Obituaries from the week of January 28, 2015
Don Behrens, 82 Memorial services were held in Cardston, Alberta, Canada, for a 1950 Tracy High School graduate recently. Donald Elwood Behrens, 82, died at Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge, Alberta, on Dec. 31, 2014. He was a teacher, coach, lay minister, amateur radio operator, and playwright. Born to Frederick and Dessie Behrens in Pierre, SD, on Feb. 24, 1932. Behrens grew up in Tracy. He was confirmed at the Tracy United Methodist Church and worked at the Tracy Headlight-Herald office while in high school. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Joyce Lou Ann Christenson; a six children: Fred (Louisa) Behrens, Jodi (James Jacquez) Behrens, Frank (Jackqueline) Behrens, Janice (Bill Pollett) Behrens, Terry Behrens, and Traci (Bob) Frank; 12 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. After high school, Behrens entered the U.S. military service and served four years on aircraft carriers. He earned a teaching degree at Mankato State College, and taught in Storden. In 1966, he accepted a teaching position at Lethbridge. Schools that he taught at included Picture Butte and St. Mary’s School on the Blood Reserve in Alberta. An avid lover of the arts, Behrens appeared as a singer and actor in productions that included Fiddler on the Roof. Behrens wrote the play The Year Lethbridge Won the Grey Cup. He was a book critic for the Lethbridge Herald, and was an opinion-editorial writer for the Temple City Star in Cardston. Described by family as “a Renaissance Man,” Behrens was known for being passionate about his family, community, religion, politics, and sports, including the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Jay Bosacker, 94 Jay Bosacker, age 94 of Tracy, passed away on Thursday, January 22, 2015 at the Prairie View Healthcare Center in Tracy. Mass of Christian Burial was held on Monday, January 26, 2015 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy with burial to follow in the St. Mary’s Calvary Cemetery. Online condolences may be placed at www.almliefh.com. The Almlie – Horvath Funeral Home of Tracy is caring for the family. Jay Donald Bosacker was born on August 19, 1920 to Henry and Ethel (Warner) Bosacker in Elysian, Minnesota. The family later moved to rural Marshall where Jay attended a country school. He was the 7th of 12 children. He married the love of his life Berniece Garrow on April 16th 1941 at St. Clotilde Catholic Church in Green Valley, Minnesota. Following the birth of their third child, Jay was drafted into the US Army in 1945. He served in the Phillipines and Japan as a military policeman. Upon his return to civilian life, he and Berniece moved to a farm south of Tracy in March of 1946. They farmed with O.C. Buckingham on the Carter Euizier farm for 13 years. After that, they became the sole renters and raised their 7 children on the farm. Berniece died in 1980 and Jay remained on the farm until 2010. They instilled in us the values of hard work, love, and compassion. After Jay retired completely, he moved to O’Brien Court in Tracy. Following surgery in the fall of 2013, he became a resident of Prairie View Senior Living until his passing. Jay was an active member in the Tracy American Legion where he held various offices including Club Commander. He was also a member of the Color Guard. Jay played softball in the younger days and then moved on to bowling and later pool. He always loved the competition and was good at whatever he did. Macular degeneration made it impossible to continue the game of pool and made it difficult to enjoy a good John Wayne movie or his favorite TV show, Bonanza. Jay was a longtime avid Minnesota Twins fan. He would have the game on the TV as well as the radio at the same time. He preferred one broadcaster over the other. Other pastimes included soft and hard water fishing. He could spend endless hours during the winter months on Lake Shetek and was usually very successful. Music was a large part of his youth and that continued throughout his life. Jay played the guitar and harmonica for his children and grandchildren and always had an array of songs to share with them. Jay is survived by his children, Richard Bosacker, David (and Karen) Bosacker, Douglas (and Andrea) Bosacker, Barbara (and Gary) Eilefson, Dianne (and Chris) Kamrud, Susan (and Jim) Keul, Carol (and Terry) Strand and Jonna Grunden; 24 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren; 3 sisters, Lola Schumacher, Ruth (and Tony) Sybilrud and Kathryn Tegels, and a host of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Berniece, 5 sisters, 3 brothers, and 1 granddaughter.
Marie Van Moer, 100 Mass of Christian Burial for Marie Van Moer, 100, of Marshall, will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, January 30, 2015, at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Marshall. Visitation will be Thursday from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with a CCW Rosary at 4:00 p.m. and a Parish Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. at Rehkamp – Horvath Funeral Home in Marshall. Visitation will continue from 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Interment will follow the service at the Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Marshall. Marie Vivian Marcotte was born to Anthony F. and Jeanette (Courville) Marcotte on October 1, 1914, in Clifton Township, Lyon County, on a farm two miles south of the Dudley Corner. She was Baptized, received First Communion and Confirmed at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Marshall. Marie attended grade school at District #97 in Clifton Township. She was the seventh of eleven children. The family moved to Amiret in 1928, and Anthony began working for the county grading roads with mules. Marie attended high school in Marshall, living and working for the Jack Fishman Family for her room and board during her high school years, which was not uncommon at the time. Marie graduated from Marshall High School in 1931. While living in Amiret, Marie met her future husband, Herb Van Moer. In 1933, the Marcotte family moved to Tracy where Marie worked for the Civic and Commerce until her marriage to Herb, on January 16, 1936, at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church by the Reverend Cahill. Herb was farming with his brother Victor on a farm they rented from an aunt and uncle. It was located one quarter mile from Herb’s family farm, two miles north of Amiret. Marie and Herb lived and farmed there until 1943 and Joan and Larry were born there. They moved to the Van Moer family farm in December of 1943 and lived and farmed there until 1984. Charles, Lynda and Juliet were born on this place. When all the children had left home, Marie began to work in Marshall at Skewes Jewelry where she worked from 1968 to 1984 when Marie and Herb moved to Marshall. They lived in their Marshall home from 1984 to 1999 when they moved to Hill Street Place. Herb died on November 14, 2004, and Marie continued to live there until she moved to Avera Morningside, her final earthly home. Marie had boundless energy. She was a wonderful cook and baker. Herb didn’t have any trouble finding extra help on the farm, as the promise of Marie’s meals would bring them running. Marie had a talent for whistling and you could often hear her whistling the music of the time as she went about her chores. She had a large garden each year and would put up jars of fruits and vegetables. Marie could mend clothing so that it looked like new and in winter she would sew carpet rags for rugs. She often entertained family and friends at festive and delicious meals. Summertime brought guests to the farm whom would many times stay for weeks or even months, helping out on the farm or just relaxing in rocking chairs on the screened-in porch. Marie helped Herb with all aspects of farming and would always have the evening chores (milking cows) done up when he came home from the fields. Yet, she always found time to read to the children and grandchildren in the evenings. She would make fudge or popcorn and apples which they would munch on during story time. Marie and Herb loved to dance and their weekends were spent with friends dancing at the different ballrooms around the area. During their courtship, they danced at the old Sabin Ballroom in Tracy. Marie and Herb celebrated 68 years of marriage together. Marie died on Sunday, January 25, 2015, at the Avera Morningside Heights Care Center in Marshall. She leaves to celebrate her life five children, 13 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, 7 great-great grandchildren. Joan (and Harold) Halverson of Marshall, Deb (and Jeff) Coleman of Northfield, Will (and Laura) Coleman, Maja, Emma, Piper, Audrey Coleman of St. Paul, Nick Coleman of Northfield, Brenda (and Rick) Lee of Marshall, Jerred (and Mari) Lee, Avery Hasch, Amira Hasch, Logan Robirds-Lee of Marshall, Dawn (and Don) Brown, Nate (and Amber) Brown, Logan Brown of Gastonia, North Carolina; Shannon (and Greg) Rund, Lonsdale, Aaron Rund, US Navy; Larry (and Addy) Van Moer of Marshall, Curt Van Moer (and fiancé Dawn Blow) of Sioux Falls, SD, Scot (and Maren) Van Moer of Marshall, Karla (and John) Engels, Travis Engels, Amber Engels of Minneota; Charles (and Pat) Van Moer of Marshall, Greg (and Tammy) Van Moer of Spring Valley, Ethan, Devon, Josiah, Sydney Van Moer of Spring Valley, Sandy (and Peter) Braun of Savage, Leigh Braun of Sioux Falls, SD, Jakob Braun, US Navy, Peter Braun, Maria Braun of Savage; Lynda (and Al) Johnson of Ortonville, Ben Johnson, of Richfield, Tony Johnson of Bloomington; Juliet (and Michael) Leese of Marshall, Jeremy (and Marnie) Leese of Apple Valley, Jennifer (and Patrick) Puccinelli, Bella Puccinelli, Max Puccinelli of Dublin, CA; one sister, Marion (and James) O’Neil of Puyallup, WA, sister-in-law Rose Van Moer of Marshall, many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Herb; parents Anthony and Jeanette Marcotte, siblings Anthony and Gertrude in infancy, Margaret (and Eddy Biwer), Emmanuel (and Mildred) Marcotte; Genevieve (and Lyle) Rue, Louse (and Bill) Hahn, Vernette (and Royal) Krueger, Leonard Marcotte, Bob (and Mae) Marcotte. The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to the Avera Morningside Long Term Care Unit of the Calvary Catholic Cemetery. Arrangements
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