Obituaries from the week of Feb. 15, 2012
Laura L. Anderson, 81
Ruth, Anderson, 87
R.D. "Dick" Knakmuhs, 85
Adeline McClain, 87
Vivian K. Ockenfels, 81
Laura L. Anderson age 81 of
Walnut Grove passed away unexpectedly on Friday, February 10, 2012.
Funeral services for Laura L. Anderson, age 81, of Walnut Grove, MN were held
Tuesday, Februaryt 15, 2012 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Walnut
Grove. Interment as in
Walnut Grove Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com.
Stephens Funeral Service - Walnut Grove Funeral Home assisted the family with
arrangements.
Laura L. (Rust) Anderson was
born August 19, 1930, to Diedrich and Pauline (Schlemmer) Rust on a farm near
Vesta. She attended Public School District 68 in Redwood County, Echo
High School, and Mankato Teacher’s College. She taught elementary education
until her marriage to Ted H. Anderson on June 8, 1951, at St. John’s Lutheran
Church in Vesta. They made their home for 62 years on their farm
southeast of Walnut Grove in Ann Township. It was there they raised their
ten children. After her family was grown, she worked in the library and
computer room at the Walnut Grove School until her retirement in 1992.
For a period of time she read and recorded books for handicapped students at
SSU. Laura was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove and
over the years served on the church council, was a Sunday school teacher,
president and treasurer of the ELCW, circle chairman, sang with the choir and
served as Lutheran Brotherhood communicator for a number of years. For
many years she enjoyed raising a large garden, sewing, and doing lawn
work. She shared an interest with her husband in breeding Quarter
horses. Laura was an avid reader, loved to travel and enjoyed letter
writing and exchanging messages with friends and relatives on line.
She is survived by her husband
Ted; children: Paula (Bruce) Brown of Savage, Harlan (Joan) Anderson of Norwood
Young America, Samuel Anderson of Mankato, Alison (Butch) Schmidt of
Alexandria, Owen (Kathy Young) of Mitchell, SD, Faith (Peter) Maguire of Walnut
Grove, Hope Anderson of Milroy, Signe (Greg) Hansen of Walnut Grove, Sheldon
Anderson of Gillette, WY, Elizabeth (Larry) Peters of Lindsborg, KS “Yup,
there’s 10”; 18 Grandchildren: Matthew Brown, Jason Anderson, Jamie
(Schmidt) Storms, Nathan Brown, Anthony Maguire, Jeramie Anderson, Angela
(Anderson) Lueck, Amy (Anderson) Grass, Nichole (Maguire) Burns, Kristen
Anderson, Sophie (Hansen) Jenniges, Jon Hansen, Katie (Hansen) Cooley, Claire,
Grant, Olivia, Kayla, and Laura Peters; 23 Great Grandchildren - “could
be more”; Sister Mildred Kotval of Redwood Falls; and many nieces &
nephews. She was preceded in death by a grandson Adam Schmidt.
Services for Ruth R. (Wegner)
Anderson were held on Thursday, February 9, 2012 at the English Lutheran Church
in Walnut Grove. Interment
was in the Walnut Grove Cemetery. The Almlie Family Funeral Homes of Tracy, Westbrook and Balaton handled the arrangements.
Online condolences may be
placed at www.almliefh.com.
Ruth Rachel (Wegner) Anderson
was born February 21, 1924 in Lamberton, MN to William and Martha (Grundt)
Schuck. She was baptized on March
11, 1924 and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. Ruth grew up in Lamberton and attended Lamberton Public
Schools.
On October 18, 1941 Ruth
married Donald Wegner in the Zion Lutheran Church in Lamberton. They made their home on a farm near
Lucan for a short time before moving near Morgan, MN. They moved to a farm near Walnut Grove, MN and remained there
until 1957, when they moved into Walnut Grove. Shortly after moving to town, Ruth began working at the
Walnut Grove School as a cook until her retirement in the late 1970’s. She then worked at the Christian Manor
in Tracy for several years.
In 1995 Ruth married Leonard
Anderson and they made their home in Tracy, MN. She later became a resident of O’Brian Court Senior
Apartments and in September of 2011 she became a resident of Morningside
Heights in Marshall, MN.
Ruth was a member of the
English Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove and was active in the church women’s
groups, Circle and also taught Sunday School. She enjoyed old movies; big band music and going to dances
with her husband Donald. Her
family will always remember what a great cook she was and how she loved
spending time with family.
On Saturday, February 4, 2012
Ruth died, surrounded by her loving family, at the Avera-Marshall Medical
Center in Marshall, MN at the age of 87.
Ruth is survived by her two
sons, Tom (Joan) Wegner of Apple Valley, MN and Rick (Cynthia) Wegner of
Courtland, MN; two daughters, Diane (Vance) Dudgeon of Lake Crystal, MN and
Patty (Tim) Guetter of Marshall, MN; eleven grandchildren, Lisa, Leslie, Josh,
Jeremy, and Lacey Wegner, Chris, Troy, Cory, and Clay Dudgeon, Jordan Guetter,
and Chelsea Plafcan; nine great grandchildren; one sister-in-law, Anngala
Giesler of Prescott, AZ; nieces, nephews and friends.
Her two husbands, Donald and
Leonard, her parents, infant granddaughter, Katie, one brother, Art Roeder, and
two sisters, Charlotte Miller and Dorothy Howe, preceded her in death.
Funeral services For R.D.
“Dick” Knakmuhs, 85, of Walnut Grove, MN were held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday,
February 11, 2012 at English Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove. Interment
was in Walnut Grove Cemetery. Memorials are preferred in lieu of flowers.
Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com.
Stephens Funeral Service - Walnut Grove Funeral Home assisted the family with
arrangements.
Dick Knakmuhs was born
February 6, 1927 on the family farm to Paul and Effie (Jackson) Knakmuhs.
He was baptized at Tracy Lutheran Church. Dick attended country school
District 22 and graduated from Walnut Grove High School in 1945. He joined
the US Army in 1945 and attained the rank of SSGT. After his honorable
discharge in 1947, Dick returned to Tracy where he worked at the Ford garage
until 1960. On September 3, 1948 Dick was united in marriage to Shirley
Embree. He purchased the insurance agency in Walnut Grove in 1960 and
moved to Walnut Grove. Dick started the Knakmuhs Agency and was active
with the business through its 50th anniversary in 2010. He was
very active in the community. In addition to being a founding member of
numerous civic and service organizations, he served 39 years for the Redwood
County Mutual Insurance Group (including 34 years as President), 20 years as
fire chief, 12 years on the school board, and on church council for many years
in various capacities. Dick enjoyed farming, working, and playing cards
with the boys at the barn.
Dick is survived by his wife Shirley of 63 years; children: Michele (John) Bisbee of Fairmont, Melinda (Steve) Kubias of Cottage Grove, Kevin Knakmuhs and Kerry (Becky) Knakmuhs all of Walnut Grove, and Marilee (Jon) Saxhaug of Fulda; 17 grandchildren; 25 great grandchildren; and 2 great great grandchildren. Dick is also survived by siblings: Virene Shea and Lloyd (Shirley) Knakmuhs all of Walnut Grove, and Floyd (Ruth) Knakmuhs of Westbrook. He is preceded in death by his parents and several siblings.
Mass of Christian Burial for
Adeline “Pat” E McClain, 87, of Cottonwood, formerly of Marshall will be at
10:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 18, 2012, at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in
Marshall. Visitation will be
Friday from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with a Parish Prayer Service at 7:00
p.m. at Rehkamp – Horvath Funeral Home in Marshall. Visitation will continue from 9:00 a.m.
– 10:00 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Interment will follow the service at Calvary Catholic
Cemetery in Marshall.
Adeline “Pat” E. Deithman was
born April 13, 1924 to Frank and Mary (Gross) Deithman near Wadena, MN. She attended Lyman Country School
District 102. When Adeline was
fourteen years old she moved with her one brother and parents to Coleraine
– Bovey area. She graduated
from John C Greenway High School in 1943 and move to Minneapolis. Pat attended the Parisian School of
Cosmetology while working nights in a defense factory. She graduated from the Parisian School
and did her internship for one year. She owned and managed Jean’s Beauty Shop in Minneapolis until her
marriage to Howard W. McClain of Tracy, MN. Pat and Howard were married February 7, 1946 by Father H
Cahill at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy. They farmed in the Tracy Amiret area until 1951 and then
moved to the Wood Lake area and continued farming until 1983. While in the Wood Lake area they were
charter members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Cottonwood, MN. Adeline was a Eucharistic minister, a
catechism teacher and on the board of directors. In 1978, Pat attended Pipestone Vocational Tech School and
became a home health aide. She
worked for Lyon County Community Nursing until 1986 when she was in a car
accident. In 1982, she and Howard
move to their home in Marshall. Pat and Howard attended church at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, where
she was a Catholic Daughter. She
was a lifelong member of the Hospital Auxiliary and a member of Prairie Home
Hospice. She loved to play cards
and bingo. One of her greatest
joys was seeing the first robin in the spring.
Adeline “Pat” died Monday,
February 13 at the Fieldcrest Apartments in Cottonwood, MN. She is survived by her son Donald (and
Nancy) McClain of Wood Lake, daughter Deborah J. McClain of Woodbine, IA,
grandchildren, great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her
husband Howard, her parents, five brothers and three sisters
Vivian K. Ockenfels age 91 of
Wausau, WI, formerly of Currie, MN died Thursday, February 9, 2012 at Mount
View Care Center in Wausau. Services will be 1:00 PM Monday, February 12, 2012 at the Immaculate
Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Currie. Visitation will be from 11:00 AM until the time of service at 1:00 PM
Monday only. Interment will be in
the Calvary Cemetery in Currie. The Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home-East Chapel is handling
arrangements. The Almlie Funeral
Home of Tracy is handling the service on Monday.
Online condolences may be
placed at either: www.petersonkraemer.com or www.almliefh.com
Vivian Kathleen Ockenfels was
born February 26, 1920 in Currie, MN to Hans and Camilla (Reiersen)
Johnson. On June 23, 1941 she
married Joseph Ockenfels in Currie. He preceded her in death in 1980.
Vivian was a member of the St.
Anne’s Guild, Catholic Daughters, Alter Society and Rosary Society in Currie. Among her favorite pastimes, she
enjoyed reading, taking walks and traveling with family and friends. Most of all, she loved spending time
with her grandchildren.
Survivors include, five
children, Mary (Roger Holt) Diekmann of Pipestone, MN, Joe Jr. (Maribelle)
Ockenfels of Phoenix, AZ, Jerry (Maria) Ockenfels of Minneapolis, MN, Gene
Ockenfels of Currie, MN, and Joanne (Roy) Hatton of Weston, WI; 14
grandchildren; many great grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.
Besides her parents and husband,
Joseph, she was preceded in death by one son, Michael Ockenfels, one grandson,
Steven Diekmann and one brother, Vincent Johnson.
In lieu of flowers, memorials
may be directed to Mount View Care Center, 2400 Marshall St., Wausau, WI 54403.
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