Obituaries from the week of September 20, 2006

Lois Robinson, 75

Funeral services for Lois Robinson were held today, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2006 at Lake Sarah Lutheran Church in Garvin, MN, with Rev. Charles Lindgren officiating. The organist was Marge Lindgren with special music by Heath and Luke Radke.

The pallbearers were Lowell Highby, Mike Carlson, John Carlson, Jim Carlson, Mark Peterson, and Ivar Peterson. The honorary pallbearers are Ardys Williams, Ceona Voss, Patti Berding, Loraine Becker, Gail Dynes and Willis Crow.

Lois Robinson was born on January 20, 1931 in Tracy, Minnesota to Otto and Clara Peterson Ludwig. She grew up on the family farm and graduated from Tracy High School in 1948.

On March 31, 1951 she and Daryl Robinson were married at Lake Sarah Lutheran Church in Garvin, MN. Following their marriage they farmed by Garvin near the Lake Shetek inlet and raised their four children. They have resided on the farm for over 48 years. Lois worked at the Tracy Elementary School for 25 years.

Lois passed away on September 17, 2006 at the Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Fall, SD after a swift courageous battle with cancer at the age of 75.

She was a member of Lake Sarah Lutheran Church in Garvin and served as organist and also was active in the W.E.L.C.A. Lois always centered her life arounded her family and especially focused on her children and grandchildren. She was a lady of many talents including painting, writing, sewing, quilting, cooking, and gardening, to name a few. Her friendliness kept her busy, and Daryl always said that the grass never grew under her feet and the engine never cooled off because she always ”on the go”. She acquired many friends over her 75 years of life, and each and every one will miss her tremendously as she touched so many lives with her kindness, generosity, fun spirit and sense of humor.

Survivors include her husband of 55 years, Daryl Robinson of Garvin, MN, four children and their spouses, Jane and Jerry Gregg of Marshall, MN, Mary and Mike Chelin of Cottonwood, AZ, Dale and Karen Robinson of Currie, MN, and Karen and Doug Schmitz of Slayton, MN, 11 grandchildren, Matt Gregg, Tonya, Pat , Josh and Tasha Chelin, Mackenzie Radel, Madeline Caron, and Brian Forte, Brooklyn, Rachel and Courtney Schmitz, two great-grandchildren, two sisters, Dorothy Jensen of Rockford, IL, and Charlotte Highby of Revere, MN, and her pet dog, Cookie.

She is preceded in death by her parents, two grandchildren, Christina and Eddie and a son-in-law, Kevin.

Interment at Modum Cemetery rural Slayton, MN at a later date. The Totzke Funeral Home of Slayton handled the arrangements.

Fay Robinson Morgan, 102

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Thursday September 28, 2006, at the Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy for Fay Morgan, long time resident of the Garvin and Tracy area. Fay passed away September 16 at Prairie View Healthcare Center. Friends are invited to share memorabilia with other guests by dropping these off at the funeral home in advance of the service. Those who wish to share memories of Fay will be invited to do so at the memorial service. Interment will be at the Bethel cemetery.

Fay Robinson Morgan was born January 12, 1904, in Custer Township, Lyon County, Minnesota, to James Edwin and Ella Jane (Robinson) Morgan. His parents were affiliated with the rural Bethel church, where he was baptized at the age of 6. He joined the church in 1913.

Fay grew up on his parents’ farm in Custer township, playing ball and swimming in the Cottonwood River. As he grew older, he played baseball for local teams, as did brother Courtney. At the age of 14, Fay sold his first popcorn, and this developed into the lifelong business, Morgan Popcorn Company. Fay grew popcorn on his farm, later purchasing it in bulk to supply the demand, and sold popcorn with the well known Morgan’s label throughout SW Minnesota, northern Iowa and eastern South Dakota. He processed as much as 100,000 pounds per year.

Fay attended school at a rural school, District #4, Lyon County. Upon the illness of his father, Fay and brother Courtney took over operation of their father’s farms, and he remained in the farming and popcorn business until his retirement. Never one to be idle, Fay also tended bar, managed Duck Pin Bowling Alley in Garvin, and popped corn at many community celebrations.

On November 17, 1926, at the age of 22, Fay married his sweetheart, Gladys Olson, whose parents’ farm was a few miles west of his. Fay was very pleased with the fact that he and Gladys were chosen to be the couple to be married at a public ceremony on the street in Marshall, when that city was having a celebration. The couple’s wedding was sponsored by the Marshall Businessmen’s Association and they received the equivalent of several thousand dollars in gifts and prizes for their participation. “They supplied everything but Glady’s wedding ring!”, said Fay.

During their life together, they were passionate about dancing to the music of the Big Bands, to Sammy Jensen’s orchestra, and dancing to the Charleston in their younger years. A relative recounted that one of Fay’s favorite songs was “Alice Blue Gown”, because Gladys wore a blue wedding dress. They also loved bowling and golf, and the visitor to their home could inspect countless trophies of prowess in golf and bowling. The couple attended the “old Welsh Church” near Garvin for years, with occasional later attendance at Garvin Congregational Church. Fay and Gladys lived on their home farm, where they were known to neighborhood children as “Uncle Fay and “Aunt Gladys” until Gladys’ death on April 5, 1988. Fay then moved into the Twin Circle retirement community in Tracy, where he lived until November, 2002, when he suffered a fall and needed more assistance. Following surgery, he took up residence at Prairie View Healthcare Center in Tracy, where he remained until his death on September 16, 2006.

Fay was preceded in death by his parents, James Edwin Morgan and Ella Jane Morgan, by brother Courtney Morgan, sister Mary Madelyn (Morgan) Martin, and his wife Gladys (Olson) Morgan. He is survived by 4 nieces: Adeline Burkhardt of Russell, Donna Ruppert of Slayton, Donna Martin of George, Utah, and Linda Farrell of El Cajon, CA, by first cousins Arloene Olson of Marshall and Ethelyn Hall of Windom, MN, and by a nephew, Neil Ernest Martin.

Fay will be missed, by family, old friends and neighbors, by the neighborhood children, now grown, who to them was “Uncle Fay”, by residents and staff of Twin Circles and Prairie View, and by his friend, the old beekeeper/professor who shared coffee and stories with Fay. He will be welcomed by his Maker, for rest and recuperation from this phase of his journey.

William “Bill” Kathman, 51

Funeral services were held on Monday, September 18, 2006 for William “Bill” Kathman at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy. Father Brian Mandel officiated. Organist was Ann Pryzbilla with Celia Brockway as soloist.

Casket bearers were Dave Coyle Jr., Josh Coyle, Trent Anderson, Jordan Rolling, Stephen Rolling, Travis Radke, Byron Carlson, Randy Jensen, Dallas Bullerman, Tyler Bullerman, Trent Bullerman, Ryan Bullerman, Adam Bullerman and Trevor Stoffel.

Honorary casket bearers were Dave Coyle, Jim Coyle, Ron Coyle, Mike Coyle and all of his very special nieces.

William (Bill) B. Kathman was born on December 30, 1954 to Bob and JoAnne (Kathman) Coyle in Tracy, MN, Lyon County. He was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith and grew up in the Tracy and Garvin, MN area. He attended public school in Garvin, Tracy and Balaton up until he enlisted in the US Army in 1972. Bill was stationed at Fort Wainwright, AK with an honorable discharge in 1975. He then returned to the Tracy area.

On February 27, 1982 Bill married Jayne Bullerman in Adrian, MN and made their home in Tracy. Over the years Bill worked for several trucking companies, the City of Tracy, and most recently enjoyed his work as a semi driver for Schwan’s in Marshall, MN.

Bill was a member of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy and also a member of the Garvin American Legion. He was an active member of the community and enjoyed his service with the Tracy Fire Department after 8 years of service and was active in the past with the Tracy Wrestling Boosters Club. Bill enjoyed Twins baseball, Vikings football and boating, but his passion was hunting and fishing with friends and family, especially his son, Erik.

On September 13, 2006 Bill died at the age of 51 at the Sioux Valley Tracy Medical Center surround by his family.

Bill is survived by his wife, Jayne Kathman of Tracy, MN; one son, Erik Kathman of Tracy, MN and special friend, Andrea Lonneman of Adrian, MN; one daughter, JeRae Kathman of Granite Falls, MN and special friend, Shane Freiborg of Granite Falls, MN; father, Bob Coyle of Tracy, MN; four brothers, Dave (Pam) Coyle of St. Rose, LA, Ron (Tina) Coyle of Jacksonville, FL, Jim (Terri) Coyle of Rochester, MN and Mike (Amy) Coyle of Tracy, MN; five sisters, Tam (Ray) Hatton of Tracy, MN, Sandy (Fran) Carlson of Garvin, MN, Ronda (Roy) Radke of Slayton, MN, Dawn (Bob) Anderson of Lucan, MN and Kim (Dan) Rolling of Tracy, MN; many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

His mother, JoAnne, four nieces, Vicki, Tara, Tanya and Teresa, one nephew, Jeremy, and one brother-in-law, Joseph preceded him in death.

Interment was in Tracy City Cemetery, Tracy, MN with the Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy handling the arrangements.

Lorraine Radke, 86

Lorraine E. Radke age 86 of Tracy, MN died Tuesday, September 19, 2006 at the Parkview Care Center in Buffalo, MN. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, September 23, 2006 at the Tracy United Methodist Church in Tracy. Visitation will be from 4 until 8 p.m. Friday, September 22, 2006 at the Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy with a prayer service at 7 p.m. The visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Interment will be at the Tracy City Cemetery. The Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy is handling the arrangements.

A complete obituary will be published in next week’s Headlight-Herald.