Online Obituaries Saturday, January 8, 2000 January obits by date  January obits by name December obits by date  December obits by name November obits by date  November obits by name October obits by date  October obits by name September obits by date  September obits by name The Journal Online  Experience New Ulm!    Margaret Sophie Foster, 78, of Cottonwood, Ariz., formerly of New Ulm, died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 1999 in Cottonwood.    Graveside services were held Jan. 3 at Cottonwood Cemetery.    She is survived by her daughter, Jean Schenk and husband Peter of Cottonwood; cousin Dorothy Smith of Owatoma; three nephews and two nieces.    She was preceded in death by her husband Gerald in 1995.    She was born in New Ulm in 1921. When she was nine years old, her father died and she and her mother moved to Colorado. She returned to New Ulm in 1943. She married Gerald Foster on Sept. 3, 1948 in New Ulm. They lived in Courtland, where they owned and operated a grocery business for 30 years. In 1952, when her daughter was two, she contracted polio, which she eventually conquered. In 1984, the couple moved to Arizona. Since 1994, she has lived with her daughter and son-in-law except for nine months spent in a nursing home. She was a life-long Catholic.    Memorial donations may be sent to the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 995, Cottonwood, Ariz. 86326.    Roger "Mickey" R. Oachs, 68, of Mankato, died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2000 at St. Mary's Hospital, Rochester.    Services are 2 p.m. Monday at St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Mankato, with burial and full military honors in Sterling Cemetery, Sterling Township, Blue Earth County.    Visitation is 3-6 p.m. Sunday at Mankato Mortuary, and will continue Monday one hour prior to services at the church.    He is survived by his wife Gloria; daughters, Rosanne Reed and husband Perry "Joe" of St. Cloud and Mary Winkelman and husband Jeffery of Mankato; son Randy Oachs and wife Sue of Mankato; six grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; sisters, Lorna Hanson of California, Doris Mattingly, Florence Standfest, Beulah McComb, Birdell Loe and Whilma Smith, all of Mankato; sisters-in-law, Barb Oachs, Helen Oachs and Marlene Southworth; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.    He was preceded in death by a grandson, six brothers and one sister.    He was born July 8, 1931 in Blue Earth County to William and Minnie (Ward) Oachs. he married Gloria Rosin on June 15, 1952 in Nicollet. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict from 1952 until 1954. He worked at North Star Concrete for 40 years before retiring in 1993. He was a member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Mankato and Eagle Lake American Legion.    Mary Ann (Mrs. Leo) Sturm, 61, of 902 North Minnesota in New Ulm died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2000 at the New Ulm Medical Center in New Ulm.    Mass of Christian Burial will 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New Ulm with burial in the Catholic Cemetery in New Ulm.    Visitation will be Sunday from 4-8 p.m. and 7:30-10 a.m. on Monday at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm. There will be a parish prayer service at 7 p.m. Sunday evening at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm.    She is survived by husband, Leo Sturm of New Ulm; daughter, Katherine Gentz of New Ulm; sons and daughters-in-law, Randall and Kimberly Sturm of Sumner, Wash., Lee and Jane Sturm of New Ulm; five grandchildren; brother and sisters-in-law, Donald and Laura Roiger of Plymouth, and June Roiger of Zimmerman.    She was preceded in death by her parents; and brother, Robert Roiger.    She was born April 5, 1938 in New Ulm to Edward and Lorraine (Williams) Roiger. She attended the Holy Trinity Catholic School and graduated from New Ulm public school. She married Leo Sturm June 5, 1956 at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in New Ulm. After marriage she worked at Kraft for thirty years, retiring eight years ago. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, and of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New Ulm.    John D. Piepgras, 67, of Lake Crystal, died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2000 at Madelia Community Hospital.    Services are 11 a.m. Monday at Pilgrim Funeral Home, Madelia, with burial in the Riverside Cemetery, Madelia.    Visitation is 5-8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home and one hour prior to the service.    He is survived by daughters, Brenda Mosser and husband Pat of Madelia and Kathy Broste and husband Scott of Hanska; sons, Ric and wife Jane of Madelia and Dave and wife Mary of Cokato; 11 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; sisters, Lucille Ott of Cherokee, Iowa, Ruth Pouliot and husband Red of Winter Haven, Fla., Helen Mather and husband Lowell of Madelia and Frannie Hullinger of Minneapolis; and special friend Diane Knutson of Madelia and her children Michelle Knutson of Madelia, Larry Robinett of Wichita Falls, Texas and Gary Robinett of Abilene, Texas.    He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; and sisters, Irene Hylen, Vivian Nicklasson and Viola Johnson.    He was born Sept. 29, 1932 in Lake Crystal, to David and Elizabeth (Fischer) Piepgras. He grew up in Lake Crystal and attended school there. He married Helen Burley on April 6, 1953. He served in the U.S. Army 1953-1954 during the Korean Conflict. When he returned, they farmed in rural Madelia. Helen died in 1974. He continued farming until retiring in 1998. In 1979 he met Diane Knutson and they spent the past 20 years together. He was a member of Faith Lutheran Church, Madelia VFW and American Legion.    Mildred Walters, 74, of Hanska, died Friday, Jan. 7, 2000 at Madelia Community Hospital.    Services are 11 a.m. Tuesday at Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New Ulm, with burial in Cambria Cemetery.    Visitation is 4-7 p.m. Monday and 7:30-10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Firle Funeral Home, New Ulm.    A complete obituary will appear in a later edition of The Journal.    Correction-Leona Lydia Weihe Funeral Services for Leona Lydia Weihe, 89, of Arlington, will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Twila L. Roiger, 46, of St. Clair died Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2000 at Immanuel-St. Joseph's Hospital in Mankato.    Services will be 10:30 a.m. today at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Mankato with burial in Glenwood Cemetery.    The wrong date of death had been supplied to The Journal.