Obituaries, March 22, 2006

ROBERT WIESE, 78, of Eagan, died Saturday, Feb. 25, 2006.

Born Dec. 12, 1927, in Rochester, he was the son of Hugo H. and Hattie Bohn Wiese. He married Helen Prieve Aug. 13, 1955, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Faribault.

He grew up in Slayton, where he attended public school. He served in the U.S. Army before graduating from Macalester College. He taught school in Clara City, Lester Prairie, Morristown, Worthington and Rockford, Ill., before retiring on July 1, 1984.

Surviving are his wife; two sons, Brian Wiese, Eagan, and Craig (Kimberly) Wiese, Eden Prairie; one sister, Fay M. Anderson, Slayton, and one grandchild.

The service was March 2 at Ebenezer Ridges Care Center, Burnsville.

White Funeral Home, Apple Valley, was in charge of arrangements.

HENRY F. WILBERDING, 93, of Slayton, died Monday, March 20, 2006, at Slayton Manor Care Center.

Born April 25, 1912, in Leota Township, Nobles County, he was the son of Bernard and Agnes Ferring Wilberding. He married Annie Bremer on April 4, 1970, at St. Ann's Church, Slayton. She died March 10, 1992.

He grew up on the family farm and attended St. Anthony School, Lismore. He farmed with his family for several years. He then worked as a hired man in the Lismore area. He was drafted into the Army and served in the Pacific Theater. After his discharge in 1945, he went back to work as a hired man in the Lismore and Iona areas. After marriage, they made their home in Slayton. He continued working as a hired man, retiring in 1979. He became a resident of Slayton Manor Care Center in 2001. He was a member of St. Ann's Church. He was also a member of Iona VFW and Avoca Legion. He was active in Slayton Senior Citizens.

Surviving is one sister, Bernadette Pick, White, S.D.

Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Ann's Church, Slayton.

The service will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Ann's Church, Slayton, with the Rev. Patrick Arens officiating. Burial will be at Slayton Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Slayton, with military honors provided by Iona VFW and Avoca Legion.

Totzke Funeral Home, Slayton, is in charge of arrangements.

FLORENCE DEJONG, 88, of Round Lake, died Tuesday, March 21, 2006, at South Shore Care Center, Worthington.

Arrangements are pending with Benson Funeral Home, Worthington.

DENIS "DENNY" NIEUWBOER, 49, of Luverne, died Monday, March 20, 2006, at his home.

Born March 29, 1956, in Pipestone, he was the son of John and Grace Hibma Nieuwboer. He married Sharon Frahm at First Presbyterian Church, Luverne.

He was raised in Kenneth and graduated from Magnolia High School in 1974. Following his education, he began driving truck for Nieuwboer Trucking. After marriage, he continued trucking for Schuur Concrete in Adrian and Luverne, then Baker Trucking in Sioux Falls, S.D., and most recently for Jon Finke Trucking, Hills.

Surviving are one daughter, Natalie Nieuwboer, Mankato; four brothers, David (Joyce) Nieuwboer, Oakdale, Duane (Carla) Nieuwboer, Kenneth, Darwin Nieuwboer, Kenneth, and Douglas Nieuwboer, Raymond.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m., at Hartquist Funeral Home-Engebretson Chapel, Luverne.

The service will be 1:30 p.m. Friday at Engebretson Chapel at Hartquist Funeral Home-Engebretson Chapel, Luverne. Burial will follow in New Woodlawn Cemetery, Pipestone.

RAYMOND JOSEPH METZ, 80, of Worthington, died Monday, March 20, 2006, at his home.

Born Nov. 26, 1925 in Adrian, he was the son of Frank F. and Theresa Deutsch Metz. He married Catherine Thill on Jan. 4, 1955, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Worthington.

He attended St. Adrian Catholic School, Adrian. After his schooling, he worked on the family farm in Westside Township and also worked for various farmers as a farm hand. He served during the Korean Conflict in the Army from 1949 to 1951. After the service, he moved back to the Adrian area and continued farming. After marriage, they lived in Adrian and moved to Worthington in August 1955. He worked for Firestone Tire Company for 38 years. He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and was an usher. He also was the sexton and trustee of the St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery and was a member of the American Legion.

Surviving are his wife; nine children, Paul Metz, Buffalo, Mark (Lori) Metz, Montpelier, N.D., Loren (Barbara) Metz, Worthington, Lavern (Lori) Metz, Yankton, S.D., Alan (Kay) Metz, Sioux City, Iowa, Dean Metz, Clinton, Iowa, Carol (Allen) Vukov, Peoria, Ill., Beth (Greg) Baustian, Worthington, and Gary (Belynda) Metz, Cottonwood; two brothers, Norbert (Rosie) Metz, Omaha, Neb., and Leonard (Barb) Metz, Pappillian, Neb.; four sisters, Helen Broesder, Adrian, Mildred (Frank) Van Horsen, Adrian, Rita (Earl) Lenz, Lismore, and Marie Krueger, Adrian; and 15 grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Worthington.

The service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Worthington, with the Rev. Larry Brixius officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Worthington.

Dingmann Funeral Home, Worthington, is in charge of arrangements.

GEORGE L. JOHNSON, 75, of Lakefield, died Monday, March 13, 2006, at Knapp Hospital in Weslaco, Texas.

Born Nov. 27, 1930, in West Heron Lake Township, Jackson County, he was the son of Lloyd and Esther Darr Johnson. He married Gwenn Harms in 1955. They remained married until 1983.

He grew up on the family farm and graduated from Lakefield High School. Early in his life, he began farming with his father and also did custom combining. He entered the Army in 1952 and served in the Korean Conflict as a sergeant. He was discharged in 1953 and returned to the area, studying at South Dakota State Agricultural College. After marriage, they moved to Mohall, N.D., to farm. In 1956, they moved to Spirit Lake, S.D., near DeSmet, to farm. He belonged to Spirit Lake Presbyterian Church and also ran an aerial spraying service and did custom combining. The family moved to Lakefield in 1971, and he farmed with his father and brother, Jon. He continued to work part-time on the farm until his death. On his birthday, in 1990, he met his current life partner, Marion Sifrit. They wintered in Texas. He was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lakefield. He was also a life member of American Legion.

Surviving are his partner, Marion Sifrit, Estherville, Iowa; one son, Kenny (Bonnie) Johnson, Lakefield; one daughter, Debra Johnson, Brookings, S.D.; three brothers, Roger Johnson, Walker, Stanley (Clara) Johnson, Windom, and Jon (Linda) Johnson, Lakefield; two sisters, Ginny (Jack) Truwe, Mankato, and Patricia Buske, Clearwater, Fla.; two grandchildren; and one great grandchild.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Fireside Room at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lakefield, and from 9 to 10 a.m. Friday at the church.

The service will be 10 a.m. Friday at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lakefield, with the Rev. Steve Mehl officiating. Burial will be in Lakefield Cemetery.

Hansen Funeral Home, Lakefield, is in charge of arrangements.

ARLEEN WAZLAHOWSKI, 82, of Crystal, formerly of Heron Lake, died Sunday, March 19, 2006, at North Memorial Residential Hospice in Brooklyn Center.

Visitation will be from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Raphael's Catholic Church, Crystal.

The service will be 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Raphael's Catholic Church, Crystal. Burial will be 4 p.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Heron Lake.

PAUL EDWARD KOLLMANN, 87, of Pipestone, died Tuesday, March 21, 2006, at Good Samaritan Communities of Pipestone.

Born Jan. 30, 1919, on the family farm in Rose Dell Township, west of Jasper, he was the son of Edward and Anna Radeke Kollmann. He married LaVonne Brockberg on June 20, 1943, at St. John Lutheran Church, Trosky.

As a young child, he moved with his parents to a farm in Elmer Township, Pipestone County, where he was raised and attended country school in District 69. He completed the ninth grade at the school in Trosky, and then high school in Pipestone. After his high school graduation in 1937, he attended Mankato Commercial College, Mankato, where he received training in bookkeeping. He returned to Pipestone and worked as the bookkeeper at Pipestone Auto. In February 1942, he enlisted in the Army and served in the Army Air Corp. After marriage while stationed in Sioux Falls, S.D., he completed his service in Italy, France and Spain. After his discharge in December 1945, he returned to work as the bookkeeper at Pipestone Auto. In 1951, he went into farming. They moved to a farm in Elmer Township, Pipestone County, later purchasing the farm where they continued to farm until retiring in 1983. When the first conservation organization was formed in 1953, he became the First District Co-operator. He also served as an assessor, a DeKalb seed salesman, the first clerk at the sales barn and as a rural mail carrier. In September 2001, they moved into Ridgeview Apartments in Pipestone. He was a member of St. John Lutheran Church, Trosky, where he served on the church council, as an elder and as church financial secretary for many years. He was an officer of the local AAL Branch for 28 years. He also served on the Elmer Township Board, the local school board, the Pipestone Co-op Board and the Edgerton Co-op Board. He was active in ASCS.

Surviving are his wife; five children, Barb (Larry) Reitmeier, Annandale, Joyce (Robert) Jackson, Darwin, Steve (Sue) Kollmann, Pipestone, Bruce (Nancy) Kollmann, Albany, Ore., and Gloria (Ronald) Marks, Butterfield; 16 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and two step-great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Hartquist Funeral Home, Pipestone Chapel.

The service will be 2 p.m. Friday at St. John Lutheran Church, Trosky.

LOWELL F. REINERS, 81, of Sibley, died Tuesday, March 21, 2006, at Royal C. Johnson Veterans Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, with the family present from 5 to 8 p.m., at Walton-Roste Funeral Home, Sibley. There will be a 7:30 p.m. parish wake service.

The service will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Andrew's Catholic Church, Sibley, with the Rev. Clair Boes officiating. Burial will follow in St. Andrew's Catholic Cemetery, Sibley.