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Reverend Dean Trapp  email  >

Reverend Dean Trapp is the Pastor at First United Methodist Church in Yankton. Reverend Dean is originally from Milbank, South Dakota. He graduated from Milbank High School in 1979. He graduated from Westmar College in LeMars, Iowa in 1983 with degrees in Religion and Sociology. He received his Master of Divinity in 1986 from St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri.

Reverend Dean was appointed to the United Methodist Churches in Conde and Andover, South Dakota in 1986. He was appointed to the Groton United Methodist Church and the Columbia Congregational United Church of Christ in 1990. In 1995, there was a realigning of churches in the Groton area. The Groton UMC and the Conde UMC were joined together in one parish and Reverend Dean was appointed to serve them. He was appointed to the Yankton-Gayville/Volin United Methodist Churches in 1996 to serve as the Senior Pastor.

Reverend Dean is married to Susie (Megill) Trapp and they have three daughters: Kimberly, a sophomore  at Nebraska Wesleyan University; Alyssa, a junior at Yankton High School; and Erika, an 8th grader at Yankton Middle School.

In his spare time, Reverend Dean enjoys singing and listening to Barbershop music.

Gena Brandt  email  >

Gena Brandt is co-coordinator of Sr. High Youth Ministry at First United Methodist Church in Yankton. Gena is originally from Marion, Kansas. She graduated from Marion High School. She graduated from Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas, as well as the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota with a Master's Degree in Learning Disabilities.

In the past, Gena has taught Special Education at the Elementary level for ten years.

Gena has been married to Merle, a beekeeper, for almost 25 years. Together they have three sons: Garrett, 19, Gavin, 17, and Garner, 10. Garrett graduated from Yankton High School in 2007 and is currently attending the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, South Dakota. Gavin is still in school and remains active in the church youth group. Garner is also still in school and likes all sports.

Gena enjoys baking, gardening, reading, and her dogs.

Diane Kisch  email  >

Diane Kisch is co-coordinator of Sr. High Youth Ministry at First United Methodist Church in Yankton. Diane grew up on a farm southeast of Tyndall, SD. She graduated from Tyndall-Tabor High School in 1977. She graduated from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota in 1980 with an Associate of Arts degree in Dental Hygiene.

Diane works part time (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) at Dr. R.C. Grossenburg’s dental office as a hygienist. She was hired in February 2007 as one of the part time co-coordinators of Senior High Youth Ministry. Before coming on staff Diane was a youth volunteer for many years working mainly with Sr. High but also with Jr. High.  She has chaperoned youth at many rallies, on mission trips to Chicago, to Life Light, to Youth '03 and Youth '07. She has taught Sr. High Sunday School, counseled at Leadership Training Camp at Lake Poinsett, organized and worked fundraisers, and can usually be found helping if there is a lock-in of any kind.

Diane is married to Dennis and they have 3 grown children, Michael, Nicholas, and Jennifer, all of whom are married.  Michael is married to Kay (Daszkiewicz). They live in Golden Valley, MN. He is an architect in Minneapolis. Nicholas is married to Tracy (Enfield). They live in Yankton, SD. He works for his dad in construction. Nick and Tracy have 2 sons, Caleb and Parker. Jennifer is married to Blair Anderson they live in Durham, NC where Jennifer will be attending seminary at Duke.

In her spare time, Diane enjoys reading, singing, scrap booking, and spoiling the grandkids.

Sue May  email  >

Sue May is the Bell Choir Director at First United Methodist Church in Yankton. Sue grew up in Ames, Iowa, Kitale, Kenya, and Bloomington, Illinois. She graduated from High School in Normal, Illinois in 1982. Sue graduated from the University of Iowa in 1986 with a degree in Elementary Education. She received her Masters Degree in Elementary Education in 2003.

Sue teaches Kindergarten at Beadle Elementary in Yankton. She began playing hand bells in Cedar Rapids, Iowa at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in 1994. From there, Sue and her family moved to Altoona, Iowa and played hand bells at the Altoona United Methodist Church. In 1996 Sue's family moved to Yankton where she has remained the Bell Choir director since 1997.

Sue is married to Jeff. Together they have three children: Brittney, Dillon, and Kirsten.

Sue enjoys playing hand bells, quilting, reading, and baking.

Melissa Rempfer  email  >

Melissa (Unruh) Rempfer is the organist at First United Methodist Church in Yankton. Melissa is originally from Freeman, South Dakota. She graduated from Freeman High School in 1998. She graduated from Mount Marty College in Yankton, South Dakota in 2002 with a BA in Music Education.

Melissa was the organist at Hope Lutheran Church in Freeman, SD from 1994 until 1999. She was also organist for the Bethany Mennonite Church in Freeman, SD from 1995 until 1999. In 2000, Melissa began as the Senior Choir accompanist at First United Methodist Church in Yankton. In addition to her being the organist at First UMC, Melissa also teaches Elementary Music in the Bon Homme School District.

Melissa is married to Brian Rempfer, a youth counselor at the Human Services Center in Yankton. Melissa and Brian have a son, Ethan.

In her spare time, Melissa enjoys performing and listening to music, reading, and walking.

Brook Thurman  email  >

Brook (Nelson) Thurman is a Nursery Attendant at First United Methodist Church in Yankton. Brook is originally from Creighton, NE. She graduated from Creighton High School in 1994. Brook attended two years of college in Norfolk, NE at Northeast Community College. In 1996, Brook moved to Yankton to attend the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, SD. She graduated from USD in 2000 with a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work.

During college, Brook worked at Kolor Me Kids Learning Center. She did her internship at Lewis and Clark Behavioral Health and was hired as a case manager for the Severely Persistently Mentally Ill population. She took an opportunity to further her experience by becoming the Director of Social Services at the Bloomfield Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Bloomfield, NE.  In 2002, Brook left the nursing home and took a position with the Yankton School District where she worked with Emotionally and Behaviorally Disturbed children. In 2003 she took her current position with the State of South Dakota at the Human Services Center where she is a social worker in the Intermediate Psychiatric Adolescent Unit. In 2006 Brook started her Nursery Attendant position at First UMC.

Brook is married to Troy, a Case Manager at Lewis and Clark Behavioral Health Services. They have four children: Jamee, 10, Gracie, 4, Bode, 2, and Tyce, who passed away five days after birth in 2002. 

Brook enjoys spending time at the beach when she can, camping, getting lost in a good novel, cooking and baking, and sewing and quilting.  Brook leads a children's sewing group at the  Human Services Center.  She says it is a lot of fun! However, Brook says her most favorite thing is spending time with her family.