OBITUARIES

Judith Pomranke

May 2, 1939 - May 5, 2013

WORTHINGTON, Minn. - Judith Pomranke, 74, Worthington, died Sunday in her home.

May 07, 2013

Arie Olivier

May 5, 2013

SLAYTON, Minn. - Arie Olivier, 98, Chandler, Minn., died Sunday in Golden Living Center.

May 07, 2013

Zelda E. Scheidt

May 8, 1924 - May 3, 2013

LUVERNE, Minn. - Zelda E. Scheidt, 88, Luverne, died Friday in Mary Jane Brown Home.

May 06, 2013

Michael 'Mike' Koepsell

May 3, 2013

WORTHINGTON, Minn. - Michael 'Mike' Koepsell , 54, Worthington, died Friday in his home.

May 06, 2013

Patricia Ann Kleinvachter

Sun Lakes, AZ- Patricia Ann Kleinvachter, beloved wife, mother, and sister, passed away on April 29, 2013 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 AM Friday, May 10 at Risen Savior Catholic Church, Brandon, with burial at St. Michael Cemetery, Sioux Falls. Visitation begins at 5:00 PM Thursday, May 9 at George Boom Funeral Chapel, Brandon, where the family will greet friends from 5:00 Pm to 7:00 PM, followed by a Liturgical Wake Service and Rosary at 7:00 PM.

Patricia Ann Burns, daughter of Tom and Gertrude (Swanson) Burns, was born February 13, 1933 in Worthington, MN. She graduated from Worthington High School in 1951 and earned a degree in home economics from Saint Catherine's College, St. Paul, MN in 1955. Pat worked for Northern States Power in St. Paul for several years before moving to Sioux Falls, SD.

May 06, 2013

Delores (Wermers) Hanson

May 5, 1923 - Dec. 18, 2012

APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz. - Delores (Wermers) Hanson, 89, Apache Junction, died Tuesday Dec. 18, 2012.

May 04, 2013

Martin F. Kruse

May 3, 2013

GEORGE, Iowa - Martin F. Kruse, 89, George, died Friday in Good Samaritan Society.

May 04, 2013

Donald Matthew Fest

Jan. 4, 1931 - May 3, 2013

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Donald Matthew Fest, 82, Heron Lake, Minn., died Friday in Sanford Hospital.

May 04, 2013

Lois Ann (Gustafson) Swanson

Lois Ann (Gustafson) Swanson died February 8th at the age of 88 in Shakopee, MN. She was born in Minneapolis, MN, January 5, 1925 to parents Arthur and Ann Gustafson.

When Lois was young, the family moved to Worthington and that is where she grew up. Lois was active in choir and youth mission groups at Westminster Presbyterian Church. She attended Worthington High School where she lettered in band, and was a member of the “Quill & Scroll” society.

May 04, 2013

Maxine "Mickey" Malone

Maxine “Mickey” Mavis Malone was born on the Berryman farm south of Jackson in Middletown Township, on December 31, 1919. She was a New Year’s Eve baby, so she always said everyone celebrated her birthday. The fourth child in a family of six, she was the daughter of Bert and Esther (Harper) Berryman. She said her Grandpa Berryman always called her his little Irish Mick and the name stuck. She was a tomboy and worked in her Dad’s grocery store as a girl, where she became street wise and learned a good deal about life and people. She loved being outdoors, ice skating on the river, swimming in the old eastside pool and also loved horses. Mickey attended Jackson Schools and graduated in the Class of 1937. She was married to John D. Malone on October 4, 1940 at the St. Wenceslaus Parsonage and they spent their entire life in Jackson. She and Johnny spent almost 20 years after their retirement traveling in their RV and they enjoyed meeting new people from all over the country. Johnny passed away on March 12, 2013. Mickey passed away at Good Samaritan Society- Jackson on Sunday, April 28, 2013 at the age of 93 years, three months and twenty-eight days.

Mickey was a homemaker all her life and did work for some years at the Sperry Univac plant in Jackson. She was very handy and there wasn’t anything she couldn’t or didn’t attempt to fix. She always told her children and grandchildren there is no such word as “can’t”. Mickey spent many hours working jig saw puzzles and doing word find books. Anyone that knew Mickey could attest that she was out-spoken and feisty, but she had a heart of gold and was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. She enjoyed all types of music and especially loved spending time with her family. All her family and friends looked forward to her delicious popcorn balls and fudge at the holidays. Her grandchildren will miss her spunk and famous quotes and most of all, her smile. She was one of a kind.

May 03, 2013

LeRoy Dale DeGrote

LeRoy DeGrote was born on October 21, 1931 in Nobles County, Minnesota to Reinder and Lydia Timmerman DeGrote. He grew up on the family farm and attended country school. On November 17, 1953 LeRoy and Dolores Vander Sluis were married in Edgerton, MN. Following their marriage they made their home in Edgerton. LeRoy was drafted into the United States Army on September 14, 1954 and served in Germany. Following his honorable discharge on August 29, 1956 they moved to Slayton and LeRoy worked for Menning and Son in Slayton. In 1960 they started farming and lived on farms near Tyler, Lake Wilson and later Woodstock, MN. In 1974 they purchased a farm north of Woodstock. While farming LeRoy also worked as a custodian for the Ruthton Public School. In 1980 LeRoy started working at the Minnesota West Campus in Pipestone, MN as a custodian. In 1994 they retired but remained on the farm until 2010 when they moved to Slayton. In December 2012 LeRoy became a resident of the Golden Living Center-Slayton and passed away there on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at the age of 81. He was a member of the American Reformed Church in Woodstock until moving to Slayton and joining the First Reformed Church of Slayton. He also was a member of the Lake Wilson American Legion Post #285. LeRoy enjoyed spending time with his family, camping, wood working, collecting and restoring toy tractors, and giving rides to his grandchildren on his horse Trixie.

Survivors include his wife, Dolores DeGrote of Slayton, MN, four children and their spouses, Bonnie and Gary Jensen of Great Falls, MT, Barb and Barry Stone of Sioux Falls, SD, Beverly and Kerry McCard of Napa, CA and Brian and June DeGrote of Walker, MN, nine grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and two brothers and one sister, Wayne DeGrote and his wife, Irene of Seal Beach, CA, Lois Erickson and her husband, Curtis of Hadley, MN, and Lester DeGrote of Lowell, MI. He is preceded in death by his parents, five brothers, Rhinard, Anthony, James, Henry and Merle DeGrote and one sister, Pearl Jacobson.

May 03, 2013

Joseph C. Kunerth

Joseph C. Kunerth, 94, of Chandler, Arizona, formerly of Worthington, Minnesota, passed away on April 27, 2013, at Graceville Estates in Chandler, Arizona.

Born on August 2, 1918, in Brewster, Minnesota, he was the son of Joachim and Florence Kunerth. On June 25, 1941, Joe was joined in marriage to Esther Eichstadt of Jeffers, Minnesota. After their marriage, they settled on a farm near Brewster, Minnesota. In 1992, they began to divide their time between here and Mesa, Arizona. They moved to Mesa permanently in 2002. Joe was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Worthington and a member of the Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed farming, traveling and spending time with family and friends. His most favorite activities were fishing in Alaska, attending rodeos and playing pool and shuffleboard with his Arizona friends.

May 03, 2013

Phyllis E. Rabenberg

PHYLLIS EVELYN RABENBERG, age 91, of Adrian, formerly of rural Rushmore, died Wednesday, May 1, 2013, at the Sanford Hospice Cottage in Luverne. She was born December 31, 1921, on her family’s farm south of Wilmont, to George and Ella (Brass) Elsing. She attended country school in rural Wilmont.

Phyllis married John H. Rabenberg on February 15, 1943, at her family’s farm in rural Rushmore. After their marriage, the couple lived in Rushmore. Phyllis helped in the office at their corn shelling & trucking business. In December of 1957, the family moved to the farm east of Wilmont. In 1979, they moved back to the Elsing farm south of Wilmont.

May 03, 2013

James Patrick Kelly

James Patrick Kelly, 74 of Columbus, died Wednesday, May 1, 2013. He was born March 6, 1939 in Fulda, MN to the late Peter and Lela (Harvey) Kelly. He was a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church and a charter member of St. Anthony Council Knights of Columbus. He was a member of St. Vincent DePaul and Heritage Group at St. Anthony. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends and was known as "The Mayor" of the court. In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by a brother Francis Kelly and brother-in-law Orville Hebig. He is survived by Dorothy "Dotty" (Racut) Kelly his loving wife of 44 years, siblings Ronald (Marilyn) Kelly and Mary Ann Hebig, children Christine (Chuck) Shuey, Debbie (Chris Bartmess) Kelly and Brian (Gaby) Kelly, grandchildren Cody, Megan, Makayla and Nikolas, "adopted sister" Rachel and numerous nieces and nephews. Family will receive friends Sunday from 3-6 PM at SCHOEDINGER NORTH CHAPEL, 5554 Karl Rd. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday at 10:30 AM at St. Anthony Catholic Church, 1300 Urban Drive. Interment will follow in Resurrection Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Anthony's St. Vincent DePaul or Catholic Relief Services. Online condolence may be made to www.schoedinger.com

May 03, 2013

Dorothy Ann Charlotte Glad

Dorothy Ann Charlotte Glad, 88 years, of Peoria AZ peacefully died April 18, 2013. She was born in Minneapolis MN June 7, 1924 to George and Judith Florence Theorin Miller. She grew up in Minneapolis and graduated from North High School. In 1947 she married Woodrow Glad and they moved to Worthington MN in 1951. In 1987, Dorothy and Woodrow retired to Sun City Arizona.

Dorothy and her husband were active in the Worthington community but most notable was Dorothy’s contribution to First Lutheran church where she was the church organist, accompanist for choirs and highly sought after organist for weddings and funerals. She was a talented musician who could improvise around faulty organ pipes, change keys on the spot to fit soloist ranges and “stretch” the music when there were those occasional delays in the church service.

May 03, 2013