Online Obituaries
Saturday, May 26, 2001
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Dorothy E. Franciscus, 85, of Mankato, died Wednesday, May 23, 2001 at Oak Hills Living Center in New Ulm.
Services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Mankato. Burial will be at 2:15 p.m. Wednesday at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.
Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Tuesday at Mankato Mortuary with a 7 p.m. prayer service. Visitation continues one hour prior to services at the church on Wednesday.
Survivors include daughters and their husbands, Barb and Mark Bouljon of Little Canada, and Cherie and Cornelius Paulson, Jr. of St. Michael; sons and their wives, Jerry and Bernie Franciscus of Inver Grove Heights, and Don and Kathi Franciscus of New Ulm; 12 grandchildren; 11 greatgrandchildren; a brother-in-law, Howard Nelson of Mankato; and nieces, nephews, and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, two sisters, and one brother.
Dorothy E. Franciscus was born July 14, 1915 in Waterville to Roy and Clara (Blair) Sperry. She married LeVerne D. Franciscus on June 15, 1935 at St John's Catholic Church in Mankato. They lived in Mankato, Minneapolis, Japan, and other locations, before retiring to the Fifty Lakes, Minn., area. Mr. Franciscus retired from the US Air Force and worked at the Mankato Free Press and Minneapolis Star Tribune. Mr. Franciscus died in 1982. Dorothy returned to Mankato in 1983 and moved to New Ulm in 1998. Dorothy had been a homemaker for her family.
Dorothy was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Mankato.
Wilfahrt A. Hahn, 75 of Gaylord died Thursday, May 24, 2001 at the St. Peter Community Hospital and Health Care Center in St. Peter.
Services will be10:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 29 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Arlington with interment in St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery in Arlington.
Visitation is 3-9 PM Monday at the Egesdal Funeral Home in Gaylord and one hour at the church before services.
He is survived by his wife Ruth M. Hahn of Gaylord; a sister and brother-in-law, Helen and Noel Blaser of Gaylord; aunts, Ellen Hedrich of Fertile, Cora (Mrs. Clarence) Solmonson of Gaylord; sisters-in-law, Norma Ellig of Mankato, Gertrude (Mrs. Rueben) Hahn of Gaylord, Beata Polzin of Glencoe, Lois (Mrs. Willmer) Majeski of Winthrop; a brother-in-law, William and wife Sherri Bogatzke of Flager Beach, Fla.; many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.
He was proceeded in death by his parents, and nephew David Blaser.
Wilfhart A. Hahn was born May 23, 1926 in Sibley Township, Sibley County, to Edward A. and Clara (Woller) Hahn. He married Ruth M. Bogatske on Aug. 2, 1950 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Gaylord.
He graduated from Gaylord High School in June of 1944. In September 1944, he entered the U.S. Army during WWII, serving in Europe until his discharge in 1948.
He had been a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Arlington since 1950 and served as an elder, and on the Building and Grounds Committee, Cemetery Board, and Counting Committee.
He owned and operated a milk hauling business for Gaylord and Rush River Creameries from 1949-1960. They lived in Arlington from 1950-1959, then on a farm north of Arlington from 1959-1967 and then moving to Gaylord.
He drove truck for Par Gas, Tex Gas and Lakes Gas in Gaylord from 1965 to 1989 when he retired. He was a resident of the St. Peter Community Hospital and Health Care Center since April 2001.
Lura M. Neale, 82, of Redwood Falls, died Friday, May 25, 2001, at the Wood Dale Nursing Home in Redwood Falls. Arrangements are pending with the Nelson-Martin Funeral Home in Redwood Falls.
Laurie J. Sherman, 72, of Franklin died Wednesday, May 23, 2001, at her home in Franklin.
Services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Franklin, with burial in the Franklin Cemetery.
Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Monday and noon-2 p.m. Tuesday at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Franklin. Memorials are preferred to the Redwood County Hospice. Hauser-Hantge Funeral Chapel in Fairfax is handling the arrangements.
Laurie is survived by her sons, James Leonard and his wife, Kathy of Ray City, Ga., Mark Sherman and his wife, Debra of Franklin, Todd Sherman and his wife, Peggy of Franklin and Joseph Sherman and his wife, Stephanie of Wohnbach, Germany, a daughter, Debra Hjulberg and her husband, Steven of Wyoming, Minn.; 20 Grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; sisters, Betty Johnson of Spicer, Kay Zubrod and her husband, Bill of Mesa, Ariz., Marjorie Ruzicka and her husband, Jerry of Spicer; Brothers, Dick Olson and his wife, Dolly of Mankato and Donald Olson and his wife, Carol of Spicer; her former Husband, Douglas Sherman of Franklin, and many nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.
Laurie was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Lloyd Leonard; a brother, Harvey Olson and a sister, Betty Ann Olson.
Laurie Jane Sherman was born Sept. 27, 1928, in Westfield Township, Steele County, N.D. to Rudy and Ella (Christen) Olson. She was baptized as an infant and was confirmed in 1942 at Hoff Lutheran Church, in Sharon, N.D., Laurie and her family moved to Franklin in 1943. Laurie graduated from Franklin High School in 1946 and continued her education at Mankato State.
She married Lloyd Leonard in 1948. Lloyd died in an automobile accident, shortly after their marriage.
Laurie married Douglas Sherman in 1951. Laurie and Douglas separated in the late 1970s.
Laurie lived most of her life in Franklin, where she was a homemaker. She was Franklin's city clerk for over 20 years,
Laurie was a member of St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Franklin, where she was active with the ladies' aid. She also served as the congregational president, on the church council and she sang in the choir. Laurie belonged to the civic club, the local Bridge club and the Franklin American Legion Auxiliary.
Robert L. Wille, 93 of Springfield, died Wednesday, May 23, 2001 at Sleepy Eye Care Center, Sleepy Eye.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. John's Lutheran Church, Springfield, with burial in St. Matthew's Lutheran Cemetery, Waterbury Township, Minn.
Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Tuesday and 7:30-8:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Sturm Funeral Home, Springfield. There will be a prayer service at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church.
Survivors include his wife, Verna Wille of Springfield; daughters and sons-in-law, Lois and Galen Wetter of Lamberton, Mavis and Gordon Mathews of Hamel, Karen and David Hacker of
Morgan, Ruth Ann and Tom Lange of Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Mary and Haden Fenger of Lamberton; sons, Arlan and wife Mary Wille of Buffalo, and Layton Wille of
Missouri; a son-in-law, Merlin and wife Ilene Willand of Dawson; 26 grandchildren; 28 great grandchildren; sisters, Lydia Koschnick of Tucson Ariz., Louise Dalluge of Mapleton, Florence Wrucke of Mankato and Erna and husband Henry Weiss of Springfield; brothers,Walter and wife Rosella Wille of Lindstrom, Alvin and Christine Wille of Lamberton; a brother-in-law, LeRoy and wife Millie Wrucke of Good Thunder, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter, Mona Rae Willand in January 1989; sisters, Bernice Wrucke and Frieda Cheney and one brother, Ervin Wille.
Robert Leo Wille was born Jan. 23,1908 to Gustav and Bertha (Rehbergh) Wille on the family farm in Waterbury Township. On Sept. 8, 1936 he married Verna Siedschlag in Lucan. The couple made their home on the farm in Waterbury Township. Robert farmed until a near-fatal car accident forced him to retire in 1964. Robert and Verna moved to Springfield in August 1971 and Robert moved into Sleepy Eye Care Center in 1993. He was a member of the St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Waterbury Township and served as a trustee and deacon. Robert was baptized and confirmed in St. Matthew Lutheran Church and was currently a member of the St. John Lutheran Church in Springfield.