Hartington businesses marked special milestones in 2022

HARTINGTON — Three local businesses were honored Sunday for reaching big milestones.

Hartington Insurance Agency was recognized for 25 years in business here, while Wintz Funeral Home and the Hartington Golf Club were both recognized for 75 years in operation here.

Hartington Golf Club moved from the fair grounds to its current location in 1947. When the course first opened here, it had three sand greens for the first year and the second year, they were tilled up and grass was planted.

The Hartington Town and Country Club was organized and the first stock issued in 1950. The purpose was to provide a building and to assist in the operation of the new municipal golf course at the west edge of Hartington. It also provided a social club for non-golfers. A metal building was purchased in the fall of 1950. The building was completed in the spring of 1952 and was in full operation for that season. Total cost of that project was $12,100. The interior had been remodeled several times before it burned down in 1990. A new facility was erected in 1993.

Wintz Funeral Home began operation in March of 1947, when 30-year-old Richard Wintz and his wife, Katherine, purchased the funeral home business from the Fred Reifert family.

In 1962, Richard Wintz purchased Smith-Reichendeifer Funeral Homes in Hartington and Coleridge. In 1963, the Home Theater Building in Crofton was purchased from the Kostel family and remodeled into a funeral chapel. In July of 1975, Jim Wintz and his wife, Carla, joined the family business.

In August 1985, Richard’s youngest son, Jerry, joined the family business and his wife, Kristi, began helping after their marriage in 1987.

In January 2000, the Wintz brothers merged their business with the Ray Funeral Chapel in Yankton, and in August 2002, Jim’s oldest son, Paul, became the third generation funeral director in the family business.

Jim’s second son, Steve, joined the business in April 2004. In March of 2018, Jerry’s son, Jason, joined the family business.