Online Obituaries
Friday, May 4, 2001
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Donna Schoen , 72, of 1117 S. Broadway, in New Ulm died Wednesday, May 2, 2001 at her home.
Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the St. Mary's Catholic Church in New Ulm with entombment in the Lakewood Mausoleum in Minneapolis.
Visitation is 4-8 p.m. Friday and 7:30-10 AM Saturday at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm. There will be a parish prayer service at 7 p.m. Friday evening at the funeral home.
She is survived by her husband, Robert Schoen of New Ulm; daughters and son-in-law, Joei Harty and Roberta and Rick Miller all of New Ulm; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren; sister and brother-in-law, Doreane and George Gobler of Eau Claire, Wis.; brothers and sisters-in-law, George and Delores Kumferman and Dave and Clarice Kunferman, all of Eau Claire, Wis.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a grandson, Justin Harty; and a brother in infancy.
She was born Nov. 11, 1928, in Eau Claire, Wis., to George and Lucille (Bell) Kunferman.
She graduated from Eau Claire High School in Eau Claire, Wis. On Feb. 8, 1947, she married Robert Schoen in Eau Claire, Wis. They moved to New Ulm in 1961. She worked in the bakery at Randalls in New Ulm until her retirement. She was a member of the St. Mary's Catholic Church in New Ulm.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials.
Elfrieda Engel, 83, of Mankato, died Thursday, May 3, 2001, at Hillcrest Health Care Center.
Services will be held 2 p.m. Monday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Mankato, with burial in Woodland Hills Memorial Park.
Visitation is noon until the service Monday at the church.
She is survived by a sister and her husband, Selma and Ray Kratzke of North Mankato; a brother and his wife, Butch and Babe Engel of Nicollet; a brother-in-law, Fred Fogg of Alexandria; many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother and two sisters.
She was born Sept. 30, 1917, in Nicollet Township, Nicollet County, Minn., to Herman and Christine (Bode) Engel. She graduated from Nicollet High School and attended Business College in Minneapolis. She was a bookkeeper and auditor for Montgomery Ward, Bretts, and Sears. She was a member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church.
Memorials are preferred to Our Savior's Lutheran Church or to the American Cancer Society.
Mankato Mortuary in charge of arrangements.
Paul Wagner , 67, of 1104 S. Payne in New Ulm, died Wednesday, May 2, 2001, at his home.
Services are 11 a.m. Monday at Redeemer Lutheran Church in New Ulm with burial in the Sanborn City Cemetery in Sanborn.
Visitation is 4-8 p.m. Sunday and 7:30-8:30 a.m. Monday at Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm and will continue for one hour prior to the time of service at the church on Monday.
He is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, Cynthia and Evan Rogers of Tyler, Brenda and David Drill of Courtland; son and daughter-in-law, Philip and Roshelle Wagner of Beaufort, S.C.; grandchildren, Alek Wagner, Hannah Wagner, Sophia Wagner, Connor Drill, Caitlyn Drill and Regis Rogers; and sister, Roberta Ann Bancroft of Escondito, Calif.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and a nephew.
He was born Oct. 7, 1933, in Jackson to Lewis P. and Gertrude (Pietz) Wagner. He graduated from Jackson High School in 1952 from Mankato State in 1958. He married Avis Jensen in June of 1959 at the Salem Lutheran Church in Jackson. He worked as a page in the 1959 legislative session., In October 1959, he began working as the first probation officer for Brown and Watonwan counties. He retired in 1991. He had been a Boy Scout leader. He was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in New Ulm and a member of A.A.L.
The Rev. Reinhard Koepp, 83, of Brownton, died Wednesday, May 2, 2001, at his home.
Services are 2 p.m. Sunday at Immanuel Lutheran church in Brownton, with burial in the church cemetery.
Visitation is 5-8 p.m. Saturday at the Immanuel Lutheran Church sanctuary, 10 a.m. to noon Sunday in the church chapel and one hour before the services in the sanctuary.
Arrangements are handled by Dobratz-hantge Funeral Chapel of Hutchinson.
Rawlie Albrecht, 84, formerly of New Ulm, died Saturday, April 28, 2001, at the Texas Terrace Care Center.
Services were Wednesday at Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home, Howard Lake, with burial in Howard Lake Cemetery.
He is survived by stepdaughter Betty Chmielewski of Glencoe; and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and stepson Vernon Baumann.
He was born, April 5, 1916, in New Ulm, Minnesota. He grew up there and also attended school briefly there. He drove cattle truck to Minneapolis as a young man and farmed in the 1950s in the New Ulm area. He married LaVern McNeely on Sept. 25, 1957. They moved to Clearwater and farmed there. They later moved to Brownton in the late1960s where they farmed. They also farmed near Winthrop and Cokato. He lived in Cokato until a year ago when he entered the Howard Lake Good Samaritan Nursing Home.
Lillian Distad, 89, of Franklin, died Tuesday, May 1, 2001, at the Fairfax Community Nursing Home.
Services will 2 p.m. today, at the Palmyra Covenant Church, Palmyra Township, rural Hector, with burial in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be at the church today one hour prior to services. Hughes Funeral Home in Hector is in charge of arrangements.
She is survived by her husband, Julian Distad of Franklin; daughter and son-in-law, Margie and Reggie Cotton of Colorado Springs, Colo.; three grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a son in infancy; a son, Kenneth; and three brothers and five sisters.
She was born Dec. 25, 1911, in rural Hector to Carl and Emma (Peterson) Lundstrom. She graduated from Hector High School She got a teaching degree at St. Cloud State. She taught in several area rural schools. She married Carl Julian Distad on Aug. 28, 1947, at the Palmyra Covenant Church, Palmyra Township, Renville County, Minnesota. They farmed in Camp Township. She was a Sunday School teacher, involved in Ladies Aid.
Jerry Dostal, 92, of Glencoe, died April 3, 2001, at Glencoe Regional Health Services.
He was born Aug. 8, 1908, in Hutchinson. He started his own band in 1932 and became known as "The King of Bohemian Music." He was drafted into the U.S. Army in November 1943 and played in the military band. He took part in the D-Day Invasion and the liberation of Brest, France. He received two Bronze Stars and other citations. In 1946, his band played every night for three consecutive months. His first recording, the "Pla-Mor Waltz" was made in 1948, and it become a trademark for the band and ballroom. Other honors he received included recognition form the Minnesota ballroom Operations Association for 50 years in the music and dance world in 1985, outstanding polka band, and induction to the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame in 1997.
He is survived by his wife, Ethel Dostal of Glencoe.
Dale Gorr, 69, of Gaylord died Wednesday, May 2, 2001, at New Ulm Medical Center.
Services are 10:30 a.m. today at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Gaylord, with burial in the church cemetery with full military honors by the Manthey-Asmus American Legion Post 433.
Visitation is 8:30-10 a.m. today at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Gaylord.
Arrangements are handled by Egesdal Funeral Home.
He is survived by his wife, Karen Gorr of Gaylord; a daughter, Katie Gorr of Sioux Falls, S.D.; sisters and brothers-in-law, Alvina and Henry Nelsen of Appleton, Dorothy and Dale Sorbe of Inver Grove Heights; and sister, Jane Martin of Sauk Centre.
He is proceeded in death by his parents; brothers, Albert and David; a brother-in-law, Alex Martin; and sister-in-law, Marie.
He was born July 10, 1931; in Minatare, Neb., to Christ and Katie (Trout) Gorr. He married Karen Huffman on Aug. 28, 1968, at Zion Lutheran Church, Winthrop. He graduated from Gaylord high School in 1950. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War from 1952-1954. He worked at the Uttendorf Mink Farm near Arlington and as a printer for the Gaylord Hub from 1967-1993 when he retired. He worked part time at the Municipal Liquor Store in Gaylord and Winthrop and at the American Legion in Gaylord. He was a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Gaylord and Gaylord Manthey-Asmus American Legion Post 433.
Richard C. "Rich" Filzen, 60, of rural New Ulm, died Wednesday, May 2, 2001, at his home.
Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New Ulm with burial in the New Ulm Catholic Cemetery.
Visitation will be 4 - 9:00 PM Friday and 7:30 - 10:00 AM Saturday at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm. There will be a parish prayer service at 7:00 PM Friday at the funeral home.
Richard is survived by his wife Rita Filzen of rural New Ulm; daughters and son-in-law, Carrie Rodewald and her special friend Sylvan Fischer, and Julie and Ross Hellendrung, all of New Ulm; sons and daughter-in-law, Terry Filzen of Proctor and Dale and Laura Filzen of New Ulm; grandchildren, Brandon, Nathan and Cody Rodewald, Raquel and Justin Filzen and Tamara Hellendrung; step-grandchildren, Tiffany Willhelmi and Toni-Ann and Marcus Weber; great-granddaughter, Victoria Regan; sisters and brothers-in-law, Mabel Kral of Maplewood, Gladys Elrod of Stoneyfort, California, Shirley and Gene Gores of Redwood Falls, Donna and Hugo Balk of Mankato and Phyllis and Bernard Gulden of New Ulm; brothers, Donald and Roger Filzen of New Ulm and Walter Filzen of Mankato; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Jim and Donna Holm, Judy Hesse, Steve and Jenny Hesse, Dave Hesse, Leo Hesse and Lois and Arlyn Keute, all of New Ulm.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers in infancy; and special friends, William and Adeline Kretsch.
Richard was born December 10, 1940 in New Ulm to Phillip and Mary (Zangel Hlavac) Filzen. After graduating from New Ulm High School, Richard worked at Kraft and worked on the farm with William and Adeline Kretsch. He married Rita Hesse on November 24, 1962 at the St. Mary's Catholic Church in New Ulm. They moved to a farm in 1971 in Sigel Township, near Clear Lake where he operated a dairy farm and raised and trained Arabian horses until last fall when his health prevented him from working. Richard was a member of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in New Ulm. He was a member and also served on the board of MI Arabian Horse Club and was also a member of the Sleepy Eye Saddle Club.
Richard enjoyed holding Hawaiian luaus for family, friends and neighbors. He held Arabian Horse shows for over 10 years to promote the Arabian breed. He loved showing horses and helping others with horses. He took great pride in building and maintaining his farm. Richard also enjoyed the company of his dog Spike. (Paid obituary)