Obituaries, Feb. 21, 2007

LORRAINE REMAKEL, 83, of Wilmont, died Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2007, at the Arnold Memorial Health Care Center, Adrian.

Arrangements are pending with Dingmann Funeral Home, Wilmont.

RAYMOND GIBSON, 70, of Luverne, died Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007, at the Yuma Regional Medical Center, Yuma, Ariz.

The service was Tuesday at St. Catherine Catholic Church, Luverne, with the Rev. Thomas Jennings officiating. Burial was in the parish cemetery.

Arrangements were handled by the Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne.

KATHLEEN "KATHY" GESCHE, 60, of Windom, died Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007, at Sanford Hospital, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at LaCanne Family Funeral Home, Windom, and from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church, Windom.

The service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church, Windom, with the Rev. Art Miller officiating. Burial will be in Waverly Lutheran Cemetery, rural Trimont.

CLARA SPOMER, 96, of Marion, S.D., died Friday, Feb. 16, 2007, at Sanford Health.

Born March 11, 1910, in rural Hurley, S.D., she was the daughter of August and Amelia Heinz Steinhauer. She married Henry Spomer Jan. 19, 1935. He died May 31, 1983.

Surviving are four children, Marilyn (Leo) Berg, Seattle, Wash., LeRoy Spomer, Seattle, Marvin (Jeanine) Spomer, Worthington, and Ed Spomer, Peoria, Ariz.; six grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

The service was Monday at Bethesda Lutheran Church, Marion, with the Rev. Geoffrey Wagner officiating. Burial was in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery.

ELIZABETH F. SCHMALZ, 87, of Westbrook, died Saturday, Feb. 17, 2007, at Sanford Hospital, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Born Aug. 23, 1919, near Lismore, she was the daughter of Mike and Francis Lentz Schmit. She married Melvin Schmalz Oct. 27, 1939, in Huron, S.D.

She attended St. Kilian's Catholic School in Lismore and country school near Iona. After marriage, they lived on a farm in Rosehill Township, south of Westbrook. She helped on the farm, where they lived until 1965 when they moved to Westbrook. She was a member of Grace Lutheran Church, Westbrook, where she was involved with women's groups. They moved to Prairie View Healthcare Center, Tracy, on Oct. 3, 2006.

Surviving are her husband; one daughter, Delien (Ronald) Worden, Westbrook; two sons, Reinhold (Diane) Schmalz, Palatine, Ill., Steven (Linda) Schmalz, Westbrook; one brother, John "Jack" Schmit, Windom; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

The service will be 10:30 a.m. today at Grace Lutheran Church, Westbrook. Burial will be in Rosehill Cemetery, south of Westbrook.

Almlie Funeral Home, Westbrook, is in charge of arrangements.

JAMES HABERMAN, 80, of Brewster, died Tuesday, February 20, 2007, at Worthington Regional Hospital.

Arrangements are pending at Benson Funeral Home, Worthington.

DORTHA MAE GORE, 96, of Flandreau, formerly of Pipestone, died Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007, at Riverview Manor Nursing Home, Flandreau.

Born Nov. 29, 1910, in Rock Rapids, Iowa, she was the daughter of Earl and Anna Larson Gore.

In 1914, she moved with her family to a farm in Rock County. Three years later, they moved to a farm east of Pipestone, where she was raised and attended school. After her education, she helped on the farm. She lived on the farm until her brother got married. At that time, she moved to Pipestone to live with her parents. For the next four years, she did housework for friends and neighbors. In 1953, she began working at Okeh Cleaners and Laundry in Pipestone, until she retired in 1976. In December 1975, she fell and broke her hip and was then in a wheel chair for the rest of her life. After retirement, she moved to Nokomis Apartments in Pipestone. In 1995, she became a resident of Riverview Manor Nursing Home in Pipestone. She was a member of Peace United Methodist Church, Pipestone.

The service will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Peace United Methodist Church, Pipestone.

Hartquist Funeral Home, Pipestone Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.

KATHERINE M. BURNHAM, 79, of Worthington, died Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007, at Worthington Regional Hospital.

Born Oct. 13, 1927, in Worthington, she was the daughter of Albert and Mattie Behrens Heidebrink. She married Allen Burnham Sept. 19, 1948, at First Baptist Church, Worthington.

She graduated from Worthington High School and then attended Worthington Junior College for one year. She worked at Fairway Grocery Store in Worthington for two years. After marriage, they lived in Bigelow Township, where they farmed until retirement in 1985. In 2000, they moved to Worthington and lived at South Shore Care Center. She was an active member of First Baptist Church, where she was in a Bible study and a member of a church circle.

Surviving are her husband; four children, Donna McPeak, Glendale, Calif., Charles (Judy) Burnham, Bigelow, Ruth (Alan) VanEssen, Paradise, Calif., Glen (Lisa) Burnham, Worthington; one brother, Harold Heidebrink, Nevada; four sisters, Minnie Boots, Adrian, Pearl James, Worthington, Dora Hansen, Thousand Oaks, Calif., Georgia Siebrands, Phoenix, Ariz.; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Benson Funeral Home, Worthington.

The service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church, Worthington, with the Rev. Mike Richmond officiating. Burial of cremains will be in Worthington Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

JAMES ROBERT FRITZ, 79, of Walnut Grove, died Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007, at the Royal C. Johnson Memorial Veteran's Hospital, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Born Feb. 16, 1928, in Redwood Falls, he was the son of Frank and Hazel Cain Fritz. He married Patricia Hess Aug. 28, 1949.

He grew up in Lewiston and attended school there. He moved with his family to Currie in 1944 and graduated from the Tracy High School in 1946. After marriage, the couple lived in Windom, where he worked for the DNR. He served in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1952. They moved to Walnut Grove and then to Lake Shetek while operating the Tracy and Walnut Grove bakeries. In 1984, they retired from the Tracy Bakery. They moved to Tracy in 2004, then to Walnut Grove in 2006. He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Currie, served on the Murray County Zoning Commission from 1980 to 2001 and belonged to the Walnut Grove Lions Club, the Walnut Grove Community Club, the Currie American Legion, Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever.

Surviving are his wife; three children, Mike (Susan) Fritz, Currie, JoAnn (Jeff) Bertschi, Walnut Grove, and Jill (Ken) Kaduce, Winnebago; two brothers, David Fritz, and Scott (Margie) Fritz, both of Minnesota; a sister, Joan (Bob) Shipley, Ariz.; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. today at the Totzke Funeral Home, Slayton, and 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Currie.

The service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, with the Rev. Bob Horihan officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Currie.

ELVIN "BUD" JOHNSON, 83, of Worthington, died Friday, Feb. 16, 2007, in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Born Jan. 23, 1924, in Jackson, he was the son of Anton and Alma Nestegaard Johnson. He married Joyce Olson Oct. 21, 1946.

After graduating from Jackson High School in 1942, he entered the U.S. Navy on Feb. 23, 1943, and served during World War II as a Gunners Mate in the Merchant Marines in the Pacific Theater until Jan. 25, 1946. After marriage, the couple lived in Jackson. In 1960, they moved to Worthington, where he worked at Armour Company and owned and operated Bud's Lawn Service for more than 30 years. He was a member of the American Lutheran Church, the VFW and American Legion and the Eagles Club, all of Worthington.

Surviving are three children, Gordon (Mary) Johnson, Bloomer, Wis., Mary Meyer, Worthington, and Rodney (Anne) Johnson, Eagan, a sister, Arlene Rezac, Worthington; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Dingmann Funeral Home, Worthington, and from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at American Lutheran Church, Worthington.

The service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at American Lutheran Church, Worthington, with the Rev. Mike Zaske officiating. Burial will be in Garden of Memories Cemetery, Worthington.