Marian Eldora (Kellogg) Walsh was born breech on August 2, 1944 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, MN, the daughter of Leon and Constance (Crosby) Kellogg. Her uncommon arrival set the tone for the strength and fortitude she carried with her all her life.

She married Joseph Leonard Walsh on February 13, 1965, a union that lasted 58 years until his passing in 2023. Together, Marian and Joe had five children, Timothy (Pam), Kellie, Jody (Toby), James (Nichole), and Joseph (Brooke).

She was surrounded by the love of her children as she passed. She is survived by her children, grandchildren, and brother Morris (Sue). She cherished her 10 grandchildren: Elizabeth, Pat, and Josh (Hailey) Walsh, Matthew (Eujeana), Alison, and Joe (Saundra) Hinkle, and Truman, Keen, Tesla, and Roosevelt Walsh, and three great-grandchildren, Adalyn, Zander, and Emerson. She was preceded in death by her husband and parents.

Marian was raised in Jordan Township and graduated from Wykoff High School in 1962. Marian was a true matriarch who protected and cared for her husband, all of her children, grandchildren and many across her extended family and community. After raising her children, she embarked on a career with faith organizations retiring from Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester.

After her family, her great love was the garden, where she spent years growing organic produce from the exceptional land she and Joe managed all their married life. Marian had uncommon resilience and stamina as she overcame lymphoma for more than 20 years with treatments and kind encouragement provided by Dr. Luis F. Porrata and many care providers at Mayo Clinic.

Visitation will be held on Friday, March 1, 2024 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Macken Funeral Home in Rochester, MN and one hour prior to the service on Saturday, March 2. The Funeral Mass will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 2 at St. Ignatius with Fr. Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will be in St. Kilian Cemetery in Wykoff, MN.

Russell “Russ” Mulholland, 89, of Spring Valley, MN, died on Wednesday, January 10, 2024 at Seasons Hospice House in Rochester, MN.

Russell Lloyd Mulholland was born on September 20, 1934 to Lloyd and Mildred (Lewis) Mulholland. After Lloyd passed away when Russell was young, Mildred remarried Russ Kessler, who was a wonderful step-father to Russell. Russ served in the US Army and was proud of his military service. Russ married Kathleen Stanek at The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona, MN on July 10, 1954 and together they raised three children; Stephen, Scott, and Tracy.

Russ and Kathleen not only raised a family together, but they worked together as well. They ran a Sears catalog store and also ran R&K Antiques & Jewelry in Spring Valley. Russ sold and collected antiques, Ertl toys and many other unique and beautiful treasures. He had a hard time passing up a good auction because you never know what you could get in a box for just $1! Russ also worked at Amoco Oil as a dispatcher. Additionally, Russ enjoyed serving his community. He served as the Treasurer and Commander for the Spring Valley American Legion and as the Treasurer for the Knights of Columbus. He was also an usher, Trustee, and ran Bingo at St. Ignatius Catholic Church where he and Kathleen were members. In his free time, Russ enjoyed gardening and talking to anybody who would lend an ear.

Russ is survived by his wife Kathleen Mulholland of Spring Valley, children Scott Mulholland (Stephanie Derby) of Spring Valley and Tracy (Tim) Bly of LeRoy, MN, daughter-in-law Sue Mulholland of Duluth, MN, half-brother Ryan Kessler of Glenwood, MN, grandchildren Sarah (Josh) Perry, Michael (Amber) Mulholland, Nicholas Bly Laguna (Aleks) and Lindsay (Cassidy) Milks.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father Lloyd and Mildred, step-father Russ, son Steve and daughter-in-law Dorothy Mulholland.

Memorial Mass for Russ will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 18, 2024 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley with Father Russell Scepaniak officiating. Burial will take place at a later date at St. Ignatius Cemetery. The Knights of Columbus will lead the Rosary at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday, January 17th at St. Ignatius. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. at the church following the Rosary and will continue from 10-11 a.m. Thursday morning.

If you would like to share a gift in Russ’s memory, the family is suggesting memorials might also be sent to Seasons Hospice at 1696 Greenview Drive SW, Rochester, MN 55902 or to the American Legion Post #0068 at 604 North Section Avenue Spring Valley, MN 55975.

Caleb Bell, 13, of rural Spring Valley, MN passed away surrounded by his loving family at his home, on Saturday (December 16, 2023), from complications of lifelong congenital health conditions. The Mass of Christian Burial for Caleb will be at 11:00 AM on Thursday (December 21, 2023) at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley, MN with Rev. Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will follow at Spring Valley Catholic Cemetery.

Caleb Bernard Bell was born October 21, 2010 in Rochester, MN to Cory and Jackie (Miller) Bell. He grew up in rural Spring Valley and attended Grand Meadow, MN schools. He enjoyed football, movies, camping, riding on his golf cart, horses and trees, and loved time spent with family.

Caleb is survived by his Mom and Dad – Jackie and Cory – his brothers - Andrew(Courtney) of Grand Meadow; Alex Bell (Merredith Farlinger) of Spring Valley, and Jacob of rural Spring Valley; Grandparents - Sandra Miller of Spring Valley and Anthony and Ruby Bell of Grand Meadow; his Aunt - Bridget Miller and cousins – Hannah Grafe and daughters – Paisley and Kendan Grafe; Aunt Laura (Erling) Grant and cousins – Jesse, Jason, Samuel and Katie Grant; Aunt Debby(Jon) Westphal and cousin – Hailey and Zoe Westphal ; Aunt Elizabeth Miller and cousin – Emma Hansen and Aunt - Amy (Jess) Trusty. He was preceded in death by his grandfather Kenneth Miller and Uncle Charles Miller.

A time of visitation for family and friends will be held from 4 to 7:00 PM on Wednesday (December 20, 2023) at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley, MN and 1 hr. prior to the service on Thursday morning. Arrangements are with Griffin Gray Funeral Home in Stewartville. As a request from the family, due to allergies, please no flowers. Memories and condolences of Caleb are welcome at www.griffin-gray.com

Raymond J. Tucker, a beloved member of the Dexter community, passed away peacefully on September 23, 2023, at the age of 71. He was born on December 24, 1951, in Adams, Minnesota, to the late Glen and Loretta (Lonergan) Tucker.

With a thirst for knowledge, Raymond pursued his education at Elkton High School, where he laid the foundation for his future accomplishments. Following high school, he furthered his education at RCC, specializing in civil engineering. Armed with his knowledge and skills, Raymond began his professional journey at Ft. Dodge Associated Engineering, where he quickly excelled, becoming a licensed land surveyor.

After High school Ray enlisted in the Unites States Army where he served 2 years in Germany before coming home for school.

Raymond’s expertise led him to join the esteemed team at Zink Engineering in Albert Lea, where he dedicated himself to his craft for several years. He was known for his meticulous attention to detail and unwavering commitment to excellence.

Not only was Raymond a dedicated professional, but he also served his community with great distinction. From 1997 to 2013, Raymond represented District 2 on the Mower County Board of Commissioners. His tenure was marked by significant accomplishments, including his instrumental role in bringing wind power to Mower County and overseeing the construction of the Mower County Jail. Raymond’s visionary leadership and tireless dedication to public service garnered respect and admiration from his constituents and colleagues alike.

Additionally, Raymond owned and operated Tucker Tiling, a successful field tiling company, for 35 years where he enjoyed his time working alongside the area farmers.

Never one to rest on his laurels, Raymond actively served on several boards, including the Workforce Development Board, where he passionately advocated for the betterment of his community. He was also an active member of the State of Minnesota Surveyors group, contributing his wisdom and insights to benefit his profession.

Raymond was a passionate supporter of youth development and education, particularly through his involvement in the Mower County 4-H organization. His commitment to nurturing and mentoring young minds will be remembered as a testament to his kind and generous spirit.

Outside of his professional and civic endeavors, Raymond dedicated himself to the safety and well-being of his community as a proud member of the Dexter Fire Department. His selflessness and bravery were an inspiration to all who had the privilege of working alongside him. In his spare time Ray loved to “tootle” around in his white truck, never exceeding 30 miles per hour, checking out the crops and the status of his daughter’s farm.

Ray is survived by his daughter, Christina (Scott) Swanek of Dexter; sister, Marilyn Tucker of Dexter; brother, Harold (Pat) Tucker of Indianapolis; grandchildren, Mike, Madison, Jonathan, and Scott; sister-in-law, Donna Tucker and many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents; two infant sons, Nicholas Ray and Jonathan Ray; grandson, Rodney Stout; sister, Ruth Medina; brother Lawrence Tucker.

The Tucker family kindly invites friends, colleagues, and members of the community to celebrate Raymond’s remarkable life. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow, Minnesota. The visitation will take place from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 29, at Worlein Funeral Home in Austin and will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Interment will be held in Dexter Cemetery.

A special thanks to Mayo Hospice and Nora Mijeu for their extraordinarily comforting care.

Raymond J. Tucker has left an indelible mark on the lives he touched, and his legacy of service and dedication will forever be cherished and remembered. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Mayer-Hoff/Worlein Funeral Home of Austin is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.mayerfh.com.

A Funeral Mass will be offered for Isabella Morse at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, September 22 at Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church in LeRoy with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will be in the Saint Patrick’s Cemetery in LeRoy, MN.

Isabella Helen (Klapperich) Morse was born on June 22, 1931, in Adams, MN, to Stephen M. and Christina (Mueller) Klapperich. She attended 1-8 grades at Sacred Heart School in Adams, MN. She graduated from Adams Public School in 1949. On February 20, 1954, she was united in marriage to Wesley Morse at Sacred Heart Church in Adams, MN. They lived in Austin, MN for over 5 years. In the fall of 1959, they moved to a farm south of LeRoy in Howard County, IA.

After graduation, Isabella worked for 5 years at Schissel Brothers Elevator in Adams, MN as a bookkeeper and the Adams Theater. After she married, she worked for 2 years at Myer Wolfe and Sons in Austin, MN as a bookkeeper. She worked for over 20 years for the Mower County ASCS office in Austin. Later she worked for 9 years at Ampride in LeRoy as a clerk.

She was a hard worker on the farm helping milk over 100 head of cows at one time, always had a very large garden and enjoyed working in the yard. She could always be seen in her later years doing yard work. She was also known for her cookies that she made with her grandchildren. She enjoyed cooking and baking for others. Most importantly she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, infant daughter, granddaughter, great granddaughter, 3 brothers and one sister and her husband, Wesley, in 1993.

She is survived by one son, Raymond of Balch Springs, TX; three daughters, Penny (Loren) Rickerl, Mary Morse, both of Riceville, IA; and Kari (Kevin) Anderson of Stewartville, MN; 5 granddaughters; 5 grandsons; 4 great grandchildren and 3 step-great grandchildren.

Friends may call from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 21 at the Hindt Funeral Home, LeRoy, MN with rosary and prayer service at 4:30 p.m. 

Nellie "Gail" Fieck, 87, of Grand Meadow, MN, died on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at Spring Valley Living in Spring Valley, MN.

Nellie G. Fieck was born November 4, 1935 in Rochester, MN to Harry and Nellie (Snow) Fryer. She graduated from Lourdes High School on May 30, 1953. On May 7, 1954, Gail married William "Bill" Fieck. Gail was a talented woman who spent most of her life as a homemaker. She could play the piano, the organ and a little bit of the accordion. She liked sewing, knitting, crocheting and quilting. She also enjoyed reading, puzzles, coloring, paint by numbers and gardening. Gail found peace and happiness in the little things. It didn't take a lot to entertain her. Gail's baking and cooking skills will be greatly missed, especially her delicious Christmas cookies that she baked during the holiday season. Gail absolutely adored animals. She loved dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs; anything that she could pet, love and care for. She and Bill shared a common love for all creatures. Throughout most of her life, she looked forward to the weekly phone call with Nancy, her sister and best friend.

Gail is survived by her children Anthony "Tony" (Shelley) Fieck of Mira Loma, CA, Dana Fieck of Grand Meadow, Linda (Scott) Milburn of St. Charles, MN, Michele "Micki" Fieck of Altamonte Springs, FL and Alan Fieck of Grand Meadow, grandchildren Heather, Kyle, Dana "D.J." Jr., Lesa, Jennifer, Christopher and Kady, several great-grandchildren and brother Charles "Charlie" (Arla) Fryer of Fairbury, NE.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband William F. Fieck, daughter June Jorgensen, siblings Richard Fryer, Robert Fryer, Nancy O’Neill, and Pamela Gilsrud. 

A Prayer Service for Gail will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley, MN. Visitation will be held from 1-2 p.m. prior to the service. Burial will follow at Grandview Memorial Gardens in Rochester, MN.

Eileen Mary Evans, 92, of LeRoy, Minnesota died peacefully at Mayo Clinic Hospital, Saint Marys Campus in Rochester in the early morning hours of Wednesday, July 26, 2023.

Visitation will be held on Friday, July 28, from 4-7, with Rosary preceding at 3:30 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in LeRoy. Preceded by a visitation at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 29, services will be held at 11 a.m., at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in LeRoy, with burial to be held following at the St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery in LeRoy.

Born the first of 13 children on March 31, 1931 in International Falls, MN to Romeo and Marie Karsnia, she married Alfred R. Evans, a native of western Nebraska, on Oct. 16, 1950 in International Falls, Minnesota. The couple met at a dance in Canada while he was working for the newspaper in International Falls. She worked in a pharmacy soda fountain early in her life and graduated from International Falls High School. After marriage, the couple moved to Anchorage, Alaska and then lived all over the Midwest including Tiskilwa, Illinois; Ogallala, Nebraska; Monroe, Wisconsin; Rockford, Illinois; Atkinson, Illinois: Hillsboro, Wisconsin and Geneseo, Illinois before settling in LeRoy about three decades ago. The family grew as seven sons and eight daughters were born through the years.

A journalist for her high school newspaper, she began a professional career in 1963, writing her award-winning “Down Main Street” column for their first newspaper, The Atkinson-Annawan News, along with writing features, covering meetings and helping manage the independent business. The couple also owned and managed weekly newspapers in Orion (Orion Times), Port Byron (Port Byron Globe), Wyanet (Wyanet Eagle) and also had a partnership in Geneseo in owning the Henry County Advertizer with two sons. Eileen also played a major role in the couple’s Hillsboro Sentry-Enterprise newspaper in Hillsboro, Wisconsin, where she wrote stories and helped manage the business. She had the same role when the couple bought the LeRoy Independent in 1992 as well as the Lime Springs Herald. She won several state awards with every newspaper where she worked including in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

She also wrote a book, “The Generous Embezzler,” about Cy Thompson, a wealthy LeRoy area philanthropist who embezzled money that he reinvested in the community. She was asked to speak all over the area about the book, which was a local success. 

A major achievement of the couple was the fact many of their 14 living children followed in their career footsteps, from operating printing and newspaper companies to becoming graphic designers.

Through the years, Eileen was also involved in many different civic and community organizations including several Chamber of Commerce organizations, LeRoy Lions Club, LeRoy Senior Citizens, Altar & Rosary Society, called Bingo at LeRoy Summer Fest, helped with countless community festivals and events and more. She was also quite active in her church, St. Patrick's Catholic Church in LeRoy. She was instrumental in starting blood drives in LeRoy, beginning in 1994, and spearheaded blood drives in every community she lived, giving gallons herself as well over the years. The couple was presented an award in January of 1996 by the LeRoy Commercial Club in appreciation for their work in the community. Eileen was named Mower County’s “Outstanding Senior Citizen” at the Mower County Fair They were honored as Grand Marshalls in the LeRoy Summer Fest parade in 2004. In 2001. 

Eileen is survived by 14 children including Terry (Mary Kay) of Plymouth, WI; Pat Markor of Columbus, WI; Tim (Luanne) of Moline, IL; Linda (Leo) Smith of Bluffton, SC; Debra (Joe) Welter of Grayslake, IL; Sue Beck of Woodstock, GA; Donna (Tom) Gnidovic of Sugar Grove, IL; Barb (Brian) O'Neill of Bluffton, SC; Dan (Joyce) of LeRoy, MN; Julie (Mark) Hale of Clearwater, FL; Greg (Sue) of Sparta, WI; Natalie of Beaver Dam, WI; Dave (Amy) of Kasson, MN; Matt (Jessie) of Byron, MN, as well as 34 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren.

Also surviving are 10 siblings including Leo (Phyllis) of International Falls, Tom Karsnia of International Falls, Peggy (Don) of Coon Rapids, MN, Jim (Paula) of International Falls, Jerry (Martha) of International Falls, Rosie and John Rasmussen of Little Fork, MN, Mike Karsnia of International Falls, Kay (Randy) Dugas of Grand Rapids, MN, Susie (Bob) Wake of Federal Dam, MN and Midge (Dave) Furman of Savage, MN, as well as a brother-in-law, Paul Evans of Bayard, Nebraska.

Preceding her in death was her husband of 62 years, Alfred, infant son, Ronald, and two brothers, Daniel and Jack; three sister-in-laws, Edna Karsnia, LaWanda Bennett and Connie Benker, and two brother-in-laws Virgil Evans and Don Evans.

Memorials are preferred to the LeRoy Senior Citizens to be used to support local blood drives or to the donor's choice. 

Hindt Funeral Home in LeRoy is handling the arrangements and online condolences are welcome at www.hindtfuneralhomes.com.  

Joseph Leonard Walsh was born on February 13, 1934 in Fillmore Township, the son of Richard and Elsie Walsh. He married Marian Walsh (Kellogg) on his birthday in 1965, a union that lasted 58 years. Together, Joe and Marian had five children, Timothy (Pam), Kellie, Jody (Toby), James (Nichole), and Joseph (Brooke).

He was surrounded by the love of his wife and children as he passed. He is survived by 10 grandchildren: Elizabeth, Pat, and Josh (Hailey) Walsh, Matthew (Eujeana), Alison, and Joe (Saundra) Hinkle, and Truman, Keen, Tesla, and Roosevelt Walsh, and three great-grandchildren, Adalyn, Zander, and Emerson.

Joe was an Irish Catholic farmer, who cared for the land and his cattle, managing two Century Farm homesteads, continuing the tradition of his ancestors. He was faithfully devoted to the Catholic Church, saying the rosary weekly if not daily throughout his life. He also worked at Dayton Hudson stores, first in Rochester and then around the region, for more than 30 years. He was an honorable man.

Joe was raised in Fountain, MN and graduated from Preston High School in 1952. He was preceded in death by his parents, his uncle Jimmy who greatly influenced his view of farming, and his three siblings, Mary, Paul, and Margaret. He is survived by his loving wife and family, sister Jean, and brother-in-law Morris (Sue).

Visitation will be held on Monday, July 10, 2023 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley, MN and one hour prior to the service on Tuesday. The Funeral Mass will be at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday at St. Ignatius with Rev. Kevin Connolly officiating. Burial will be in St. Kilian Cemetery in Wykoff, MN.

Kenneth Leibfried, age 78, of Spring Valley, MN, passed away on June 25th, 2023, peacefully at his home surrounded by his family.

Kenny was born September 25, 1944 in Sherburn, MN to Joseph and Florence (Studer) Leibfried. He lived and grew up on the family farm in Ostrander with his nine brothers and sisters. He attended and graduated from Leroy High School.

Kenny married the love of his life, Gayle Barth and spent the last 58 years creating a wonderful life and family together. Kenny and Gayle made their home in rural Spring Valley where Kenny spent 30 years working construction and carpentry.

Kenny especially loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, they lit up his world. He enjoyed woodworking and creating keepsakes for them all.

He is survived by wife Gayle, daughters Janice (Marvin) Kaster, Mary Leibfried and son Matthew Leibfried. Grandchildren Samantha (Jason) Graybill, Ben (Morgan) Kaster, Danielle, Kahri, Ericka, and Brooke Kolden, Chloe Burroughs and Aidan Leibfried. Great-grandchildren Amiaya and Piper. Also, two sisters Kathy Klaes and Cece (Jerry) McCloud.

Memorial Mass for Kenny will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 8th, 2023 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley, MN with Father Kevin Connolly officiating. Visitation will be held at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, July 7th and will continue for one hour at the church prior to the service on Saturday.

Linda Lou Davis, 78, of Stewartville, MN, formerly of Grand Meadow, MN, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 11, 2023, at Methodist Hospital in Rochester, MN, after many long illnesses.

Linda was born on February 8, 1945, to Hubert and Mildred (Nagel) Mensink in Cresco, IA. She attended Liberty Country School in rural Preston as a child, later graduating from Harmony High School in 1963. After school, she worked as a dental office assistant, and later as a medical secretary at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. She started her family at a young age, and was married to the love of her life, Raymond Davis, on September 2, 1975, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in LeRoy, MN. The couple would spend the rest of their lives together in Grand Meadow, where together they raised five children.

Linda was a kind, patient, and committed wife and mother. She often said that her greatest dream as a child was to become a mother, and she was a genuinely great one. She loved her family immeasurably, and they loved and appreciated her just as much. Her quiet, mild-mannered personality was sometimes betrayed by a quick wit and feisty spirit, giving everyone around her a good laugh. Despite her small size, she was strong. Her life, especially early, wasn’t easy—but she tackled every challenge before her with courage, resilience, and determination.

As her children grew up, Linda devoted countless hours to volunteering at St. Finbarr Catholic Church, where she coordinated many youth activities and classes, in addition to her Mission Circle quilting sessions. Later, she would serve as the public librarian for Grand Meadow’s library, and as an assistant at Kingsland High School in Spring Valley. 

Proud to be 100% Dutch, Linda enjoyed sewing and quilting, gardening, reading, playing cards, and spending time with her family and friends. Her “block neighbors” in Grand Meadow were among her best friends, and she loved the tight-knit community they built together. She adored her grandchildren and great-children, and she will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

Linda is survived by her five children: Todd (Lori) McKee, Chad McKee, Karen (Tony) Lazarz, Rachel (Nathan) Fore, and Ryan Davis. She is also survived by her beloved sister Muriel, 9 grandchildren, 11 (soon to be 12!) great-grandchildren, and many cherished nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Hubert and Mildred, husband Ray, brothers Roger and Lynn, and grandson Evan. 

Funeral Mass for Linda will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 16, 2023 at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow, MN with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will take place in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 15th from 5-7 p.m. at Hindt Funeral Home in Grand Meadow and will continue for 1 hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. 

Joyce A. Miland, 79, of Spring Valley, MN, went to be with her Lord on Thursday, June 8, 2023 at Mayo Clinic- St. Mary’s Campus in Rochester, MN.

Joyce Ann Miller was born July 13, 1943 at St. Mary’s Hospital. She was the oldest child of Murley and Mary (Naylor) Miller of Sleepy Eye, MN. Joyce was employed at Rochester Methodist Hospital as a dietician’s aide for 46 years. She met the love of her life, Ron Miland, in the middle of June 1959. She was with her best friend, Cathy Hoefner. That was a good night for both of them, because Cathy met Jim Steele and they were married a few months after graduation at Lourdes High School. Joyce and Ron were married November 11, 1961. They celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary.

Not being blessed with any children was a very sad heartache. However, they were blessed with 19 nephews and 5 nieces. Joyce very often would take a few every summer to the Wisconsin Dells. She loved to bake, cook, play with the dogs, read, go to the casino overnight and spend quiet time with Ron. She loved dogs and was very sad when after 14 years and 2 months they had to put Katie down due to her very bad arthritis.

Joyce is survived by her husband Ron, 5 siblings Jim Miller of New Ulm, MN, Jeanne and Doug Hume of Eagle Lake, MN, Janis and Dave Fromm of Lakeville, MN, Joan Bowe of Eagle Lake, MN, Jay and Kris Miller of Buffalo, MN, sister-in-law Dr. Joyce Miller of Apple Valley, MN, brother-in-law Jerry Miland, sister-in-law Patricia husband Harley Bucknell.

She was preceded in death by her parents Murley and Mary Miller, brothers John Miller of Eagle Lake, MN and Jeff Miller of Sleepy Eye, MN who drowned at 4 years of age, Rose and Orville Miland. Joyce always said “I have the best in-laws ever.” She was also preceded in death by her nephew Ty Bucknell.

Funeral Mass for Joyce will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, June 12, 2023 at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley and will continue for one hour at the church prior to the service on Tuesday. Burial will take place at Spring Valley Cemetery.

Scott K. Rowe, 65, of LeRoy, MN, died on Monday, March 13, 2023 at Mayo Clinic- Methodist Campus in Rochester, MN. 

Scott Kevin Rowe was born in Mower County, MN on January 5, 1958 to Edgar “Choke” and Helen (Reagan) Rowe. He was a graduate of LeRoy-Ostrander High School. Following high school, Scott worked in the family business at Rowe Ready Mix in LeRoy for 23 years as well as Croell for a few years. Scott married Chris Scaglione on August 7, 1990 in Sturgis, SD. Together they had two children; Axel and April. The two later divorced and remained friends. Scott enjoyed working on trucks and ice fishing with his dad. He LOVED the need for speed and raced snowmobiles and motorcycles. He raced in the AHDRA (All Harley Drag Racing Association) and had such innovative ideas that he literally changed the rule books. 

Scott is survived by his son Axel Rowe of Rainier, WA, daughter April Rowe of Rochester, MN, and their mother Chris Rowe of LeRoy.

He was preceded in death by his parents Edgar “Choke” and Helen Rowe, brothers James “Joe” Rowe and John Rowe, and granddaughter Lillith Rowe-Cobb.

A prayer service for Scott will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, April 28, 2023 at Hindt Funeral Home in LeRoy, MN with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Visitation will be held from 2-3 p.m. at the funeral home.    

Virg Weiss passed away peacefully with family members at his side, on March 15, 2023. He suffered a debilitating stroke on October 23rd, 2022. Despite his efforts to regain his strength and mobility, his body simply did not allow for it.

His birth name was Virgil Charles Weiss, but he preferred to be called Virg. He was born in Emmetsburg, Iowa on June 2, 1943. His parents were Cyril and Mildred (Miller) Weiss and he was the youngest of three boys. The family lived in Ruthven, Iowa until Virg's 7th-grade year in school, when they moved to a farm located south of Grand Meadow, Minnesota. Virg "ran around" with the neighbor kids and his friends, rode horses, worked, and raced cars down Highway 16 for fun (mom still thinks he shouldn’t have done that!). He participated in football but preferred wrestling where some nicknamed him "Virg the Vice." Virg went on to graduate from Grand Meadow High school in 1961. 

On April 4, 1964, after 2 years of dating, Virg finally tied the knot with the neighbor girl, Nancy Stejskal. Dad said they met at a mud puddle between their houses. Together they raised their five children and mentored many others. He and Nancy filled their years with polka dancing, card clubs, Saddle Club, camping, riding horse, and enjoying activities with friends. 

Virg was a man of few words, but when he spoke, he meant what he said. He was quick to give advice, whether you asked for it or not, and advice was often what people sought from him. He enjoyed working and was a jack of all trades. He worked in carpentry, delivered milk, dug graves, and farmed with his brother, Ron, and later his sons. Virg also spent decades playing community volleyball and the rest of his free time camping, riding mules, working on welding projects, and visiting with family and friends.

Virg’s talents, wisdom, and wit will be greatly missed by many, especially his family. But he left us with plenty of stories, his life’s lessons, ‘Virgisms’, and April fools pranks (his favorite holiday) that will live on for generations. 

Virg is survived by his wife, Nancy; children Cris (Marty) Hanson, Barb (Gene) Landers, Pat (Diana) Weiss, Kate (Brian) Speer, Clint (Jenny) Weiss; brother Ron (Karen) Weiss, and loads of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Virg was preceded in death by his infant daughter Patricia; parents Cyril and Mildred; and brother Rob. 

In lieu of flowers please send donations to your local food shelf or ambulance and fire department. Virg supported both and always tried to help those in need and appreciated their services. 

A visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday, March 26th at Hindt Funeral Home in Grand Meadow, MN. Private family services will be held.  

Truman Nelson, 88, of Grand Meadow, MN, was warmly welcomed in Heaven by the loving arms of his wife on Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at Mayo Clinic- St. Mary’s Campus in Rochester, MN.

Truman Duane Nelson was born July 17, 1934 in Glenville, MN to Ervin and Alice (Davidson) Nelson. The family moved to Grand Meadow in 1940. While attending Grand Meadow High School, he met the love of his life, Teresa Davis. Truman graduated in 1953. He proposed to Teresa on Valentine’s Day 69 years ago. Truman and Teresa tied the knot on May 1, 1954 at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow, where they were both lifetime members. In their younger years, they enjoyed taking various trips around the USA including Texas, Hawaii and California. They raised a family together on an acreage for 57 years where they also farmed dairy and beef cattle, pigs and crops. Truman loved helping his neighbors as a hired hand. Teresa would bake around 20 cakes a week for various special occasions and Truman was happy to help out by becoming her cake delivery man. Truman and Teresa loved socializing. They could often be found sitting on their front stoop together. Truman would often attend high school football games. He always supported school activities and never turned down purchasing a raffle ticket. Truman was and always will be considered a legend by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Truman is survived by his children Deb (Tim) Baudoin of Byron, MN, LuAnn (Evan) Holst of Dexter, MN, Tammy Nielsen of Grand Meadow, Jodi (Terry) Williams of Palmetto, FL and Terry (Rhonda) Nelson of Clintonville, WI, 17 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, siblings Darlene Jacobson, Marilyn Stier, Beverly Simonson all of Grand Meadow, Susie Stickan of Afton, MN and many nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, beloved wife Teresa, sister Dorothy Honsey and brother Dick Nelson. 

The family would like to thank Angie Bicknese for her support over the past few weeks.

Funeral Mass for Truman will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will take place in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Monday, February 13 at the church and will continue from 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Tuesday. 

Geraldine M Tammel, February 7, 1928 ~ February 7, 2023 (age 95)

MEMORIAL SERVICE: Monday, February 13, 2023, 11:00 AM, St. Ignatius Catholic Church

Memorial Mass for Eric E. “Norb” Nagele will be held 10:30 A.M. Saturday February 11, 2023 at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in LeRoy. Burial will take place at a later date in the Church Cemetery. Visitation will be held 5-7 PM on Friday February 10, 2023 at the Hindt Funeral Home in LeRoy and will continue for 1 hr prior to the service at the church.

Eric Nagele, age 37, of LeRoy, MN died Thursday February 2, 2023 at his home. He was born October 20, 1985 in Austin, MN to Michael and Pamela (Blaser) Nagele. He attended LeRoy – Ostrander Schools graduating in 2004. Following graduation, he attended North East Iowa Community College in Calmer, IA where he studied carpentry. He then went to work for Ted May Construction where he was still working at the time of his death, he was known as a very “fussy” carpenter.

For Eric, his children always came first, he was a wonderful father. He loved hockey and had season tickets to the Austin Bruins, he also enjoyed bow hunting, his Yamaha Motor Cycle and he loved farming.

He is survived by his children; Mason and Peyton Nagele and his former wife Becky. He is also survived by his parents Michael and Pam Nagele of LeRoy, MN, Brother Ryan and Jennifer Nagele and their children Aida, Conrad and Waylon and his paternal grandmother Shirley Nagele Knode of LeRoy. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents and paternal grandfather.

Phillip L. Weiss, 68, of LeRoy, MN, passed on Tuesday, January 17, 2023, surrounded by his family at home.

Born the 3rd of 12 children on July 30, 1954, in Port Washington, WI. He was the son of Albert and Mildred (Demerath) Weiss. They moved to Juneau, WI and farmed there. Phil graduated high school at Dodgeland High in Juneau, WI in 1973. He always wanted to farm like his father, but his parents told him to go on to school for something in case farming didn’t happen. Phil went on to get his Associate Degree as a certified agricultural mechanic at Moraine Park Technical Institute in Beaver Dam, WI and graduated in 1975.

Phil met Barbara N. Garzynski at a friend’s wedding. Phil, 19, and Barb, 16, knew it would be forever. In November of 1978, they started their farm in Markesan, WI with their 3 sons: Jacob, Jason and Jonathan. The family grew with 5 grandchildren: Moriah, Joshua, Makayla, Jeremiah and Jude. They expanded their farm with Jacob and Michelle and became an LLC in 2000. With the desire to expand, they moved to LeRoy, MN in May of 2006.

Phil often said he never worked a day in his life because he enjoyed farming. With Phil’s passing, his hope is that the farm will continue, but knowing the dairy industry, it may be hard to survive.

Phil is survived by his wife Barb, sons Jacob (Michelle Renner) of Kingston, WI and Jason, 5 grandchildren, 5 sisters and 6 brothers; Barbara, Marty (Sue) and Joseph all of Juneau, WI, Thomas (Nancy) of Cadott, WI, Robert (Tammy) of Slinger, WI, Kenneth (Deb) of Fond du Lac, WI, Mary Nehmer of Denmark, WI, Jane (Joseph) of Fargo, ND, Joan (Tim) of Fond du Lac, WI, Jennifer Lietzau (Rick) of Littleton, CO, Edward (Val) of Juneau, WI, nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles.

He was preceded in death by his son Jonathan and his parents.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley, MN with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will be held at Bethlehem Cemetery. Visitation will be held at St. Ignatius from 4-7 PM on Friday, January 20th and will continue from 12-1 PM at the church on Saturday.

A man who never met a stranger for very long, Stephen Joseph O’Connor, died on Sunday, January 15, 2023. He was born to Joe and Delma Dean “Mickey” (Allen) O’Connor in Shreveport, LA on August 2, 1944, where his father was stationed and later raised in Wichita, KS. In Steve’s early life, Joe O’Connor’s plane was shot down over France leaving him a paraplegic. He was later killed in a car accident when Steve was 5. Mickey remarried, giving Steve 3 siblings: Kevin Brady (Roy Carlson) of Orlando, FL, Rob Brady of Derby, KS and Joanne Araiza (Reuben) of Wichita, KS.

Steve graduated from Kapaun Jesuit high school in 1962 and later went on to attend one of the few nursing programs accepting men, Mt. Carmel School of Nursing in Pittsburg, KS. After graduation he joined the Army Nurse Corp and following basic, went to Letterman General Hospital at the Presidio of San Francisco for the operating room nurse course. It was there he met the love of his life and now wife of 55 years, Charlotte (Abbott) O’Connor from Leroy, MN. They were married in Vang Tau, Republic of Vietnam in 1967 where they went on to spend their first year of marriage. Steve made the Army his career, bringing them to live in many places throughout the country. They had 3 children who soon got very used to packing up and moving; Sean O’Connor of Olongapo, PI, Katie O’Connor Junge of Spring Valley, MN, Brian O’Connor (Jenny) of Spring Valley, MN. While attending the University of Minnesota for his Masters in Nursing Admin, the family bought an acreage north of Spring Valley and they built a house. After graduation from the U of M, the Army brought him back to San Francisco for Steve to become the Operating Room Supervisor then to San Antonio, TX where he became the Director of the Army Operating Room Technician Course.

Steve retired from the Army in 1986 and the family returned to their acreage in Spring Valley where they began raising sheep. During this time Steve became very active in the local VFW, serving as Post Commander several times. He went on to serve as Minnesota VFW State Commander. During this time, he also served on Governor Perpich’s newly formed State Veterans Homes board of directors, part of that time as the board’s chairman. He was involved in the process to get the state Veteran’s cemetery in Preston and along with other VFW members helped organize the Veteran’s Color Guard at the cemetery. Through the years he has been a very active advocate for veteran’s causes, serving on committees and lobbying in both St. Paul and D.C. He was extremely proud of his military service and his time spent involved in the VFW. He was a 10-year cancer survivor and credited his excellent treatment to the VA healthcare system. Locally, he also served several years on the Spring Valley Nursing Home board.

Steve is survived by his wife Charlotte, son Sean, grandchildren Shane, Yaz and Quinn; daughter Katie, grandchildren Allen, Teresa and Patrick; son Brian (Jenny), grandchildren Brennen and Elise. He was also proud “grand-dude” to his great-grandson Waylon O’Connor. He is also survived by his brothers and sister, nieces and nephews. He loved his family dearly and never failed to remind them of how proud he was of them. He also offered counseling to his grandchildren, which his children noted was much milder than counsel given to them.

Visitation will be at Hindt Funeral Home on Thursday, January 19, 2023, from 4-7 PM and will continue for one hour at the church prior to the service on Friday. A memorial service for Steve will be held on Friday, January 20 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. The service will be followed by a celebration of life luncheon at the VFW hall downtown. Interment will be held at a later date at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston, MN. Steve would not like a gathering at the high, windy hill in Preston in January.

We all lost a really good man on October 14th, 2022, when Darrell Wellik passed away quietly at home, of natural causes. Although, at age 75, he left us too soon, his years were filled with love, friendships, good works, and humor.

Darrell’s childhood was spent helping his parents and siblings run their family farm in Grand Meadow, Minnesota, where Darrell and both his brothers were high school football stars. Darrell studied business in college and he made accounting his first career. 

In 1980 Darrell moved from Minnesota to San Diego as employee of Donovan Corporation to help oversee construction of the first stages of the San Diego Trolley line. Debbie Fitzpatrick (Wellik) soon joined him in San Diego and they were married in September of that year.

Once the trolley project was completed, Darrell and Debbie remained in El Cajon. Darrell continued his accounting career, with San Diego Precast Concrete. But Darrell’s lifelong interest in cars led him to start and run his own successful automotive businesses: 10-Minute Oil Change, East County Tire & Brake, and Advanced Automotive, where Darrell actively worked and greeted customers until the day before he passed away.

Darrell is survived by his beloved wife of 42 years, Debra Fitzpatrick Wellik, and by his daughters Stephani Wellik-Zautner and Tonia Tutewohl of Rosemount, Minnesota, son-in-law Paul Tutewohl, grandchildren Brandon Zautner and wife Karen, Brianna Zautner, and Jade Tutewohl, great-granddaughter Ava Hendrickson, siblings Wayne Wellik, Stephen Wellik (Trudy), Mary Wellik Link (Randy) and Kathy Wellik Behne (Jerry), a host of nieces and nephews, and pet Shih Tzu, “Bentley”.

A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at St. Finbarr’s Catholic Church, 504 1st Street SW, Grand Meadow, MN. Visitation will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the church prior to the mass. Burial will take place at St. Finbarr’s Catholic Cemetery immediately following the service. 

Teresa B. Nelson, 88, of Grand Meadow, MN, passed away on Saturday, October 8, 2022 at Grand Meadow Healthcare Center.

Teresa Barbara Davis was born September 10, 1934 to Volney and Theckla (Stier) Davis. While attending Grand Meadow High School, she met the love of her life, Truman Nelson. Following graduation, Teresa worked at the bank in Grand Meadow for 4 years. At age 19, Teresa and Truman tied the knot on May 1, 1954 at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow, where they were both lifetime members. In their younger years, they enjoyed taking various trips around the USA including Texas, Hawaii and California. They raised a family together on an acreage for 57 years where they also farmed dairy and beef cattle, pigs and crops. Teresa was a prolific gardener who had several gardens around the farm for flowers and vegetables. While raising many grandchildren at Granny’s Day Care, she also managed to become “The Cake Lady.” She would bake around 20 cakes a week for various parties, graduations and weddings. Truman was able to help out by becoming the cake delivery man. Teresa and Truman weren’t just grandparents to their own grandchildren, they were grandparents to everyone. Teresa enjoyed drawing and singing with all of the grandbabies, especially the song, “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You.” She was all about her family and was always making sure everyone was happy and well fed. She even managed to cook pot roast on the stove. Teresa will be deeply missed by all of those who knew her.

Teresa is survived by her high school sweetheart Truman, children Deb (Tim) Baudoin of Byron, MN, LuAnn (Evan) Holst of Dexter, MN, Tammy Nielsen of Grand Meadow, Jodi (Terry) Williams of Palmetto, FL and Terry (Rhonda) Nelson of Clintonville, WI, 17 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and 8 siblings.

Funeral Mass for Teresa will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will take place in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 11 at the church and will continue from 10-11 a.m. on Wednesday.

Ralph David Capelle, 73, of Spring Valley, died Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022, of a heart attack.

Born Aug. 15, 1949, to Raymond and Evelyn Capelle, he graduated from Spring Valley High School and later studied to become a journeyman carpenter.

On Oct. 23, 1982, Ralph married his best friend and the love of his life, the former Aleta Freimark, at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley. He built a life with his “bride,” his “lady,” and his “Good Hearted Woman,” as he lovingly referred to her, and they spent nearly every spare minute with one another over their nearly 40 years of marriage.

He started Capelle Construction and later owned and operated Rosewood Building and Remodeling for many years.

Ralph enjoyed many years of hunting deer and pheasants – including with Aleta during their honeymoon.

He loved nothing more than spending time with his family. He was always up for a good board game or card game – and he played to win. Trash talk, insults and a lot of laughs were all part of the fun.

He also looked forward to regular vacations with family, especially those with a good ocean view. Nothing compared to his wide grin when “The Originals” (Ralph, Aleta, Autumn and Amanda) set out for a top-down convertible cruise from Phoenix to Sedona last spring.

Ralph had a special connection with his grandchildren and daughters, and they were his greatest pride and joy. His gentle spirit, honest heart, and loving nature was felt by everyone around him.

In retirement, Ralph enjoyed watching old Westerns, especially Gunsmoke. He also enjoyed watching the Vikings (more so on the rare occasion they won). He loved driving his Can Am. He always looked forward to weekly visits to “The Shed” where he shared laughs and beverages with good friends.

Funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m., Sept. 1, at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will take place at a later date at St. Ignatius Catholic Cemetery. There will be a Celebration of Life following the service at Five Wynds Event Center in Spring Valley. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 31, at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley and will continue one hour prior to the service on Thursday, Sept. 1 at St. Ignatius.

Survivors include his wife, Aleta; daughters, Autumn (Brad) Hoag and Amanda (Nils) Wahlander; granddaughters Kennedy, Cadence and Isla, and grandson Anders; brothers Robert (Marcy), Richard (Janie), Ronald (Sue), Jerry, John (Diane), Donald (Carmen) and Keith (Jan) Capelle; sisters Lois (Gary, deceased) Boelter and Mary (Tom) Gorman; and many nieces and nephews.

No one enjoyed leveling unexpected wisecracks and making others laugh more than our “Ralphie.” He will be forever missed by us all.

Pearl Frances McDonald, Former LeRoy Resident of 55 Years

Memorial Mass for Pearl McDonald will be held Saturday, September 3rd at 10:30 a.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in LeRoy, MN with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will take place in the LeRoy Catholic Cemetery immediately following the mass. Visitation will be held from 9:30-10:30 a.m.at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church before the mass. A Celebration of Life will held in the church basement following her burial. Hindt Funeral Home of LeRoy, MN is handling arrangements. 

Pearl passed away at home surrounded by family on July 14, 2022, at the age of 95 in Pueblo West, Colorado.

Pearl was born April 13, 1927, to Leota and Michael Hickey in Nevada, Iowa. Pearl married James McDonald in 1967 and set up homestead in Beaver Township in Minnesota.

The love of her life was her family. She loved holding the babies, cooking, gardening, growing flowers, and watching the birds out her patio. She took great pride in her career as a stay-at-home Mom and Grandma. She not only raised her own children but also helped in raising many of her grand and great grandchildren. Pearl was also a member of the St. Patricks Altar Society for many years as well as the treasurer for the Ostrander Senior Citizens.

Pearl was preceded in death by her husband James; three children - Gaitha Holden, Mary Dee, and Michael McDonald; and six siblings - Dick Hickey, Leo Hickey, Alice Crawmer, Mary Margaret Lammers, Josephine Flint and Virginia Heddinger.

Pearl is survived by her four children - Sheryl Dunn, Tim McDonald, and Ann and Mike Lazzara, all of Colorado and an honorary son Pete Woltmann and Teena of LeRoy; one sister Dee Higgens of Washington; 21 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; and 16 great-great-grandchildren. 

Erna Tabor Tart, age 95, of rural Spring Valley, passed away on Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at the Spring Valley Care Center in Spring Valley, MN.

Erna Tabor Tart was born December 11, 1926, in Spring Valley, MN, the daughter of Elmer and Erna (Tabor) Pretsch. On October 7, 1950, she married Elton Tart in Spring Valley, MN. To this union 6 children were born; Rich, Ralph, Dave, Barb, Dan, and Bob.

Erna attended St. Ignatius Catholic Church and was a member of the Altar Society. She enjoyed playing cards with family and friends. She lived for get-togethers with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Erna is survived by her children Rich (Carol) Tart, Ralph (Julie) Tart, Dave (Kathy) Tart, Barb (Steve) Koebke, Dan (Dawn) Tart and Bob (Stacy) Tart. Grandchildren Tony (Samantha) Tart, Kristine (Casey) Nevala, Kenzie (Josh) Skare, Lizzie Tart, Kevin (Julie Broadwater) Tart, Michelle Nielsen, Brian Tart, Cody (Missi) Koebke, Blake (Amanda) Koebke, Brady Tart, Brandon Tart, Chelsey (Brett) Wilson, William Tart, Brittney (Caleb) Nolta, and Dyllon Tart. 19 great-grandchildren and 2 sisters.

She was preceded in death by her husband Elton, parents, 2 sisters and 3 brothers-in-law.

Funeral Mass for Erna will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 17, 2022 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will be at St. Ignatius Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 16 at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley and will continue for 1 hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday.

Irma Leichtnam Elliott formerly of LeRoy MN passed away August 3, 2022 at Golden Horizon in Sandstone, MN. 

Irma was born on November 24, 1933 in Festina Iowa to Tony and Ann Leichtnam. Irma graduated from Chester Iowa. She was united in marriage to Burley Elliott at St Stephens Catholic Church in Chester, IA on December 31, 1951 and was a stay-at-home mom while raising 8 children, she then became a nurses aid until her retirement. 

She is preceded in death by husband Burley, brothers, Rafael, Rayme, and Tony Leichtnam, children Michael and James Elliott and grandchildren Alan Elliott and Brooke Elliott. Survived by children Bill Elliott, DeAnn (Curt) Raymond, Shaun Elliott, Jackie Crowson, Jerry (Sally) Elliott and Patricia Elliott. Grandchildren Jennifer Dubuison, Michael Gross, Derek Gross, Shannon Gross Hanson, Robert Smith, Kenneth Smith, Jamie Smith Nagel, Jenaye Elliott Caldwell, Jantz Elliott, James Elliott, Amber Elliott Irhke, April Elliott Watkins, Brittani Barnett Gorman, Karli Reinhart, Matthew Reinhart and Elizabeth Elliott,. Great grandchildren Alyssa Bauers, Tristan Gross, Ryan Smith, Marilla Jo Waskosky, Jadelyn, Aubrey and Liam Caldwell, Luke Elliott, Ila and Lincoln Irhke, Corina Dubuison, Abigail Nelson, and Caitlyn and William Eklund, great-great grandchild Ricky Nelson. 

Funeral Mass will be held Tuesday, August 9th, 11 AM at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in LeRoy MN with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Lisa Marie Hovde, 52, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at her home in LeRoy, MN.

Lisa was born June 11, 1970 to Tom and Barb Hovde. She graduated from LeRoy-Ostrander High School in 1988. She went on to receive her Associate Degree in Science from RCTC and enjoyed working at Mayo Clinic for 31 years.. She was united in marriage to Dean Swenson, and they later divorced.

Lisa loved her family to the moon and back! Her son, Caleb, and daughter, Rochelle, were so precious to her. She was a very proud grandma of her special grandsons Carter and Cayson. Lisa also loved traveling to Chicago and other states to visit Rochelle and see her performances. She was so proud of her nieces in all of their sports and activities. Her God children Melissa, Anna, and Leah were so loved and just a little bit spoiled. Lisa “lit up the room” when she entered.

After her daughter, Rochelle, talked her into watching Marvel movies during Covid, she became a fan and they enjoyed many more good shows. Lisa loved to watch Minnesota sports teams compete and loved going to see the Minnesota Twins in action. Lisa was the head volleyball coach for years at LeRoy-Ostrander and a proud moment in her volleyball career was defeating Mabel-Canton. She loved sports, but she especially loved shoes! Lisa had acquired a huge collection over the years.

Lisa loved and was loved by many. Blessed be her memory.

Lisa is survived by her son Caleb of LeRoy, daughter Rochelle of Chicago, grandsons Carter and Cayson, parents Tom and Barb Hovde of LeRoy, sister Melanie (Mike) Welsh of Ostrander, brothers Kevin (Marlina Hui) Hovde of Rochester and Joe (Mandy) Hovde of Owatonna, grandfather Barney Winfield of LeRoy, nieces Kylie, Anna, Allie, Leah, Kaitlyn, Rylee and Addison. She also leaves behind her favorite fuzzball cat, Sylvie.

She was preceded in death by her daughter Cassie and several grandparents.

Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 2, 2022 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in LeRoy, MN with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, July 1 at the church and will continue for one hour prior to the service Saturday morning.

James Walter Ryan, age 77, passed away peacefully at home in Stewartville, MN on June 16th after a yearlong battle with cancer. He gratefully joined his beloved wife, Rita, who passed away unexpectedly only 97 days before him. 

Jim is survived by his son Jeff and Grandson Benjamin of Duluth MN, and his daughter Kelly (Gerald) Burt, and Grandchildren Anastasia and Nicholas of Blaine MN. He is also survived by his amazing siblings, Marlene (Milt) Tyler of La Crosse WI, Rich Ryan of Rochester MN, Connie (Dale) Eide of Rochester MN, Dan (Sue) Ryan of Melrose, WI, and Vince (Julie) Ryan of Webster MN. 

Jim (aka Lord James since he is an Irish landowner bestowed with the honorary title) was born November 2, 1944 in Cresco, IA to Roger and Dorothy (Daskam) Ryan and was the eldest of six kids who grew up on the family farm in Harmony. After graduating high school, he moved to Rochester and met the love of his life, Rita Staples, while working at St. Mary’s Hospital and Gold Cross Ambulance. They were married 02/19/66 and shared a truly beautiful partnership for those 56 years together. Jim worked for People’s Natural Gas/Minnesota Energy for 40 years before retiring. He was also a proud volunteer firefighter and EMT for Spring Valley Fire/Ambulance for over 3 decades. He had an overwhelmingly kind and giving heart and was involved in several religious and civic organizations and volunteer roles through his lifetime; far too many to list here. He was a man of great wisdom but few words and often said “two ears, one mouth” (listen twice as much as speaking). Jim was a man of great Christian faith, and especially found strength in Matthew Chapter 6 since he said he never wanted for anything that was not provided for him every day of his life through Christ.

Visitation will be Monday, June 27th from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Hindt Funeral Home 316 N Broadway Ave, Spring Valley, MN and the Memorial Mass will be at 10 a.m. at St. Ignatius Catholic Church 213 W Franklin St, Spring Valley officiated by Fr. Marreddy Pothireddy with visitation beginning one hour prior.

Seevert Bernell Gronvold “Bub”, age 74 of Grand Meadow died peacefully on June 8, 2022 At Mayo Clinic Hospital - St Marys Campus.

Seevert was born ln Kasson, Minnesota to Harvey and Lenora (Starkson) Gronvold on September 12,1947. He graduated high school in 1965 from Byron High School and later Attended Austin Vocational Technical Institute for Auto Mechanics.

Seevert married Jacqueline Ann Fenton on October 21, 1972 at St Finbarr Catholic Church. Together they had four children, Peter, Scott, Melinda and Cody. Seevert and Jacqueline later divorced.

Seevert held many jobs throughout his life. He was an Auto Mechanic lnstructor at varies local vocational institutes, worked at Crenlo Manufacturing in maintenance until he retired. He later held several semi driving jobs. Seevert worked very hard and sometimes several jobs to support his family. He always wanted to help others before himself. He was a loving father to his children and enjoyed teaching them auto mechanics. He enjoyed being in the pit crew for his sons racing, singing music, playing cornet, camping and fishing. Seevert loved attending family events, especially his grandkids concerts.

Seevert is survived by his sister Carol Woodward of Vadnais Heights, MN, brother James Gronvold of Rochester MN, Jacqueline Fenton (Gronvold) of Rochester Son Peter Gronvold of Grand Meadow, Scott (Peggy Nagele) Gronvold of Grand Meadow, Melinda Gronvold of Brownsdale and Cody (Tiffany) Gronvold of Grand Meadow. Grandchildren Brianna Gronvold, Tanner Gronvold, lsaiah-Joe Haskin, Ryder Gronvold and Cyrus Tipton

Seevert was preceded in death by sisters, Verlene and Alice, brothers Charles and Daniel in infancy. He was also preceded by his Parents Lenora and Harvey Gronvold.

Funeral Mass will be held 11:30 A.M. Thursday, June 16, 2022 at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will take place at Grand View Memorial Gardens in Rochester at a later date. Visitation will be held 1 hr prior to the service at the church.

Bernadette “Bernie” Rose (Rickerl) Hathaway, 98, passed away in Grand Meadow, Minnesota on May 3, 2022.

Bernie was born in Story County, Iowa on August 31, 1923, to Frank Joseph Rickerl and Julia Elizabeth (Baldus) Rickerl. Bernie married Fletcher “Red” Dean Hathaway on May11, 1944 – they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary shortly before Red passed away in 1994.

Everyone who knew Bernie and Red knew that Red was the idea guy, a tireless promoter for gathering people and riding horse, boating, camping, going on sleigh rides or organizing ‘jam sessions’ to enjoy the music they both loved, and much more. Bernie loved Red dearly and was the infrastructure and organization behind all those good ideas – it would have been chaos without her, but with her steady hand it was a joy to be part of, and a joy to share with friends and family. Bernie loved the community they built together.

Bernie managed over the almost 99 years of her life to transform from farm girl to war time factory worker to wife and mother to working woman to retiree to finally living alone at the end of her life. The final chapter in her life was supported by the compassionate care of the staff of Grand Meadow Senior Living and St. Croix Hospice. At each stage of life, Bernie made the transitions with strength, grace, good humor and quiet dignity.

Bernie was the last of her generation. She was preceded in death by her seven siblings and their spouses and Red’s eight siblings and their spouses. She was also preceded in death by her oldest daughter Joann Julia Hathaway Bloom and her husband James Jacob Bloom. She is survived by her children Dean Francis Hathaway (Judy Thoennes Hathaway), Katherine Marie Hathaway Moeller (Virgil Moeller), Julie Carol Hathaway (Richard Christenson), James Holis Hathaway (Heidi Randall Hathaway) and Holly Jean Hathaway Jax (Dean Jax) as well as 60+ grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren and their spouses and significant others. 

Bernie would be honored to be remembered for her graciousness, her kindness, her quiet strength, her openness to loving even those who are hard to love and her roles as wife, mother, grandmother and beyond. She wrapped her arms around a lot of people in 98 years.

Memorials may be sent to your local public school or local hospice.

A memorial service for Bernie will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 14, 2022 at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow. Burial will take place at St. Finbarr Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 10-11 a.m. at the church prior to the service.

Theresa Ann Weisinger, age 84, passed away peacefully on Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022 at Regional Health Services of Howard County Hospital in Cresco, Iowa.

Theresa was born on April 1, 1938 to James A. and Margaret C. (Popesh) Ryan in Ely, MN.

She married Frank E. Weisinger on November 24, 1954. They resided in Ely, MN until 1960, then moved to the Wykoff area, buying a farm in 1967.

Theresa was preceded in death by her parents James and Margaret Ryan; husband Frank E. Weisinger; son Timothy J. Weisinger; grandchildren Mara Ramaker and James Heckel; siblings James Ryan (Luella), Mary Corley (Marty), and Jean Corley (Jack).

Theresa is survived by her children Frank J. Weisinger, Margaret A. Ramaker (Rich), Pat J. Weisinger (Lori) of Wykoff, MN; Theresa M. Warren (Tom), Michelle Andersen (Alan) of Spring Valley, MN; Thomas M. Weisinger (Sue) of Waseca, MN; Joe M. Weisinger (Kathy) of Kasson, MN and Kay E. Heckel (Jerry) of Georgetown, TN.

Grandchildren Kindra Ramaker (Scott Hanson), Jerid Ramaker (Kristi), Tiffany Mundfrom (Eric), Zach Ramaker (Crystal); Travis Warren, Tyler Warren (Sarah), Toni Kolling; Cherre Metcalf (Chris), Todd Weisinger (Sydney), Katie Weisinger (Pat); Justin Andersen (Ronda), Abby Andersen; Carmen Heckel, Sara Heckel, Bobbi Heckel.

Great-grandchildren Dillon, Zurich (Hanson); Cole, Cody (Ramaker); Hunter, Noah, Esme (Mundfrom); Miles (Ramaker); Beck, Mali (Warren); Aspen, Paisley (Kolling); Lilli Metcalf, Bennett Weisinger; Angelina, Fox (Andersen), Lucus Hanf and Avalynn Andersen. Siblings Margaret R. Fox (Leonard); Barbara J. Carnes (Bob); Veronica J. DuPuis (Paul); Joe P. Ryan (Sharon); John T. Ryan (Gailyn) and Elizabeth K. Alexander (Larry).

Theresa was very active in the Catholic churches of St. Killian and St. Ignatius. She was a Catechism teacher, member of the Ladies Altar Society and Bundles of Love. She belonged to the Collectors Club. Loved the Arts - many music and entertainment performances were enjoyed with her dear friend Myrtle. She loved to travel - seeing both Holland and Alaska with her sisters. She was a Homemaker - passing to her grandchildren traditions of sewing, baking and her love of gardening (both vegetables and flowers). She also worked at the Spring Valley Nursing Home.

A funeral service for Theresa will be held on Friday, April 29, 2022 at 11:00 am with visitation from 9:00-11:00 am at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley, MN with Fr. Marreddy officiating. Burial will be at St. Kilian Catholic Cemetery in Wykoff, MN.

Herman “Sonny” Hanson Jr., 79, of LeRoy, MN died on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at his home in rural LeRoy.

Sonny was born June 1, 1942 in Lanesboro, MN to Herman Sr. and Mary (McRae) Hanson. He graduated from Wykoff High School in Wykoff, MN. After graduation he took over his dad’s milk route. When he sold it, Sonny went to work for Kapper’s Construction in Spring Valley, MN. He also worked for Mathy Construction, Quarve Anderson, and Griffin Construction in Chatfield. After retirement he worked for various farmers as well as hauling livestock. Sonny married Sharon Horan on June 3, 1961. They were later divorced. Sonny had a love for horses, farming, and went to horse pulling contests. He also had a love for Farmall tractors.

Sonny is survived by his 3 sons Terry (Cindy) of Fountain, MN, Todd of LeRoy, Pat (Kathy) of Chatfield, MN, and 1 daughter Brenda (Jason) Hanson of Rochester, MN. He is also survived by 6 grandkids Jim (Andrea), John (Tiffany), Julie (Dallas), Marissa (Andrew), Christopher, and Hunter, 7 great-grandkids Kylie, Austin, Abby, Aaron, Aiden, Bethany, and Presley, and 2 sisters Mary & Marion. His many nieces and nephews meant the world to him. He loved visiting and making deals with the Amish. His greatest joy was spending time with his family, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his parents, 3 brothers, Bob, Cecil and Lester and 4 sisters, Alice, Agnes, Lois and Marge.

A prayer service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 5, 2022 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in LeRoy, MN. Visitation will be held on Monday, April 4th from 4-7 p.m. at the church and will continue from 10-11 a.m. before the service on Tuesday.

Rita Marie Ryan, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on March 11, 2022.

 Rita was born to John and Loretta (Ebbers) Staples on September 20, 1941 in Slayton, MN. She grew up in Avoca MN, then moved to Rochester, MN soon after she graduated in 1959. Rita met the love of her life, Jim Ryan while they both worked at St. Mary’s Hospital. They were married on February 19, 1966 during a raging blizzard. The couple settled in Spring Valley were blessed with a son, Jeff, and a daughter, Kelly. Rita was an extremely talented baker, cake decorator, and cook and enjoyed sharing the fruits of her labor with so many others. She was very proud of her great homemaking abilities, enjoyed tending to her many plants, spending time with her close friends, talking about her wonderful grandkids, and spoiling her cats. She was a skilled seamstress, a true artist with a crochet hook and knitting needles and shared those talents by making and donating hats and blankets to Bundles of Love, Ronald McDonald House, and Salvation Army. Rita was an amazingly kind, thoughtful, compassionate and giving person. She was very active in Ladies Aid at St Ignatius Catholic church, and countless other volunteer activities.

 She is survived by her husband of 56 years Jim, son Jeff and grandson Ben of Duluth, and daughter Kelly (Gerald) Burt and grandchildren Anastasia and Nicholas of Blaine.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations to be made in her honor to a charity of the giver’s choice.

Memorial services for Rita will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 16 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley with Father Marreddy Pothrieddy officiating. Burial will take place in the church cemetery following the service. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 15 at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley and will continue from 10-11 a.m. on Wednesday at the church.

Norman Sween, 94, of Grand Meadow, MN, died on Sunday, February 13, 2022 at his home.

Norm was born on August 6, 1927, in Grand Meadow, MN to Clifford and Evelyn (Skogstad) Sween.

Norm attended country school in the Bear Creek area and graduated from Grand Meadow High School in 1945. Like many of his classmates, Norm volunteered for the service, leaving high school two months before graduation. He chose the Navy which trained him to be a medic/corpsman. The Navy sent him to Great Lakes, San Diego, and Baltimore for that training. Luckily, the war ended before he was shipped overseas.

On July 26, 1947, he married Kathleen “Kitty” Stier, his high school sweetheart, and they started the love story that would span 69 years. They began their married life in Great Lakes, IL, where Norm was stationed, later returning to Grand Meadow.

Norm worked for many years as manager of the Home Telephone Company of Grand Meadow, Racine, and Wykoff, and later Pierce Telephone in Riceville, IA. He was active in the Minnesota Independent Telephone Association and kept close contact with telephone friends from southern Minnesota.

Norm took great pride in his hometown and was part of the Grand Meadow Booster Club and the Grand Meadow Development Corporation where Norm helped with the annual chicken barbecue at Meadow Fest and working on getting new businesses in town. Norm saw the need to keep Grand Meadow vibrant. Norm was active in Boy Scouts, serving as Cub Master. He and Kitty volunteered for Meals on Wheels and a St. Finbarr’s Catholic Church.

While still enlisted in the Navy, Norm became a member of the Harry T. Anderson Post #140 and was a valued member for 75 years. Until just recently, Norm would be graveside at military funerals, honoring our service men and women.

Norm is survived by sons Dan (Carolyn) Sween of Grand Meadow, Douglas Sween of Rochester, and daughter Cindy (Doug) Ofstedal of Harmony, 6 grandchildren Patrick (Shawn) Sween of Grand Meadow, Chuck (Jen) Sween of Rochester, Adrienne Sween of Grand Meadow, Sarah Ofstedal of Monterey, Ca, Brit (Megan) Ofstedal of Tokyo, Japan, and Sheldyn (Sam) Himle of Milwaukee, WI, 12 great-grandchildren Kieran, Lucca, Rowan, Calum, and Eliot Sween, Lucia and August Sween, Cohen, Fiona, and Harlow Craft, Evelyn and Nina Ofstedal, Kira and Ean Ramer. He is also survived by brothers-in-law Francis (Barb) Stier, David (Bonnie) Stier, sisters-in-law Suzanne (Tom) Kjeer, Sylvia Christian, Helen Stier, Marilyn Stier, and Betty Sween. Many nieces and nephews had a special place in their heart for Norm.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Kitty Sween, son Paul T. Sween, daughter-in-law Joan Sween, brother Gordon Sween, brothers-in-law Richard Stier, Jerry Stier, Adrian Stier, Dave Christian, and a sister-in-law Dale Stier.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, February 18, 2022 at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow with Father Kevin Connolly officiating. Visitation will be held from 10-11 a.m. Friday morning at the church. Burial will be held at a later date.

Norm requested that memorials be given to Wounded Warriors, St. Luke’s Children’s Cancer Hospital, or a charity of your choice. 

Dean Raymond Irwin Stern January 5, 1960 ~ May 17, 2021 (age 61)

Dean Raymond Irwin Stern, 61, of Le Roy, Minnesota, passed peacefully at his home on May 17, 2021 surrounded by his loving family.

Dean was born on January 5, 1960 in Osage IA to Mildred (Yonker) and Eugene Stern. Dean grew up in LeRoy, MN and attended LOHS where he enjoyed playing football, driving his ’78 Road Runner, working at his parents’ restaurant (M&G Drive In), and working for a local family farm. After graduating in 1978 he went to work for Hanson Tire where he managed the truck center and devoted 38 years and 9 months to the company. He made many friends and built a nationwide customer base through his precision, honesty and dedication to his work.

Dean married the love of his life, Kathryn A Brekke , on April 24 1982. Their marriage was blessed with three children, Kyle Dean, Kelsey Kathryn, and Kalvin Jacob. Dean was a devoted husband and father. He loved watching his children play sports, taking fishing trips with his family, and traveling the countryside with his wife in their convertible.

He retired in 2016 after a diagnosis of Multiple System Atrophy. After retiring, he discovered his talent for woodworking where spent many hours on the lathe making wooden bowls. Dean also used that time to achieve the status of “Best Grandpa Ever.” He was most proud of his three children and seven grandchildren. 

Dean will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Kathryn and their children, Kyle (Crystal) Stern, Kelsey (Christopher) McGrane, and Kalvin (Rachel Davis) Stern along with seven beautiful grandchildren: Brody, Ryder, Madisyn and Krosby Stern; Nolan and Ivy McGrane; and Eliza Stern. Three sisters Deborah (Bruce) Diemer; Dianne Stern, Mary (Nathan) Cook, along with many nieces and nephews.

Dean was preceded in death by his parents Mildred and Eugene Stern.

Funeral Mass for Dean will be held 10:30 A.M. Friday May 21, 2021 at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in LeRoy with Father Marreddey Pothireddy officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4-7 P.M. on Thursday May 20, 2021 also at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in LeRoy. 

Paul E. Snyder November 29, 1926 ~ May 2, 2021 (age 94)

“The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything- They just make the best of everything.”

Paul E. Snyder, 94, of Grand Meadow, MN died on Sunday, May 2, 2021 at the Grand Meadow Healthcare Center.

Paul Snyder was born on November 29, 1926 on a farm northeast of Austin, MN to Peter Jacob Snyder and Julia Agnes (Guiney) Snyder and was one of nine children. He attended District #68 country school through the 8th grade. In 1942, his family moved to a farm west of Grand Meadow, where he continued to farm until he retired. On June 6, 1953, he married Irene Mae Calta at Queen of Angels Church in Austin, MN and they were blessed with six children. On October 27, 1954, Paul entered the Army and served at Ft. Bliss, Texas as a Cpl. and gun crew chief. While he was in the army, he earned his GED. He was honorably discharged on July 27, 1956.

Paul was happy to serve his church, St. Finbarr’s in Grand Meadow as a church trustee, education board member, Knights of Columbus member, and, for 45 years, an usher. He served on the Creamery board, Mower County board and, for 45 years, the Grand Meadow Township board. He later worked as Bus Supervisor and bus driver for 15 years.  Paul, a hard-working farmer, “enjoyed life,” his wife, children, family, and friends.

Paul is survived by his wife Irene of Grand Meadow, children Pauline (John) Gwin of Rochester, Karen (Terry) Weelborg of Grand Meadow, Margaret (Richard) Masching of Hayfield, Tom (Brenda) Snyder of Grand Meadow, and Ellen (Brad) Olson of Grand Meadow, sisters Sister Ruth Snyder of Rochester, Mariah Snyder of St. Paul, sister-in-law Alice Snyder of Grand Meadow, grandchildren Jenny, Mysea (Ben), Kristin (Porfi), Stacy (Darrell), Rebecca (John), Michelle (Mike), Tyler (Lindsey), Andy (Katie), Melanie (Jason), Jon (Danielle), Nathan, Cody, Caitlyn, Justin (Jacque), Brittany, and Cortney (Cameron), his 16 great-grandchildren Annie, Ezra, Asher, Henry, Violet, Avie, Hannah, Justin, Tabatha, Hadley, Carter, Aralynn, Sawyer, Lily, Aubrey, and Huxen.

He was preceded in death by his parents Peter and Julia Agnes Snyder, sisters Mary (Louis) Blahnik, Catherine (Fred) Blahnik, Angie (Jerry) Viktora, brothers Joe (Alverta) Snyder, John Snyder, Gene (Adeline) Snyder, and his son David Snyder in 1981.

Visitation will be held from 4-6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 6, 2021 at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow. Rosary will be recited at 3:30. Masks are required and social distancing will be practiced. A private family service will be held with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will take place in the church cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Finbarr for mass offerings.Ronald D. Rich  October 26, 1942 ~ April 20, 2021 (age 78)

Ronald D. Rich, loving husband and father of four, passed away on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at the age of 78.

Ron was born October 26, 1942 in Minneapolis, MN to Harold and Norma (Hall) Rich. He attended and graduated school in LeRoy, MN and vocational school in Austin, MN. On January 6th, 1962, he married his high school sweetheart, Sharon (Lastine) and together they raised four children. He served in the U.S. Army from 1962-1964 and earned his pilot’s license while enlisted. He was a member of the American Legion and served on the LeRoy School Board.

Professionally, he was a businessman in the LeRoy MN/Chester IA area for many years owning the Travel Inn Supper Club, an aerial helicopter crop spraying business, an LP gas business, a grain elevator and finally running the largest truck stop in Chester until his retirement.

Personally, he had a passion for flying, both helicopters and airplanes, and even owned his own plane. He enjoyed fishing with his family in Lake of the Woods and gambling in Laughlin, Nevada with Sharon. After retirement, he enjoyed playing cards with friends and the local farmers.

Ron was preceded in death by his father Harold, mother Norma, eldest son Chuck, sister-in-law Sandy Lastine and brother-in-law Rusty Domino. He is survived by his wife Sharon of 59 years; his children, Jean (John) Mason, John (Nicole) Rich, Nick (Laura) Rich; grandchildren, Chelsea, Sarah, Nyah, Mia, Hayley, Lili, and Jude; great grandchildren Dawson, Nora and Bennett; sister Diane Domino; brother-in-law Dennis Lastine and his dog, Snickers.

Memorial Services for Ron will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in LeRoy, MN with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will take place in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, May 7 at the church in LeRoy. Masks are required and social distancing will be practiced.

Loretta J. (Sickler) Ascheman January 23, 1947 ~ February 25, 2021 (age 74) 

With profound sadness we announce the passing of Loretta on February 25, 2021. Loretta was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandma, sister, and friend to all. 

Loretta’s story started on January 23, 1947, the oldest child of Raymond and Dolores Sickler. She married her high school sweetheart Rick, who spent 54 years adoring his beloved wife. They were an inseparable team. Together they had three children Melissa, Kris, and Chad. 

Loretta was an honest, loving, kind, strong individual. She had a pleasant personality that was contagious to everyone she met. She had a creative side that showed through playing piano and organ, sewing, quilting and calligraphy. 

Loretta spent many years in Spring Valley working as an instructional aide helping the handicapped. Although rewarding, there was another side to Loretta. And that was her generosity with her time. As a cancer survivor, she devoted a lot of her time volunteering within the community and beyond. Relay for Life, Love Lights a Tree, I Can Cope are just some examples that she put her heart and soul into. Although never boastful, she did receive the accolade of Citizen of the Year for all her volunteer work. 

Loretta also enjoyed the outdoors. For many, many years her and Rick spent countless hours out on the golf course during the summer months. She was also known to love the sun. She enjoyed going south during the winters and once summer hit, she would spend endless hours sitting out on her deck or poolside at her daughter’s house. 

Family was important to Loretta. She loved her husband, children, grandchildren, and extended family dearly. Friends also played a vital role in Loretta’s life. She had such a vast group and cherished them all. 

Rest in peace Loretta. You are loved and will be dearly missed. 

Loved ones that cleared the path for Loretta are her daughter Melissa Ascheman-Davis, parents Raymond & Dolores Sickler, sister Gwen Sailor and in-laws Raymond & Louise Ascheman. Loved ones that will miss Loretta until they meet again are her husband Rick Ascheman, her daughter Kris (Craig) Paulson, son Chad Ascheman, son in-law John Davis, grandchildren Trevor, Lane and Braeden, along with her siblings and extended family. 

Family and friends are encouraged to celebrate Loretta’s life in their own personal way. A celebration of her life will take place at a later date.

Eugene F. Simon May 20, 1928 ~ February 12, 2021 (age 92) 

Eugene Francis Simon was relieved of his earthly post on February 12, 2021. Born on May 20, 1928 to Hugh and Ellen (Rafoth) Simon and known by ‘Bull’ to his family and friends, he was raised with 9 siblings in a loving and spirited family. He was a teen when his elder brother, Anton, was killed in action in WWII, which heavily impacted his life. He joined the Navy in 1948 as an electronics specialist and served his country until 1968, visiting Vietnam, Greece, Turkey, and many countries in South America. The words of the US Navy song were words he lived by: Faith, Courage, Service True, with Honor Over All. During his time in the Navy, he served President Truman on his many visits to Key West, Florida, traveled through South America with President Eisenhower, and provided support to President Johnson. Gene took great pride to have directly served 3 sitting US Presidents.  

In 1968, he retired from the Navy after 20 years of service and attended Winona State University, where he obtained a degree in business. He worked for a jukebox company, traveling the east coast and Midwest. After a few years, he returned to the Ostrander area. During his early years in the Navy, he began investing in land, and now developed real estate in Ostrander, naming one street after his mother, Ellen. He renewed his acquaintance with high school friend Betty Nelson Aide, and in 1978 they married and settled on his farm. His service to his country was a great source of pride, and he remained active in the American Legion, serving as Commander of the Spring Valley unit. 

Gene was known for his quick-witted sense of humor, which would be delivered straight-faced and ever so dry. He was always ready to talk to a willing ear, and could weave a story that was almost unbelievable, except he really lived those tales. He loved life, and could be found having coffee at the café with friends, loved playing cards, and enjoyed celebrating holidays with family. He started a coffee club at the Ostrander Assisted Living facility, entertaining the residents with his memories and humor.  

He was preceded in death by the love of his life and beloved wife, Betty, his step-son, Steven Aide, his parents, siblings Jim, Anton, Bill, Ted, Jerry, Claire, Ann (Heppelmann), and Carl, and nephew Brian Eggler. Those left to cherish his memory include his sister, Helen (Eggler), brother-in-law and close friend, Bob Nelson, and 30 nieces and nephews. 

Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, February 19, 2021 at 11 a.m. at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley, MN. Visitation will be held 1 hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on Monday, February 22, 2021. Masks and social distancing will be required for both the visitation and funeral mass. 

Eugene was proud to support the Red Cloud Indian School in Pine Ridge, SD, where Jesuit Brother Claire Simon, SJ, served for over 40 years. 

Priscilla M. Graff May 22, 1926 ~ December 19, 2020 (age 94) 

Priscilla M. Graff, 94, of Spring Valley, MN died on Saturday, December 19, 2020 at Spring Valley Living. 

Priscilla May Stone, daughter of Guy LeRoy and Pearl Stone was born May 22, 1926 at her grandparents, R. J. Williams, farm in Linn Grove, IA. She graduated from Linn Grove High School on May 10, 1944 and on May 24, 1944 she married Aloysius Joseph Graff at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Sioux Rapids, IA. They farmed in the Linn Grove and Royal area and in 1954 moved to their present farm 6 miles north of Spring Valley, MN. 

They were the parents of three children; Dennis Joseph (Char) Graff of Racine, MN, David Jerome (Melinda) Graff of Rochester, and Diane Joy (Galen) Schultz of Perham, MN. She had 3 grandchildren; Paul (Sue) Graff of Spring Valley, MN, Christopher (Kristi) Schultz of Esko, MN, and Tracy (Jeff) Brown of New York Mills, NY and 6 great-grandchildren; Morgan, Austin, and Alison Graff, Katie and Ashley Schultz, and Avalee and Bryce Brown. 

Priscilla enjoyed baking, reading, sewing, and playing cards. She was Sumner Center news correspondent for over 30 years. She was a member of St. Ignatius Catholic Church and their Altar Society. She also belonged to Science Hill Birthday Club and the Friendly Neighbor Club, Hamilton Birthday Club, Magazine Club and Bundles of Love. 

Preceding Priscilla in death were her parents, her husband Aloysius Joseph Graff, son David Graff, and sister Dorothy Carlson. 

Funeral Mass for family and close friends will be held 11:00 A.M. Tuesday January 05, 2021 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will be in the Church Cemetery.

Ralph Jr. J. Drees April 8, 1945 ~ October 13, 2020 (age 75) 

Ralph Drees Jr., 75, of Spring Valley, MN, passed away on Tuesday, October 13, 2020, at his home. 

Ralph John Drees Jr. was born on April 08, 1945, to Ralph Sr. and Ethel (Daiker) Drees in Carroll, IA. He attended elementary school at Sacred Heart Catholic School and received his diploma from Adams High School, Adams, MN. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1965 and was honorably discharge in the fall of 1967. Ralph was united in marriage to Janice Mayer in LeRoy, MN, on January 03, 1966; to this union eight children were born. 

Ralph worked on his family farm up until his retirement in 2016. He enjoyed playing with his grandchildren, playing cards, fishing and hunting deer. Ralph and Janice are members of the St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley.  

Ralph is survived by his wife, Janice and their children Joanne (John) Tibodeau of Wells, MN, Ralph (Kersten) Drees III of Spring Valley, MN, David (Melissa Burns) Drees of LeRoy, MN, Michael (Julie) Drees of Stewartville, MN, Paul (Amber Bever) Drees of Wheeler, WI, Catherine (Steven) Nelson of Rochester, MN, Joseph (Santi) Drees of Spring Valley, MN, and Andrew (Ally) Drees of Zumbrota, MN; 24 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren; his siblings Rosann Sanford, Steve (Nancy) Drees, Mary (Jerry) Ott, Anna Wilder, John (Candy) Drees, Dale (Robin) Drees, Dan (Carol) Drees, Neil (Peggy) Drees, Arlo (Betty) Drees, and Brian (Kelly) Drees, sister-in-law Ella Dodge; and many nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Allen, brothers-in-law Wally, and Gene, his nephew Jamie, and nieces MaryAnn and Suzanne. 

Private family Funeral Mass for Ralph will be held at St. Ignatius Catholic Church with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. A public Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, October 19, 2020, at St. Ignatius Catholic Church. Social distancing will be practiced and masks will be required for the safety of the family. Hindt Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Gerald C. Bushman October 8, 1926 ~ October 12, 2020 (age 94) 

Gerald Christian Bushman, age 94, was born in Randalia, IA, on October 8, 1926, the son of Peter and Martha (Sand) Bushman.  

Gerald served in the US Marines from 1945-1948, when he was honorably discharged. On September 5, 1949, Gerald was united in marriage to Henrietta Bushman at St. Francis De Salles Catholic Church, Ossian, IA. From October 1950-April 1951, he was stationed in California when he was called into the US Marine Reserves. He farmed in Ossian, IA for several years. Gerald then moved to Cedar Rapids, IA, where he worked for the Quaker Oats Company for twenty-nine years. Gerald enjoyed helping others and volunteered at Green Square in Cedar Rapids for 13 years. In 2014, he moved to Spring Valley, MN. During his lifetime, Gerald enjoyed hunting, fishing, reading, and playing bingo and dominos. 

Gerald is survived by his wife Henrietta of 71 years; daughters Linda (Loren) Locken of Groton, SD, Carol (John) Warmka of Grand Meadow, MN, Nancy (Dan) Winter of St. Louis, MO, Judy (Greg) Kingery of Peoria, AZ; son Bruce (Kris) Bushman of Spokane, WA; grandchildren Beth (Dane) Ankeny, Barb (Skye) Lesher, Chad (Britt) Locken, Cheryl (Kevin) Chapman, David (Tina) Trahms, Paul (Ashley) Trahms, Nathaniel Winter, Meghan (Jon) Goudy, Ben Kingery, Nate Kingery; 17 great-grandchildren; sisters Marilyn Rima, Dianne (Bob) Einck, Sharlene Rose, Eleane (Paul) Wokwicz, and Eileen (Bob) Fogarty. 

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers-in-law. 

Funeral Mass for Gerald will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 17, 2020, at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow, MN with Father Marreddy Pathireddy officiating. Family and close friends are welcome to attend. Visitation will be held from 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 17, 2020, for one hour prior to services at St. Finbarr. Social distancing will be practiced and masks will be required.

Jon A. Wade    July 17, 1960 ~ September 24, 2020 (age 60) 

John A. Wade, 60, of LeRoy, MN, passed away after battling cancer on September 24, 2020 at his home. He was surrounded by his children, siblings, and special daughter-in-law. John was well known by many people.

John Anthony Wade was born on July 17, 1960 in Fairmont, MN to Arthur and Patricia (Nagel) Wade. He graduated from LeRoy-Ostrander High School with the Class of 1980. He married Rita Rumble on April 24, 1993. The two were later divorced. 

John enjoyed singing, dancing, taking care of the cattle, riding horses, and music, especially Johnny Cash. Back in the day, he also enjoyed riding motorcycles with the best of them. He was a lover of the cowboy scene and spent many nights watching western movies and attending rodeos. His wardrobe mainly consisted of his cowboy hat, boots, bandana, Wranglers, button downs, and he always had to have the biggest and best belt buckle to top it off. 

The way John died is just like how he lived: surrounded by the ones he loved while maintaining a positive attitude and continuing to show his sense of humor through it all. John loved his family deeply and took time to teach his nieces and nephews how to enjoy life. Even though he was sick, he wanted to fulfill his bucket list. He was able to accomplish this with his children and daughter-in-law. 

John is survived by his children John (Brittany) Wade of Stewartville, MN and Emily Wade of Adams, MN, mother Pat Wade of LeRoy, “fur-child” Colorado, siblings Lisa (Joseph) Breen of Louisville, CO, Teresa (Dick) Noll of Clear Lake, IA, Jim (Michele) Wade of Prior Lake, MN, “grand-dog” Kimber, and many nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, father Art Wade, and brother Joe Wade. 

Funeral Mass for John will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, September 28, 2020 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in LeRoy, MN with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Family and close friends are welcome to attend. All others wishing to attend, please join us outside the church at 11:15 a.m. to process to St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery in LeRoy for the committal service. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday, September 27 at Hindt Funeral Home in LeRoy. Social distancing will be practiced and masks will be required inside and outside for the safety of the family.

Elton Francis Tart   May 15, 1928 ~ September 17, 2020 (age 92) 

Elton Francis Tart, age 92, of rural Spring Valley, passed away on Thursday, September 17, 2020 at the Patty Elwood Center, Cresco, Iowa. 

Elton Francis Tart was born May 15, 1928, in rural Spring Valley, MN, the son of Francis and Olive (Frank) Tart. On October 7, 1950, he married Erna Pretsch in Spring Valley, MN. To this union 6 children were born, Rich, Ralph, Dave, Barb, Dan and Bob. 

Elton milked cows and farmed for a living. He attended St. Ignatius Catholic Church and was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed playing cards with neighbors and friends, and always looked forward to get togethers with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. 

Elton is survived by his wife, Erna, and children, Rich (Carol) Tart, Ralph (Julie) Tart, Dave (Kathy) Tart, Barb (Steve) Koebke, Dan (Dawn) Tart, Bob (Stacy) Tart. Grandchildren, Tony (Samantha) Tart, Kristine (Casey) Nevala, Kenzie (Josh) Skare, Lizzie Tart, Kevin (Julie Broadwater) Tart, Michelle (Jim) Nielsen, Brian Tart, Cody (Missi) Koebke, Blake (Amanda) Koebke, Brady Tart, Brandon Tart, Chelsey (Brett) Wilson, William Tart, Brittney (Caleb) Nolta, Dyllon Tart, 17 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Erwin Tart. 

A private family service for Elton will be held Saturday, September 26, 2020 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley with Father Marreddy Pathreddy officiating. Burial will be held at St. Ignatius Catholic Cemetery.

Robert E. Pierce March 14, 1938 ~ September 8, 2020 (age 82) 

Robert “Soak” Pierce, 82, of Stewartville, MN, formerly of Spring Valley, died on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at his home. 

Robert E. Pierce was born March 14, 1938 at his grandparents’ home in Canton, MN. He played basketball and football in school and graduated Salutatorian of his class in 1956. He then worked at his family’s business in Canton and also at Fillmore County Nursery. He then spent 2 years in the Army. He went to work for IBM in 1965 and spent 27 years there. 

On February 12, 1966 he married the love of his life, Patricia Hammes, and they spent 54 wonderful years together. 

Bob was an avid golfer and was a member of the Root River Country Club for 43 years. He also loved fishing and spent 20 years fishing out of Zippel Bay Resort on Lake of the Woods. More than anything else, though, Bob loved spending time with his family. He will be deeply missed. 

Bob is survived by his wife Patricia “Patty” Pierce of Stewartville, 3 children Lori (Dan) Arndorfer of Grand Meadow, MN, Donnie (Tasha Murray) Pierce of Byron, MN, and Lisa (Chris) King of Stewartville, and 6 grandchildren Annika Arndorfer, Andrew Arndorfer, Zach (Kortney) Pierce, Nick (Kelli Oelkers) Pierce, Kayle Pierce, Kinzie King, and brother David Pierce of South Carolina. 

 He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Phyllis. 

Funeral Mass for Bob will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 12, 2020 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley, MN with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will follow at St. Ignatius Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday, September 11 from 5-7 p.m. at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley.

Vernice Ilene (Simonson) Stier January 31, 1925 ~ July 10, 2020 (age 95) 

Vernice I. Stier, age 95, of Grand Meadow died Friday July 10, 2020 at her home in Grand Meadow. 

She was born January 31, 1925 to Clarence and Bertha (Skogstad) Simonson on a farm near Grand Meadow. She attended and graduated from Grand Meadow High School in 1944 and was united in marriage to Phillip Stier on September 26, 1945 at St Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow and together they had 9 children. Vernice was a homemaker for the majority of her life, at age 60 she started working at Grand Meadow Health Care and continued to work there for 10 years. After her retirement from the Care Center Vernice and Phillip enjoyed wintering in Mesa, AZ for many years. She enjoyed bowling, music, dancing, cocktail hour with a brandy old fashioned, playing pinochle and driving her golf cart around Grand Meadow but most of all she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and having a good time. 

She is survived by her children; Annette (Pat) Hefling of Tomahawk, WI, Mark (Theresa) Stier of Grand Meadow, Connie (Frank) Mignone of Hamel, MN, Terry (Lisa) Stier of Montgomery, MN, Less (Chery) Stier of Grand Meadow, Pam (Craig) Stacey of Deephaven, MN, Patti Stier of Burnsville, MN and Jim (Randi) Stier of Grand Meadow, 28 grandchildren, 59 great-grandchildren and a great-great grandson. 

She was preceded in death by her husband Phillip on October 24, 2006, a son Stephen, a grandson Brandon and 3 brothers; Everett, Chuck and Curt. 

A public visitation will be held from 10 A.M. until 11 A.M. on Friday July 17, 2020 at St Finbarr Catholic Church. St Finbarr Catholic Church requests masks be worn and social distancing be followed. A private funeral Mass for the family will take place later that day. The family would like to extend a special thank you to her niece Julie Burgess for the loving care she extended to Vernice over the last couple years.

David R. Theiss November 7, 1946 ~ June 14, 2020 (age 73) 

David R. Theiss passed away peacefully, at home with family surrounding him on Sunday, June 14, 2020. 

David Roy Theiss was born to Roy and Helen (Winters) Theiss on November 7, 1946, in Spring Valley. Dave graduated from Spring Valley High School in 1964. He married the love of his life, Mary Danielson, on December 9, 1972, at St. Ignatius Church in Spring Valley. He retired from his career at Hormel Foods in 2010. Dave enjoyed hunting, fishing, Western movies, casino trips, country drives, and spending time with family. 

He is survived by his wife, Mary, daughter Lisa (Clyde) Rollie of Wykoff, Lori Theiss and partner Dale Wilson of Rochester, his brothers Roger (Peggy) Winters of Spring Valley and Don Theiss of Spring Valley, grandchildren Samantha Rollie, Jordan Theiss, Tristan Rollie, and Ethan Rollie, great grandchildren Lyla Koch and Rylin Tonsanger. 

Dave was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Helen Theiss. 

The family sends a heartfelt Thank You to the awesome team at Seasons Hospice and Dr. Cory Boyce at OMC in Spring Valley. 

Graveside services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, June 18, 2020, at St. Ignatius Catholic Cemetery with Fr. Marreddy Pothireddy officiating.

Louise A. (Viktora) Hahn  February 24, 1939 ~ April 25, 2020 (age 81) 

Louise A. Hahn, age 81, of Spring Valley, MN died on Saturday, April 25, 2020 at her home. 

Louise Alice Viktora was born on February 24, 1939 to James and Minnie Viktora. She was united in marriage to Darrell Hahn on May 7, 1955 in Fillmore, MN. They lived their entire married life in the Wykoff area. Louise loved to clean and made her living as a housekeeper. She loved spending time with her family, going to church, working out, and doing crossword puzzles. She was a member of St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley. Louise was an honest, hardworking woman who was always willing to help anybody out and give them the shirt off of her back. She will be deeply missed. 

Louise is survived by 2 daughters Karen (Kevin Olson) Schwartz of Elgin and Kristi (Craig) Burch of Spring Valley, 3 sons Ronald Hahn of LeRoy, Rodney (Heather) Hahn of Spring Valley, and Robert Hahn of Spring Valley, Tony Hare of Grand Meadow, who was just like family to Louise, brothers Gene, Melvin, and Donnie, and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Darrell in 1981, special friend Milton “Mody” Thompson, sons Randy Hahn and Richard Hahn Sr., grandsons Jamie Allen Schwartz and Richard Hahn Jr., sisters Rosella, Lillian, and Gladys, and brothers Wesley, Kenneth, and David. 

 Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a private family service will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2020 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will take place in Spring Valley Cemetery.

Glen P. Davis     December 7, 1931 ~ February 15, 2020 (age 88) 

Glen Paul Davis (88), a lifelong resident of Grand Meadow, passed away on Saturday February 15, 2020. 

He was born on December 7, 1931 to Volney and Theckla (Stier) Davis at the family farm north of Grand Meadow. Dr. Mitchell arrived in his one horse sleigh to deliver him. Glen was the 8th of 9 children. He graduated from Grand Meadow High School in 1949 and was captain of the 1948 Larks football team. 

He married Shirley Evenson on January 29, 1955 at St Finbarr’s Catholic Church in Grand Meadow. They had 5 children – Jay, Kim, Dawn, Lisa, and Wade. Kim passed away in a car accident in 1964. He lost his beloved wife Shirley on January 19, 1996, after 40 years of marriage. In 1999 Glen married MaryAnn Heimer, they were later divorced. 

Glen was a lifelong farmer, taking over the family farm with his three brothers Stan, Don and Ray. Together they farmed over 1100 acres, milked around 60 cows and raised numerous chickens over the years.  

Glen was proud to drive school bus for Grand Meadow Schools for 55 years, from 1949 – 2005 and had the chance to drive multiple generations of some local families. His bus kids lovingly called him “Glennie”. He would proudly tell you that in all those years he never had an accident. The Post Bulletin did an article on Glen in January 2015 to highlight his commitment to bus driving. Glen will be laid to rest in a custom school bus casket donated by Hindt Funeral Home of Grand Meadow. 

Glen was an active member of his community throughout his life, serving on the St. Finbarr’s Catholic Church board of trustees, Knights of Columbus and the church council. He was also secretary of the Vernon Creamery board. In his retirement, he volunteered with Meals on Wheels delivering food to Grand Meadow residents. 

Glen was a huge supporter of the Grand Meadow School and the Superlark teams. In addition to cheering for the Superlarks, he loved playing cards and checkers, and throwing horseshoes. Most of all, he loved spending time with his kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. 

Glen is survived by four children – Jay (Sandra Heiland) Davis, Dawn (Steve) Durst, Lisa (Brian) Hodge and Wade (Elizabeth Lin) Davis, five grandchildren – Nick Durst, Kim Durst, Jennifer Andersen, Brady (Katy) Hodge, and Dani Hodge, and two great grandchildren – Logan Andersen and Kaiza Hodge. He is survived by one sister – Teresa (Truman) Nelson and two sisters in law– Shirley (Stan) Davis and Linda (Ray) Davis – and many loving nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife Shirley, daughter Kim, parents Volney and Theckla, four brothers – Verne, Stan, Don, Ray, and three sisters – Sister Donald, Marcella, Laurene. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Friday, February 21 at St. Finbarr’s Catholic Church in Grand Meadow, 504 1st St SW, with Father Russell Scepaniak officiating. Visitation will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 20 at St. Finbarr’s and one hour before the service. Rosary will be recited at 4:30 p.m. Burial will be at St. Finbarr’s Catholic Cemetery at a later date. 

Memorials are preferred to the St. Finbarr’s Catholic Church or the Grand Meadow Education Fund (GMEF). 

The Davis family wishes to extend its immense gratitude to the staff at Grand Meadow Senior Living, Mayo Clinic Hospice – Austin, and his two special caregivers from Home Instead - Ruby Bell and Deb Lester.

Mary K. (Arnts) Rath     November 11, 1928 ~ January 14, 2020 (age 91) 

Mary Rath, 91, of Grand Meadow, MN died on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 at Grand Meadow Healthcare Center. 

Mary Katherine Arnts was born in Storm Lake, IA on November 11, 1928 to Bernard and Gezena (Lansink) Arnts. She attended country school as a child with her siblings. On August 18, 1952 Mary was united in marriage to Michael Rath in Schaller, IA. In 1956, Mary and Michael moved to an 80 acre farm near Grand Meadow. Together they wintered in Weslaco, TX for 19 years. Mary worked at Daytons Department Store for about 20 years. Mary enjoyed baking, crocheting, knitting, quilting, painting, and crafts. She was a member of St. Finbarr Catholic Church and its Rosary Society. She was also a member of the Neighborhood Knitting Club and Birthday Club. 

Mary is survived by her children Carol (Mike) Fritz of Rochester, Paul (Barb) Rath of Chatfield, Bob (Barb) Rath, of Grand Meadow, Lori (Tim) Ryan of Rochester, and Joe Rath of Rochester, 5 grandchildren Aaron Rath, Libby Rapos, Renae Peters, Tony Rath, Korey Rath, 4 step-grandchildren Zac, Chase, Candice, and Brent Quandt, 5 great-grandchildren Kadin Tracy, Xander Rapos, Mason Rapos,Cynthia Peters and Jonathan Peters, sister Josephine Goeser of Council Bluffs, IA, and sister-in-law Eileen Arnts of Storm Lake, IA. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Mike in 2015, and 5 siblings. 

Funeral Mass for Mary will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow with Father Kevin Connolly officiating. Visitation will be held from 4:30-7:00 p.m. on Monday, January 20 at Hindt Funeral Home in Grand Meadow. Rosary will be recited at 4:30 p.m.

Charles D. Kuhl   April 27, 1939 ~ November 18, 2019 (age 80) 

Charles D. Kuhl, 80, of Racine, MN died on Monday, November 18, 2019 at Ostrander Care Center. 

Charles Duwayne Kuhl was born on April 27, 1939 to Ben and A. Mary (Fuerstenberg) Kuhl in Stewartville, MN. He dairy farmed in the Spring Valley area and drove school bus for the Stewartville school district for 27 years. He also worked for the Spring Valley Tribune, doing the inserts and distributing papers throughout the area. Charles loved to reminisce and was very handy. Any idea you could give him, he could make it. He adored dogs and traveled the country attending various dog shows. He occasionally showed dogs himself and was a big part of the Basset Hound show scene. 

Charles is survived by his sisters Larraine (LaVerne) Mickow of Elgin, MN, and Sandra Miller of Spring Valley, many nieces and nephews, and many dog showing friends, especially Nancy Klenke. 

was preceded in death by his parents, sister Audrey, brother-in-law Kenneth Miller, and nephew Charles Miller. 

Funeral Services for Charles will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, November 22, 2019 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, November 21 at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley and will continue for one hour at the church prior to the service on Friday.

Robert D. Brownlow April 2, 1933 ~ October 27, 2019 (age 86) 

Robert Dennis Brownlow, 86, of Le Roy, MN died on Sunday, October 27, 2019 at Cottagewood Senior Communities in Rochester. 

Robert was born to Bernard and Viola (Holt) Brownlow in Austin, MN on April 2, 1933. He was married to Colleen Iverson on September 8, 1956 in Le Roy, MN and they became the parents of four children; Terri, Kris, Kay, and Bob. He was the proud owner and operator of the Red Owl grocery store for 55 years. He served in the US Army and was deployed to the Korean conflict. In 1967, he was the Minnesota trapshooting champion (doubles). Robert was an avid golfer, fisher, bowler, and hunter. He was also a volunteer fireman, a ham radio operator, and fan of both of the Vikings and the Twins.  

Robert is survived by his children Terri Beckett of Farmington, MN, Kris (Mark) Thompson of Bettendorf, IA, Kay (Bill) McCloud of Le Roy, Robert “Bob” (Vivian) Brownlow of Akron, OH, 14 grandchildren, 10 ½ great-grandchildren, and sister Donna Mallory of Maple Grove, MN. 

He is preceded in death by his parents, wife Colleen, grandson Michael, son-in-law Harold Beckett, and brother-in-law William Mallory.   

Memorial Mass for Robert will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 1, 2019 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Le Roy with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will take place at St. Patrick’s Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, October 31 at Hindt Funeral Home in Le Roy and will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.

Arleen M. (Bakken) Patten    September 18, 1927 ~ October 7, 2019 (age 92) 

Arleen M. Patten, age 92, of Spring Valley, MN died Monday, October 7, 2019 at her home. 

Arleen Marion Bakken was born September 18, 1927 in Wanamingo, MN to George and Amanda (Kyllo) Bakken. After graduating from Pine Island High School, she worked at Mayo Clinic as a lab technician until her marriage to Richard “Dick” Patten. They were married June 2, 1948 at St. Ignatius in Spring Valley and to this union, two children were born; Pam and Richard Jr. Following her marriage to Dick, Arleen became a homemaker. She had a deep love for her children and grandchildren as well as her dogs. Arleen enjoyed traveling with friends and could never pass up a good coupon deal. 

Arleen is survived by her children; Pam Rowe of Mankato, MN, and Richard (Kristine) Patten Jr. of Lakeville, MN, and two grandchildren; David Rowe Jr. of Mankato, MN and Gretchen Rowe of Alexandria, VA. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Dick, and brother Gordon Bakken.    

Funeral Mass for Arleen Patten will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, October 11, 2019 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley, MN with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Visitation will be held from 5-8 PM on Thursday, October 10 at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley and will continue from 10-11 AM at the church prior to the mass on Friday.

Loretta K. (Landy) Hansen  November 12, 1941 ~ October 1, 2019 (age 77) 

Loretta Kay (Landy) Hansen, age 77, died peacefully in her home surrounded by her children and loved ones on Tuesday, October 1, 2019, due to complications from Mantle-Cell Lymphoma. Loretta was born on November 12, 1941 to Roy and Marguerite Landy in Minneapolis. She was one of five children. Loretta graduated high school from the Academy of Holy Angels, attended the University of Minnesota, and later graduated with an Associate of Science degree from Rochester Community College. Loretta met Stafford Owen Hansen at the Red Owl store in Minneapolis and the two were married September 16, 1961. Loretta worked for Red Owl and together with Stafford built and owned the Red Owl store in Spring Valley (now the public library). In Spring Valley, Loretta also owned the Montgomery Ward Catalog Store and served on the Spring Valley Area Ambulance for many years. In 1986, Loretta began working for Mayo Clinic as a Medical Lab Technician where she served gratefully and tirelessly for 28 years.   

Loretta served on the library board and as a member at St. Ignatius Catholic Church. She was an avid reader and enjoyed discussing literature with fellow book club members, family, and friends. Loretta and Stafford made life-long friendships while playing couples bridge for over 30 years and Loretta continued with ladies bridge club through July, 2019. Loretta was always ready and willing to attend a theatre, opera, or musical performance or perform herself with a practical joke on her sisters or in-laws. She was the #1 Twins fan with souvenirs and memorabilia to prove it, attending games with her children, grandchildren, or heading to the ballpark by herself. Loretta also enjoyed many years of ‘family camp’, traveling to state parks across Minnesota with the finale this summer hosted at the family home. Loretta was always up for an adventure and traveled solo along the North Shore and around the state, across the country to both coasts with her sisters, and around the world to visit her grandchildren in Saudi Arabia.   

Loretta was a constant source of peace and joy, showing unconditional love, forgiveness, kindness, and grace to others. She was fortunate to have the best hematology team and nurses at the Mayo Clinic. Through her final days her family gathered around her to lift her up as she began her journey to heaven. Her body is now healed and she will forever be remembered. We are grateful for the time we had with her and for the knowledge she imparted on us. For she had discovered the secret to a happy life: love and family.  

Loretta is survived by her five children; Matthew (Ann), of Eden Prairie, Christopher (Ellen), of Spring Valley, Daniel (Charlotte), of Spring Valley, Benjamin (Doreen), of Cosmos, and Ann (Christopher) Priebe, of Spring Valley; 23 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; three sisters, Zelda (Pat) Fahey of Minneapolis, Mary (Nick) Shuraleff of Minneapolis, Marge (Gene) Wyttenback, of Eagle Bend; one brother, Pat Landy of Indian Lake Estates, Florida; and many nieces and nephews. Loretta was preceded in death by loving husband of 53 years, Stafford; parents; sister-in-law, Christine Scarlet; and three brothers-in-law, Pat Fahey, Al Hardy, and Gene Wyttenback.    

Funeral Mass for Loretta Hansen will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, October 8, 2019 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley, MN with Father Tom Loomis officiating. Visitation will be held from 4-8 PM on Monday, October 7 at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley and will continue from 10-11 AM at the church prior to the mass on Tuesday.

Barbara C Potthoff June 24, 1940 ~ September 10, 2019 (age 79) 

Barbara C. Potthoff, age 79, of Spring Valley, MN died September 10, 2019, at Cottagewood in Rochester, MN.

Barbara Cecelia Powers was born in St. Paul, MN on June 24, 1940 to William and Genevieve (Theisen) Powers. On June 6, 1966 she was united in marriage to Raymond Theodore Potthoff. Barb taught in Spring Valley for 15 years and taught at Harmony area schools from 1984-1995 and Fillmore Central schools from 1995-2005. She was a very loving wife and mother, and was a person who cared for others in the community in a quiet manner, particularly children. She was a long time member of St Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley. 

Barb is survived by her Husband Ray Potthoff of Spring Valley, son Tony (Kari) Potthoff of Queens Creek, AZ, daughter-in-law Deanne Adams of Farmington, MN, 5 grandchildren; Ethan, Tensae, Leonard, Ivy and Quinn. She is also survived by 1 brother; William (Candy) Powers of Oregon. She was preceded in death by her parents, 1 son Ted and a sister Rita. 

Funeral Mass for Barb Potthoff will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 14, 2019 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 10-11 AM at the church prior to the service.

Florence "Fluff" Stejskal March 10, 1926 ~ August 15, 2019 (age 93) 

Florence “Fluff” Stejskal, 93, of Grand Meadow, MN died Thursday, August 15, 2019 at Mayo Clinic Hospital- St. Mary’s Campus in Rochester, MN.  

Florence Eleanor Point was born March 10, 1926 in Pocahontas, IA to William and Bertha (Morrison) Point. She was united in marriage to Joseph Stejskal in Rolfe, IA on April 27, 1942 and moved to Grand Meadow in 1949 where they farmed for many years. Fluff spent her winters in Arizona from 1977 to 1996 and moved there permanently in 1996. She then moved back to Minnesota in 2008. She enjoyed playing cards, working on puzzle books, and putting puzzles together. Fluff also loved baking and giving her baked goods away, especially her well known cinnamon rolls and kolaches.   

Fluff is survived by her children Jerry (Jo) Stejskal of Winona, MN, Nancy (Virgil) Weiss of Grand Meadow, Tom (Donna) Stejskal of Grand Meadow, Becky Stejskal of Rochester, MN, Larry Stejskal of Waterloo, IA, Penny (John) Bremseth of Rochester, MN, Sherry Stejskal of Grand Meadow, and Kelly Averbeck of Rochester, MN. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Joseph in August of 1995, daughter Sally Stejskal, granddaughter Patricia Weiss, grandson Stephen Kassel, four brothers, and seven sisters. 

Funeral services for Florence will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will be at St Finbarr Cemetery. Visitation will be held Tuesday, August 20 from 5 until 7 p.m. at Hindt Funeral Home in Grand Meadow and will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday.

Velda I. Schulte November 19, 1934 ~ August 5, 2019 (age 84) 

Funeral Mass for Velda I. Schulte will be held 10:30 Friday August 9, 2019 at St Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9:30 until time of service at the church. 

Velda Irene Schulte, age 84, formerly of Spring Valley died Monday August 5, 2019 at Rochester West Nursing Home in Rochester. She was born November 19, 1934 in Owen, WI to Roy and Alice(Stacey) Murphy. Velda attended and graduated from Owen High School in Owen, WI and continued her education to be a nursing assistant. She was united in marriage to Kenneth Schulte in November of 1958 in Minneapolis, MN. While in Minneapolis she worked for Fanny Farmer Candy Co. After moving she was employed by Libby’s and also worked as a nursing assistant at St Michales Hospital in Stevens Point, WI and for the Spring Valley Care Center after moving to Spring Valley, MN. She later stayed at home to raise her children. Velda was active at St Ignatius Catholic Church, she enjoyed baking and gardening and also enjoyed providing day care for her grandchildren in Spring Valley.

She is survived by her children; Deborah Doherty of Byron, MN, Lorretta Hilton of Lake City, MN, Paul Schulte of Racine, MN and Ruth (Joel) Seppa of Menomonie, WI, 7 grandchildren; Jason, Madeline, Cory, Jenny, Gavin, Jacob and Benjamin. 5 siblings; June Clouse of Loveland, CO, Helen Eron of Hatley, WI, Eleanor (Arvin) Lanjahr of Unity, WI, Patricia (Duane) Pecher of Stetsonville, WI and Grace (Clemens) Pecher of Marshfield, WI. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a son Ted, daughter Diane, daughter-in-law Helen, son-in-law Jim Doherty, siblings; Norma, Thelma and Clifford.

Duane "Duey" Vogel JULY 11, 1954 ~ MAY 4, 2019 (AGE 64)

Duane “Duey” Vogel, 64, of Warsaw, MO formerly of Dexter, MN died Saturday, May 4, 2019 at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System.

Memorial prayer service for Duane A. Vogel will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow with Father Swaminatha officiating.  Visitation will be held from 4-7 P.M. Friday, May 10, 2019 at Hindt Funeral Home in Grand Meadow with a Rosary being recited at 3:30. Visitation will continue for 1 hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.

Duane Allan Vogel was born July 11, 1954 in Austin, MN to John and Carol (Ellis) Vogel. He grew up in New Ulm Minnesota, graduating from New Ulm Cathedral High School and later Mankato State University. He spent 5 years in the Navy, and the remainder of his life as an entrepreneur. He was married to and later divorced from Roberta “Bobbi” Westphal, with whom he had three children; Eric, Chris, and Breanne. He owned and operated the Oasis Bar and Grill in Dexter with his brother, Chip, and later a campground in Missouri with his brother, Don. Duey loved the water - fishing, skiing, and body surfing all brought him joy when done with those he loved. He will be remembered for his kindness, intelligence, and love of laughter. 

Duey is survived by his children Eric (Hannah) Vogel of Mayer, MN, Chris (Brianne Aeikens) Vogel of Mayer, MN, and Breanne Vogel of Kasson, MN, siblings Don Vogel of Warsaw, MO, JoAnn (Terry) Anderson of Branson, MO, Jan Darling of Rochester, MN, Jaye Vogel of Lake City, MN, Judy (Jay) Kulstad of Tampa, FL, Doug (Kim) Vogel of Adams, MN, and Denny Vogel of Shakopee, MN, and his former wife Bobbi Vogel of Kasson, MN.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Chip Vogel.

Sheldon D. Churchill  APRIL 29, 1924 ~ APRIL 16, 2019 (AGE 94)

Sheldon D. Churchill, 94, of Grand Meadow, MN passed away peacefully with family at his side at Mayo Clinic Hospital - St. Mary’s Campus in Rochester on Tuesday, April 16, 2019, two days after a good game of 500 with his family.

Funeral mass will be held at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow on Wednesday, April 24 at 10:30 a.m. with Father Mareddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will follow at St. Finbarr Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23 at Hindt Funeral Home in Grand Meadow and will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday. Hindt Funeral Home of Grand Meadow is assisting the family.

Sheldon Dale Churchill was born April 29, 1924 in Spring Valley, MN to Dale and Iva (Dornink) Churchill. On October 9, 1946 he was united in marriage to Laurene Davis and to this union, 6 children were born.

If you knew Sheldon, you knew his famous smile, his love of life, and his laughter. You knew he was always up for any game with his friends, children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren. He was always instigating a lively game of cards, croquet, softball (pitching into his 80’s, although he did have a pinch runner), Monopoly, Farkle (he was the Farkle King!), volleyball, etc.

Sheldon lived his life fully and was always content in his life. When asked if he ever missed being on a tractor after he had a heart attack in 2017, he thought for a moment, and then said, “No, I just always believed that you have to be happy where you are.” That giant smile always showed he truly believed that. He was a long-time dairy farmer on a farmstead near Dexter, MN and a long-time member of St. Finbarr’s Catholic Church. Later in life, Sheldon was named Senior Citizen of the Year Award of Mower County in 2013 for his dedicated volunteer work including ‘Cards with Sheldon’ at the Grand Meadow Nursing Home.

Sheldon is survived by his children Linda (Ron) Alberts of Rochester, Irene McKenzie of Glencoe, MN, Barb (Mike) Smith of Ankeny, IA, Steve (Marie) Churchill of Dexter, MN, Mary (Tom) Bryson of Vancouver, WA, and Sandy (Tim) Gallagher of Buffalo, MN, sister Mary Ann Hennessy of La Mesa, CA, brother Jack (Josie) Churchill of Grand Meadow, 26 grandchildren, and 30 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years Laurene Churchill, brother Bert Churchill, son-in-law Darrell, brother-in-law Don Hennessy, and parents Iva and Dale Churchill.