Obituaries from the week of Feb. 8, 2012
Ruth Anderson, 87
Ruth R. (Wegner) Anderson age
87 of Tracy, MN and formerly of Walnut Grove, MN died Saturday, February 4,
2012 at the Avera-Marshall Medical Center in Marshall, MN. Services will be 11:00 AM Thursday,
February 9, 2012 at the English Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove. Visitation will be held two hours prior
to the service at the church on Thursday, starting at 9:00 AM. Interment will be in the Walnut Grove
Cemetery. The Almlie Family
Funeral Homes of Tracy, Westbrook and Balaton is handling the arrangements.
Online condolences may be
placed at www.almliefh.com.
Marvin Merrill, 87
Marvin Otis Merrill passed
away early Tuesday morning, January 31, 2011. He was 87.
Marv was born in Tracy, MN,
Sept. 8, 1924, one of three sons of Gaye and Olga (Haugen) Merrill. Upon
graduating from Tracy High School in 1942 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and
served 4 years on the ammunition ship USS Wrangell AE12. He rose to the
rank of quartermaster, and was proud to have helped deliver over 6,500 tons of
ammunition to 152 different ships in the Pacific Theater. His ship was
engaged in the battles for Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and Marv was able to witness
the raising of the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima.
After the war, he attended
Macalester College, where he met his future wife, Fern Olson of
Cottonwood. Marv was working as a bank teller in Windom and Fern was
teaching school in Westbrook when they were married in Cottonwood on June 30,
1951. They settled in Mankato, where Marv began work as a teller at the
First National Bank (later U.S. Bank), and he remained at the bank, rising to
Sr. Vice President of the Loan Dept. at the time of his retirement in 1985.
Marv & Fern have 2
daughters; Linda (Marty) Stephens of Rochester, Michigan and Vicki (Greg)
Kolbinger of Ankeny Iowa, both are graduates of Wilson High. There are 6
grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.
According to Marv’s wishes,
there will be no public funeral services; Internment will be at Woodland Hills.
Robert (Bob) Schaefer, 51
Robert (Bob) Eugene Schaefer,
age 51, of Canby Minnesota passed away on January 28, 2012 at his home due to
complications of diabetes.
Funeral service were held
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at Birk Funeral Home in Canby with Pastor Jeff
Cooper officiating. Burial
was in Grandview Cemetery, Gary, SD. Online registry at www.birkfuneralhome.com.
Robert was born on April 21,
1960 in Brookings, SD to John (Jack) and Ardene Schaefer. He was baptized
and confirmed in the Lutheran faith.
The family moved around a lot
when Bob was a child growing up. They lived in Brookings, SD, Gary, SD,
and Beresford, SD. Bob attended grade school in Gary, SD. The family
moved to Clear Lake, SD in 1972, where Bob attended high school. After
high school, Bob decided to go out and build grain bins.
At an early age in life, Bob
had a passion for music. He and a few high school friends established a
band and they named it “Obelisk.” A few of the band members with Bob were Doug
Hintz, Ed Thomas, Jon Wiitala, Justin Crume and Scotti Stroschein. They
spent some time traveling around playing in different establishments.
After the band members disbanded and went separate ways, Bob did various other
means of employment including working at the Chicken Hatchery in Madison, SD
and Marshall Turkey Plant in Marshall, MN. Around this time in his life
he started to develop health complications. Even though Bob had these
health issues, he valued our family ancestry. As a child, Bob enjoyed
spending time at Grandma and Grandpa Brix and Grandma and Grandpa Schaefer’s
homes; and many other relative’s homes. Learning about family history
from these relatives, who he loved dearly in life, was very much treasured by
him. He also enjoyed the family vacations to the Black Hills during the
summers.
In Bob’s spare time, he loved
to play his music. Bob was gifted in playing many musical
instruments. He could listen to “his tunes” and put it to music. He was a
self-taught electric and acoustic guitar, bass player, drums, organ, piano,
singer and song writer. “HE LIKED TO JAM.” Rock on Bob!!!
Various music that he wrote,
ranged from hard rock, country and gospel. Music was a “Blessing to
Bob.” He treasured every note whether it was hard or soft. A
pleasure he enjoyed was being a caretaker in an apartment complex in Pipestone,
MN. He was also on the board at the apartment complex.
Besides music Bob loved
animals. As a kid, he had many pets. The most recent love in Bob’s life
was his cat named “Boobers.” For the past 1½ years, Bob had the
pleasure of spending his time in a recording studio working with music.
Our brother, Bob, will be
deeply missed and in our hearts forever. Bob is preceded in death by his
parents, John (Jack) and Ardene Schaefer; his baby sister, Robin Ann; maternal
grandparents, John and Anna Brix; paternal grandparents, John (Jack Sr.) and
Clara Schaefer; and many other relatives and friends. He is survived by
his brother, Travis Schaefer of Mankato, MN; sister, Rita Schaefer (special
friend, Chris Shymanski) of Shoreview, MN; brother, Jeffrey Schaefer of
Mankato, MN; brother, Justin Schaefer of Mankato, MN; aunts, uncle, and many
cousins.
The family would like to give
a special thank you to Doug Hintz for always being there for Bob in his trials
and triumphs in life.
Blessed be Bob’s Memory.
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