Online Obituaries Wednesday, March 24, 2004 2004 obituaries    2003 obituaries 2002 obituaries    2001 obituaries 2000 obituaries    1999 obituaries The Journal Online   Experience New Ulm Click here for today's obituaries    Leo Brand , 92, of Lecanto, Fla., and formerly of Faribault, died Sunday, March 21, 2004, at the Lifecare Center of Citrus County in Lecanto, Fla.    Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, March 27, at 10:30 a.m. at the Divine Mercy Catholic Church, at Immaculate Conception, in Faribault with the Rev. Jay Kythe, officiating. Interment will be held at the Current Cemetery in Home Township west of New Ulm on Saturday at 2 p.m.    Visitation will be held at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home in Faribault on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday at the church for one hour prior to services. Parish prayers will be recited on Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m.    In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to Faribault Sports, Inc., Bethlehem Academy or the Current Cemetery Association.    Leo Alexander Brand, the son of Anton and Emma (Ranweiler) Brand, was born on July 22, 1911, in rural New Ulm, Minn. He was united in marriage to Ottie M. Current on July 8, 1935, at the Holy Trinity Church in New Ulm. Mrs. Brand preceded him in death on November 29, 1990. Leo later married Vera Hannagan in Dunnellon, Fla., on June 15, 1991.    The youngest of 10 children, Leo tended horses on a road building crew in his teens, worked for A.J. Pietrus from 1935 to 1943, then operated a dry cleaning business in Sleepy Eye with his brother Ted. He owned and operated a bowling alley/café in St. James from 1946 to 1956. In 1956 he moved to Faribault where he worked for State Bond & Mortgage Co. as a salesman until his retirement. He was active in amateur baseball in Sleepy Eye, St. James and Faribault serving in every capacity. He was elected to the Minnesota State Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990 and Faribault Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. He was an active fundraiser for I.C. Church, Faribault Catholic Schools, Faribault Lakers Baseball and the Knights of Columbus Council 889 in Faribault, where he also served as Grand Knight in 1962. Leo also chaired the State Amateur Baseball Tournament held in Faribault in 1978.    He is survived by his present wife, Vera of Dunnellon, FL, by four sons and their wives, Bernie and Dona Brand of San Antonio, TX, Steve and Maureen Brand and John and Lola Brand, both of Faribault and Ben and Carol Brand of Plantation, Fla.; 11 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; by a stepson and is wife Bill and Debbie Hannagan of Dunnellon, Fla.; and other relatives and friends.    He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; five brothers, Edward, Harry, Benedict, Theodore and Joseph Brand; and four sisters, Margaret Brunner, Regina Beckett, Angela Brand and Leona Kuelbs.    Sandra Gulden , 59, of 223 North Jefferson Street in New Ulm, died Monday, March 22, 2004, at her home.    Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 25, at the St. Mary's Catholic Church in New Ulm with burial in the New Ulm Catholic Cemetery. Father Douglas Grams and Father James Moran will con-celebrate.    Visitation will be 4 - 8 p.m. Wednesday and 7:30 - 10 a.m. Thursday at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm. There will be a parish prayer service at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.    Sandy is survived by her husband, Leander "Banana" Gulden Jr. of New Ulm; father, Guy "Bud" Hart Jr. of Placerville, California; a daughter and son-in-law, Penny and Ronald Forst of St. George; sons and daughter-in-law, Timothy and Christine Gulden of Antioch, California, Leander "Andy" and Barbara Gulden III of New Ulm; grandchildren, Samantha, Melissa and Chad Gulden, Kelsey and Emily Gulden, Cody, Seth, and Shelby Forst; sisters and brothers-in-law, Sherrie and Rex Milligan of Diamond Springs, California, Colleen "Connie" and Marvin Piotter of Sisseton, South Dakota, Shirley and Roland Nething of Dassel, Patricia and Richard Rausch of South Dakota, Shelley and Fred Philley of Ripon, California, April "Dawn" Hart of California, Kelly Solano of Sacramento, California; brothers and sisters-in-law, Kenneth and Barbara Hart of Ramona, South Dakota, Daniel and Judith Hart of Antioch, California; brothers-in-law, Matthew Gulden and his wife Coletta, Milton Gulden, Kenneth Gulden and his wife Marcy, and Darwin Gieseke, all of New Ulm; sisters-in-law, Cyrilla "Sis" Portner, Carol Ludewig both of New Ulm, Lavon Bode and her husband Roland of Walker, and Mercedes Pelzel and her husband Robert of Sleepy Eye.    Sandy was preceded in death by her mother, Mildred Hart; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Leander and Bernice Gulden Sr.; brothers, Guy "Bill" Hart III, Dale Hart; sisters-in-law, Mary Gulden, Diane Gieseke; and by brothers-in-law, Joe Solano and Dan Ludewig.    Sandy was born September 9, 1944, in Omaha, Nebraska, to Guy L. and Mildred (Noble) Hart Jr. She married Leander W. Gulden Jr. on May 18, 1963, at the St. Mary's Catholic Church in New Ulm. After marriage they lived in New Ulm where she worked at JC Penney's for 20 years, State Bond and Mortgage for four years, Tina's Hallmark for five years, and then owned and operated Sandy's Hallmark for the past three years. She enjoyed crocheting, solving crossword and jigsaw puzzles, spending time with her grandchildren, socializing with people and celebrating the Christmas season. She was a member of the St. Mary's Catholic Church in New Ulm.    In lieu of flowers, Sandy's family prefers memorials to the donor's choice.    Vera Schottle , 96, of Comfrey, died Tuesday, March 22, 2004, at Fairmont Health Care Center.    Arrangements are pending with Sturm Funeral Home in Comfrey.