal locations, and nearly 2,600 team members. Their integrated business model combines research and development with expertise in design and construction, technology, operations, public affairs, and marketing.

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Reid Wynne Strege was born on August 6, 1952, in Milbank to Robert Strege and Darlene Strege Eide. He attended school in Milbank and graduated in 1970; he then attended SDSU. During his time in school, he was involved in sports and especially enjoyed playing football as a linebacker and fullback, as well as basketball.

After school, Reid began working in the redi-mix concrete business in various locations in the United States. Later, he began working for Conoco-Phillips Petroleum near Bay City, Texas. He worked there until his retirement. Reid enjoyed spending time with his friends, snowmobiling, and riding his motorcycle. Reid was a friend to everyone.

Reid passed away on October 22, 2020, at the age of 68.

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Samuel Richard Grorud was the son of James and Teresa Grorud. Samuel’s life was cut short at the young age of 16. Samuel lived in Hawaii from age one to three, then moved with his family to Milbank, SD. Samuel attended St. Lawrence Catholic School through the sixth grade, then attended Milbank Public School. While in high school, Samuel was active in band, choir, debate, theater, baseball and swim team. He was an active member of Central United Methodist Church and loved to attend Spencer Lake church camp.

Samuel was known for his contagious smile, positive attitude, and generosity to others. Sam was granted a wish through the Make-A-Wish foundation for a scholarship to be formed for Milbank community students. It is not surprising that he would make such a wish because he was always thinking of others first. He left these words for us. "Before the world was simple. I had the rest of my life to figure it all out. All of this was lost on March 15. 2011. On this day I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) This was a moment where everything in my life simply stopped. " I can't wait for college" seemed to bleed away to "Thank you God for the gift of today." I still have dreams of walking Milbank High School's (halls) on weekdays, but what if God wanted me to take the road less traveled from the beginning. Who am I to argue with such an omniscient power in my life.”

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The former local owners of the Whetstone Valley Nursing Home, the current Avantara Milbank assisted living facility, contributed some of the proceeds of the sale of the nursing home to make this scholarship possible. Mrs. Elsie Johnson was the first President of the former corporation. This was the very first scholarship for the Milbank High School Educational Foundation in 1986. The Class of 1986-87 received the first scholarships. There were five recipients. The picture attached shows the first five recipients, Bridget Aesoph, Roxie Harms, Kathy Peterson, Shirley Van Sambeek and Heidi Werner.

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