Online Obituaries
Thursday, May 17, 2001
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James W. Butzer, 66, of Morton died Tuesday, May 15, 2001, at Sunwood Good Samaritan Center in Redwood Falls.
Memorial service is 10 a.m. Saturday at St. John's Catholic Church in Morton with burial in Fort Snelling National Cemetery at a later date.
Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Friday with a prayer service at 7 p.m. at the Nelson-Martin Funeral Home in Redwood Falls, and will continue Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service at the church.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou of Morton; children, Susan Butzer and husband Tim Veerkamp of Eagan, Rachel Edwards and friend Chad Schwab of Minneapolis and honorary daughter Mei Yen Wang and husband Heng Lou; three grandchildren and one honorary granddaughter; sisters; Betty Blott of Santa Rosa, Calif., and Sally Sampson and husband Edward of Belview; brothers, David Butzer and wife Norita of Shakopee and Gary Butzer of Hope Valley, R.I.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a grandson Alex Veerkamp.
James Walter Butzer was born Jan. 1, 1935 in Morton to Walter and Rachel (Westphal) Butzer.
He resided with his family in Morton, graduating from Morton High School in 1952. He entered
the United State Air Force, serving during the Korean War until 1956. He graduated from the
University of Minnesota at Mankato graduating in 1961 with a double major in science and math.
He married Mary Lou Kodet on July 28, 1954, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Bechyn. he taught high school at Good Thunder. He worked for UNISYS for 28 years as systems analyst, retiring in 1991 and moving to Morton. He was a charter member of Mary Mother of the Church in Eagan and Burnsville area. He was a member of the American Legion at Mankato, Eagan and Morton and has been a member of St. John's Catholic Church since 1973. He was a 4-H leader for Eagan Rangers for eight years. He was a member of Morton Senior Center and wrote grants for the organization. He was a member of Redwood Senior Center and a volunteer at Redwood Valley School. He was the first person to receive multichannel cochlear implant in Minnesota in 1986. He and his wife were instrumental in forming the cochlear implant support group, and he wrote the Cochlear Newsletter for five years. He spent 11 1/2 years working with research at the University of Minnesota regarding the cochlear implant. He was a guest speaker at Lions conventions in Minnesota regarding cochlear implant. He was a tutor for Laotian immigrants. He was active in the DFL party.
Elsie Krick, 75, of rural Westbrook, died Tuesday, May 15, 2001, at her home.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Westbrook. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. today with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. at Westbrook Funeral Home in Westbrook. Visitation will continue at the church on Friday one hour prior to the services.
She is survived by her children: Connie and husband Gary Messer of Coon Rapids, Dennis Krick of Westbrook, Carolyn Krick of Minneapolis, Roger and wife Connie Krick of Westbrook, Nancy and husband Rodney Boeck of Westbrook, Janell and husband Jerry Hospital of Fairfax, Va., Marcia and husband Steve Read of Lino Lakes, and Karen Krick of Mankato; and 17 grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Roy; brothers, Pete, Fred, Sam, Elmer, Al and Ray; and sisters, Florence and Luella.
Elsie Mary Elizabeth Heeren Krick was born March 9, 1925, to Peter and Johanna (Schilling) Heeren in Adrian. She married Roy Krick on Feb. 8, 1944, in Worthington. They farmed in Des Moines River Township until Roy's death on May 28, 1975. She was a member of the senior center, numerous card clubs, and St. Anthony Catholic Church.
Kenneth W. Watschke, 76, of Owatonna died on Wednesday, May 16, 2001, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at United Methodist Church in Owatonna, with burial in New Ulm City Cemetery.
Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Friday at Michaelson Funeral Home in Owatonna and 9:30-10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church.
He is survived by his wife, Connie of Owatonna; son and daughter-in-law, Keith and Barb Watschke of Minneapolis; daughters, Karen Watschke of North Mankato, LeAnne and husband DuWayne Schatza of Anoka; brothers and sister-in-law, Lloyd and Theresa Watschke of St. Paul, Donald and Sheila Watschke of Brooklyn Center, Larry Watschke of Sleepy Eye; and sister and brother-in-law, Phyllis and Emory Stebleton of Colorado Springs, Colo.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and two sisters.
He was born on Sept. 10, 1924, to Herman and Ida (Lochner) Watschke Jr. in Brown County. Raised on the family farm in Prairieville Township, he attended Sleepy Eye public schools. He married Connie Lee on June 13, 1953, in Hanska. The couple farmed in Brown County for 10 years when he received a degree from Alexandria Technical College. He then worked for the Oliver dealership in Buffalo Lake for five years. The couple moved to Owatonna where he worked for the John Deere dealership until retiring in 1986. He was a long-time member of the United Methodist Church in Owatonna.