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Friday, February 26, 1999
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Barbara Grathwohl, 69, formerly of Searles died Wednesday, Feb. 24, 1999, at Oak Hills Living Center in New Ulm.
Mass of Christian Burial is 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Searles with burial in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Sleepy Eye.
Visitation is 4-8 p.m. Friday and 7:30-10 a.m. Saturday at Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm. There will be a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
She is survived by her sons, Michael Bertrand of Denver, Colo., Paul Bertrand of New Ulm; stepdaughter, Linda Grathwohl of Willmar; stepsons and their wives, Gerald "Jerry" and Julie Grathwohl of rural New Ulm, David Grathwohl of Anchorage, Alaska, Norman and Lisa Grathwohl of New Ulm; grandchildren, Kirsten, Ross and a sister, Ramona Ricke of Blue Earth; brothers and sisters-in-law, Myron "Mike" and Pearl Berkner, Randall and Dolly Berkner all of Sleepy Eye, Dick and Barbara Berkner of Mankato; stepbrothers and their wives, Dave and Sandy Runing of White Bear Lake, Curt and Mary Runing of Chandler, Ariz.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Bernard "Bud" Bertrand; second husband, Linus Grathwohl; stepmother, Cecelia Runing Berkner; and a sister, Rosemary Berkner in infancy.
She was born on Oct. 16, 1929, in Home Township, Brown County to Harold and Catherine (Huiras) Berkner. She graduated in 1947 from St. Mary's High School in Sleepy Eye. She married Bernard "Bud" Bertrand on Sept. 27, 1949 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye. They farmed in Home Township, Brown County. After the death of her first husband, she later married Linus Grathwohl on July 20, 1972 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye. She worked for Robert Brothers Concrete in Sleepy Eye and at St. John"s School in Searles. She was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Searles, Council of Catholic Women, St. John's Catholic Aid and St. Catherine's Court No. 470 of the National Catholic Society of Foresters in Sleepy Eye. She belonged to various Extension groups.
The family prefers memorials to St. John's Catholic Church in Searles or the New Ulm Area Catholic Schools (NUACS) in lieu of flowers.
Tania Thalia Vargas Funeral services for five-month-old Tania Thalia Vargas, daughter of Ramiro and Patricia (Pesina) Vargas, are 11:30 a.m. Saturday at St. James Catholic Church in St. James, with burial in the Calvary Cemetery.
Visitation is 9 a.m. until time of services at the church. Sturm Funeral Homes, St. James, handled arrangements.
She died Wednesday, Feb. 24, 1999, at Fairmont Community Hospital.
She is survived by her parents of Fairmont; brothers and sisters, Minerva Alfaro, Jose Manuel Ozuna Jr., Christina Pesina, Maria Guadalupe Zambrana, Anna Marie Zambrano, Patricia Lee Vargas, Maria del Rosario Vargas, Maricruz Vargas, Vannesa Judith Vargas, Jessica Joanna Vargas and Ramiro Vargas Jr.; several aunts, uncles, and grandparents.
Erwin Pufpaff, 69, died Thursday, Feb. 25, 1999, at Madelia Community Hospital.
Services are 10:30 a.m.Saturday at Salem Lutheran Church, Madelia, with burial in the Riverside Cemetery with military honors.
Visitation is 4-8 p.m. today at Pilgrim Funeral Home in Madelia, and continues one hour prior to services at the church.
He is survived by wife, Mae; children, Karen and husband Leon Miller of St. Peter, Kenneth Pufpaff and wife Cheryl of Mitchell, Roxann and husband Michael Moeller and Becky and husband Loren Gersch all of Madelia; nine grandchildren; mother, Alvena Pufpaff of Madelia; sister, Donna Kuchenbecker of Fargo, N.D.; brother, Ronald of Minneapolis; several nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters-in-law.
He was preceded in death by his father; brother-in-law, Baldwin Kuchenbecker.
He was born Sept. 22, 1922, to Erwin and Alvena (Scheljergerdes) Pufpaff in Kasota. He moved to Mountain Lake, where he graduated from high school in 1947. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict from October 1948 until May 1952. He worked as a truck driver for a time when he returned from the service. He married Mae Cady on July 9, 1954 in Madelia where they made their home. He worked at Tony Downs Foods as a warehouse supervisor until retiring in 1985. He attended Salem Lutheran Church and was a member of the Madelia Legion Post.
Pelma T. Prestegaard, 91 of Lamberton died Wednesday, Feb. 24, 1999, at Wabasso Health Care Center.
Services are 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Highwater Lutheran Church in rural Lamberton with burial at the church cemetery.
Visitation is 9-10:30 a.m. on Saturday at the church. Arrangements are handled by Sturm Funeral Home, Lamberton.
She is survived by sisters, Selma Stenhoff of Wausau, Wis., Agnes Gorski of Wausau, Wis.; several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
She was preceded in death by her sisters, Anna Schnieder and Edna Prestegaard.
She was born July 7, 1907, in Highwater Township, Cottonwood County, to Peder and Martha (Erickson) Prestegaard. She attended country school in Highwater Township. Following her mother's death, she and her sisters lived on the home place, and Pelma helped her father with farm work. In 1956 she moved into Lamberton where she did housekeeping. She moved to the Valley View Apartments in September of 1989, and to the Wabasso Health Care Center in June of 1998. She was a lifetime member of Highwater Lutheran Church, the W.E.L.C.A., and the sewing circle.