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Dan W. Johnson was born on June 2, 1917, in Ivanhoe, Minnesota, to William and Nora Johnson, owners of the Ivanhoe Times. Following in his family’s footsteps, he pursued a career in journalism, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Minnesota in 1940 and later a Master of Science in Journalism and Political Science from South Dakota State University in 1963. After college, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II. While stationed in Europe, he met his future wife, Jeanne, a native of Liverpool, England, and a member of the Canadian Armed Forces. They were married on July 16, 1945, in Antwerp, Belgium. The couple had two children, Craig W. and Judith J.

Johnson devoted his entire professional life to the newspaper industry. He began working at the family paper after high school and later studied journalism at the University of Minnesota. During his military service, he briefly served in the Coast Guard Artillery and was appointed editor of the Narragansett Bay Digest. He also worked in the Counter-Intelligence Corps in the European Theatre. After the war, he returned to the Ivanhoe Times, serving as Associate Editor from 1945 to 1951. He later held positions at the Minneapolis Tribune and the Brookings Register before joining South Dakota State University in 1961 as News Editor. In 1965, he became the Information Officer for the South Dakota Board of Regents.

In 1969, Johnson relocated to Marshall, Minnesota, where he served as Director of News and Publications at Southwest State University until his retirement in 1981. Beyond his university work, he consulted on several community initiatives, including the Brookings senior high school bond issue, the Marshall medical center bond issue, and Schwan’s Sales Enterprises corporate publications. He also contributed columns to the Brookings Register and the Marshall Independent. Dan W. Johnson passed away on December 17, 2001.

Delmar R. Johnson was born on July 17, 1947, in Mitchell, South Dakota. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from South Dakota State University in 1969 and a Master of Education from the same institution in 1991.

Johnson began his career at South Dakota State University in 1969 as a programmer. From 1969 to 1974, he taught mathematics and computer programming. In 1982, he was appointed Co-director of the Computing Center and later became Director of University Computing Services. He served in that role until 2003, when he became Director of Administrative and Research Computing. He played a central role in the development and expansion of the university’s computing infrastructure during a period of significant technological change.

Delmar Johnson retired from South Dakota State University in 2012.

Donald Dale Johnson was born on February 4, 1925, to Adolph and Martha Johnson. A resident of Brookings, South Dakota, he remained unmarried. Johnson preserved family and local history through his contributions to the South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, including the Donald D. Johnson Papers. The collection contains a narrative about his grandfather, Johan Peter Johnson, a Swedish immigrant born in 1854, and a publication titled The Quill from Marion High School dedicated to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Johnson of Hartford, South Dakota.

Henry M. Johnson was born on October 5, 1903, to Ole and Beret Johnson on a farm near Baltic, South Dakota. He was baptized at Old Nidaros Lutheran Church, where he remained a lifelong member. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and fishing throughout his life. On March 14, 1931, he married Inez Erickson at East Nidaros Lutheran Church. The couple lived and farmed on Henry’s family homestead until retiring and moving into the town of Baltic in 1987. They had four sons: Odel, Ivan, Dean, and Jerome. Henry passed away on June 4, 1993, at the Dell Rapids Community Hospital.

Inez O. Erickson Johnson was born on October 31, 1911, in Lake County, South Dakota, to Martin and Julia Erickson. At age eight, she moved with her family to a farm near Baltic. She attended rural school and Baltic Grade School. Inez was baptized at St. Peter Lutheran Church and confirmed at East Nidaros Lutheran Church. She married Henry Johnson on March 14, 1931, and they farmed together until their retirement in 1987. Inez became a resident of Terrace Manor Nursing Home in Dell Rapids on April 28, 1995, and died on May 19, 1995, at Dell Rapids Community Hospital.

A native of O’Neill, Nebraska, Dr. James L. Johnson has had a long career in higher education in South Dakota. He served a total of 38 years in higher education, including 28 years at South Dakota State University, where he joined the Department of Communication Studies and Theatre in the College of Arts and Science in 1973.

During his career, Dr. Johnson directed more than 100 theatrical productions. Through his work with Prairie Repertory Theatre and State University Theatre, he provided students with practical training and performance experience.

Dr. Johnson received several awards and honors, including the Outstanding Teaching Award at the University of Kansas, the Outstanding Educator Award at Dakota State University, the Outstanding Graduate Teacher Award at South Dakota State University, and the Governor’s Award in the Arts in 2001 for Distinction in Creative Achievement, presented by South Dakotans for the Arts and the South Dakota Arts Council.

Dr. W. Carter Johnson is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Ecology at South Dakota State University whose academic career spans more than forty years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Augustana College and a doctorate in botany from North Dakota State University. He began his professional career as a Research Associate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and later joined the Department of Biology at Virginia Tech. From 1989 to 1995, he served as Head of the Department of Horticulture, Forestry, Landscape, and Parks at South Dakota State University.

Dr. Johnson’s research addresses a wide range of ecological topics, including river regulation and riparian forest ecology, climate change impacts on prairie pothole wetlands, seed dispersal in fragmented landscapes, paleoecology, and multifunctional agriculture. His paleoecological work includes climate reconstruction using tree rings and studies of Holocene seed dispersal and plant migration. His research program has been strongly multidisciplinary and interinstitutional.

He has published approximately one hundred peer reviewed journal articles, as well as books and book chapters. His research on riparian wetlands along the Platte, Missouri, and Snake rivers has contributed to wetland conservation and restoration practices and has been recognized by scientific societies. His work on climate change effects in prairie pothole wetlands has also informed policy discussions related to wetland management and conservation.

In more recent years, Dr. Johnson founded EcoSun Prairie Farms, a nonprofit organization focused on demonstrating the environmental and economic benefits of restored prairie wetlands. As a Distinguished Professor Emeritus, he has continued to contribute to ecological research, education, and leadership in conservation initiatives.

Born on April 28, 1895, in Alexandria, South Dakota, Blanche Avery Johnston was a member of the South Dakota State College Class of 1916. Following graduation, she taught home economics in Elgin, Minnesota, from 1916 to 1917. On September 4, 1917, she married Ralph Johnston. The couple lived in Hot Springs, South Dakota, before relocating to Brookings. Ralph Johnston later became the first curator of the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum. In recognition of her connection to campus history, Blanche Johnston served as Grand Marshal of the Hobo Day Parade in 1986. She passed away on December 13, 1986.

Susan A. (Sedgwick) Jones was born on January 11, 1844, in North Adams, Massachusetts. She married Henry R. Jones on May 3, 1865, and the couple moved to Clintonville, Wisconsin, in 1866. They had six children: Clara, Lillie, Jessie, Stella, Bert, and an unnamed son. Henry passed away in 1897.

In 1905, Susan and her daughter Jessie moved to South Dakota, where they homesteaded in Hughes County. While Jessie worked to prove her claim, Susan alternated between residing on the claim and returning to Wisconsin during the winter months. During this time, she also taught school in both Wisconsin and South Dakota.

Susan Jones died on June 23, 1925, in Clintonville, Wisconsin.

Robert F. Karolevitz was born on April 26, 1922, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, South Dakota. He began his writing career in high school as editor of the school newspaper and yearbook and contributed a sports column to the Yankton Public Opinion. After graduating from Yankton High School in 1940, he studied printing and journalism at South Dakota State College. During World War II, he served with the U.S. Army Infantry in Japan and the Philippines, rising to the rank of captain. As division historian for the 25th Infantry, he authored his first book, The 25th Infantry Division and World War II, published in 1946.

Following his military service, Karolevitz earned a B.S. in Printing and Rural Journalism from South Dakota State College in 1948 and later completed a master’s degree in journalism at the University of Oregon. Recalled to active duty during the Korean War, he served as a public-information officer and feature writer for the U.S. Eighth Army, contributing articles and organizing homecoming events for returning soldiers.

In the 1950s and 60s, Karolevitz and his wife, Phyllis, lived in Seattle, Washington, where he worked in public relations, advertising, and political ghostwriting. He gained recognition as a popular historian with the publication of Newspapering in the Old West (1965), for which he received a Sigma Delta Chi excellence award. After nearly two decades in Washington, the Karolevitz family returned to South Dakota, where he continued his writing career, producing a prolific body of work focused on regional history and culture.

Karolevitz authored nearly forty books, including Where Your Heart Is: The Story of Harvey Dunn, which won the National Cowboy Hall of Fame Wrangler Award; Challenge: The South Dakota Story, written for the South Dakota Division of Elementary and Secondary Education and honored by Augustana College's Center for Western Studies; and Flight of Eagles, co-authored with Ross Fenn, which earned the Polish Gold Merit Cross. His newspaper columns, Writer at Large and The Way It Was, appeared in various South Dakota publications and were later compiled into books such as Tears in My Horseradish and Toulouse the Goose.

Deeply involved in civic and historical institutions, Karolevitz served on numerous boards, including the South Dakota Hall of Fame, South Dakota State Historical Society, and Sacred Heart Hospital. He was instrumental in the establishment of the South Dakota State Historical Society Press and served as president of the South Dakota State University Alumni Association. Over his career, he received numerous honors for his literary and public service contributions, including the South Dakota Hall of Fame induction (1973), Distinguished Citizen of the Year (1981), and the Bishop Dudley Media Award (2004).

Karolevitz’s legacy reflects his lifelong dedication to documenting and promoting the history, people, and culture of South Dakota and the American Midwest.

Robert Floyd Kerr was born on April 12, 1850, in Sugar Grove, Indiana. He attended Wabash College and later DePauw University, graduating in 1877. After teaching in Indiana for two years, Kerr traveled to Hirosaki, Japan, in 1879, where he taught English and mathematics. He returned to the United States in 1880 and taught throughout the Midwest before settling in Brookings, Dakota Territory, in 1885.

At Dakota Agricultural College (now South Dakota State University), Kerr served as professor of political economy and Principal of the Preparatory Department. He was dismissed from the college in 1892 and spent several years in Illinois before returning to Brookings in 1898. Upon his return, he was appointed Librarian and again served as Principal of the Preparatory Department.

In addition to his academic roles, Kerr managed the men's dormitory, served as steward and manager of the student boarding club, and advised the Dakota Agricultural Cadets, the campus military organization. He was also active in civic life in Brookings, helping to found the Forum, a local men’s association, and participating in the Masons.

In 1905, Kerr was appointed Private Secretary to South Dakota Governor Samuel H. Elrod. He later served in the South Dakota Legislature in 1911 and 1913. In his later years, Kerr remained in Brookings, edited a farm paper, and remained engaged in community affairs. He died on October 16, 1921.

Professor Frank Klock was born in 1950 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to Raymond and Zeta (Babe) Klock. He graduated from South Dakota State University in 1973 with a degree in photojournalism. Following graduation, Klock worked as a sports editor, writer, and photojournalist for the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. He later joined the faculty at South Dakota State University as a professor of photography. During his tenure, he taught Basic Photography, Photojournalism, and Advanced Photography. He also served as advisor to the Journalism Club and acted as a photo judge for the South Dakota Newspaper Association and other organizations.

Jim Koch was a highly respected figure in the wrestling community, known for his excellence as an athlete, coach, and national leader in the sport.

Koch began his wrestling career in 1963 as a junior at Milbank High School in South Dakota. As a senior, he posted a 23–1–1 record at the state meet, becoming the school’s first wrestler to earn a state medal.

Recruited to South Dakota State University for both football and wrestling, Koch received the Stephen F. Briggs Academic Scholarship. After his first year, he chose to focus exclusively on wrestling. He completed an undefeated freshman season and went on to become the varsity 160-pound wrestler, advancing to the North Central Conference championship finals in each of the next three years. Koch graduated from SDSU with honors in 1969 and later earned a Master of Science in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation from SDSU in 1974. His master’s thesis is available for viewing.

Koch began his coaching career in 1969 as a graduate assistant at SDSU. In 1970, he was appointed the first head wrestling coach at the University of Wisconsin–Parkside, a position he held for 41 seasons until his retirement in 2011. Under his leadership, UW-Parkside developed into one of the nation’s premier wrestling programs. According to a university press release, Koch’s wrestlers earned 128 All-America honors and 80 Academic All-America honors, while 14 athletes won individual national championships. His teams finished in the national Top 10 during 23 seasons, participated in 68 national tournaments, and qualified for the NCAA Division II or NAIA National Championships 31 times.

Beyond his university coaching career, Koch played a significant leadership role at the national level. He chaired the National Hall of Fame committees for both the NAIA and NCAA Division II, overseeing the induction of more than 70 and 74 members, respectively. He also served as president of the National Wrestling Coaches Association for both organizations and was instrumental in establishing academic All-American award criteria. Koch served as host coach for the NCAA Division II National Wrestling Tournament in 1982, 1990, and 2002.

Koch received numerous honors for his coaching achievements and service to wrestling. In 1971, Amateur Wrestling News named him Collegiate Rookie Coach of the Year. As an SDSU alumnus, he received the Ralph Ginn Coaching Award in 1995. He was inducted into six halls of fame, including the NAIA National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1993 and the NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2003, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame recognized Koch with its Lifetime Achievement Award.

Jim Koch passed away on March 23, 2017, at the age of 69, after being struck by a car while jogging in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was attending the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Shortly before his death, the National Wrestling Coaches Association renamed its Division II hall of fame in his honor. In November 2018, the University of Wisconsin–Parkside dedicated the Jim Koch Wrestling Center practice facility.- South Dakota State University

Kari Rombs Kohlhoff is a graduate of South Dakota State University and has worked extensively in museum and archival settings in the Upper Midwest. She contributed to the preparation of manuscript inventories at the North Dakota State Archives during the late 1980s and later served as Curator of Collections for the Siouxland Heritage Museums in Minnehaha County, South Dakota. Her work has supported the preservation, organization, and accessibility of regional historical collections, and she has been listed among professionals maintaining North American natural history collections.