Online Obituaries Tuesday, July 6, 1999 July obits by date  July obits by name June obits by date  June obits by name Click here for today's obituaries    Theo M. Forsyth, 103, of Redwood Falls, died Monday, July 5, 1999 at Redwood Falls Hospital.    Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Faith United Methodist Church in Sleepy Eye with burial in Home Cemetery, Sleepy Eye.    Visitation will be 9-10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Faith United Methodist Church, Sleepy Eye. Arrangements have been made with Sturm Funeral Home in Sleepy Eye.    She is survived by her son, Robert Schwint of Sleepy Eye, daughters, Marge and husband Ivan Sandmann of Sleepy Eye, Frances and husband Russ Feig of Raymond, Grace and husband Bill Voker of Sleepy Eye; 16 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; 25 great-great grandchildren; and abrother, Russell Stowell of Des Moines, Iowa.    She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Frank Schwint in 1951, and also her husband Robert; four brothers; five sisters; a daughter, Hazel and husband Ed Ebelsisor, a daughter-in-law Janet Schwint, and a grandson, Ronnie Sandmann.    She was born Feb. 15, 1896 in Plover, Iowa, to John and Martha (Cady) Stowell. She grew up and attended school in Plover. She married Frank Schwint on Feb. 14, 1915, in Plover. The couple lived on a farmer near Plover until moving to Evan in 1926. A couple of years later they moved to Sleepy Eye and when the hospital was built, she worked there as a cook for many years. Frank preceded her in death in 1951. She married Robert Forsyth on July 16, 1958 in New Ulm and they made their home in Sleepy Eye. She moved to Redwood Falls in 1980.    Elva E. Kersten, 87, of Springfield, died Sunday, July 4, 1999, at St. John's Lutheran Home in Springfield.    Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. John's Lutheran Church in Springfield with burial in North Star E.U.B. Cemetery, rural Springfield.    Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. today and 7:30-9 a.m. Wednesday at the Sturm Funeral Home in Springfield. Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the service at the St. John's Lutheran Church.    She is survived by her sons, Kenneth and wife Maureen Kersten of Springfield, James and wife Pamela Kersten of Deephaven, Gary and wife Mary Kersten of Minnetonka; a daughter, Laurie and husband Larry Ulmen of North Mankato; 11 grandchildren, threee great-grandchildren; a sister, Alice and husband Bill Runck of Springfield.    She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband George in 1985; brothers, Virtus, Ralph, Louis and Vernon and a sister, Loretta.    She was born April 10, 1912 in Manning, Iowa, to George and Emma (Lamp) Fonken. As a child she moved with her family to Carroll, Iowa, then to a farm in Burnstown Township, Brown County in 1915. Elva received her education in District 42 country school and worked as a housekeeper. On Sept. 9, 1936 she married George F. Kersten at the Evangelical United Bretheren Church in Springfield. Following marriage she and George farmed the Kersten farm, where she lived until entering the St. John Lutheran Home in 1997.    She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, WELCA, the church ladies quilting group, the North Star Study Club and was a former member of the Evangelical United Bretheren Church in Springfield.    Wallace 'Wally' Melzer, 76, of 2526 South Bridge St., New Ulm, died Sunday, July 4, 1999 at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester.    Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in New Ulm, with burial in the Lutheran Cemetery in New Ulm.    Visitation will be 4-8 p.m Wednesday and 7:30-11 a.m. Thursday at Minnesota Valley Funeral home in New Ulm, and one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.    He is survived by his wife, Doris of New Ulm; daughters and sons-in-law, Paulette and Gary Storm of Walker, Sandy Doble of St. Cloud, Bonnie and Dave Waggie of Sioux Rapids, Iowa, and Beverly and Mike Nachreiner of New Ulm; a son and daughter-in -law, Bruce and Barbara Melzer of New Ulm; 12 grandchildren; ten great grandchildren; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Duane and Jean Schlottman of Fridley, Marion Melzer, Floyd and Lu Schlottman, and Dale and Pat Schlottman all of New Ulm.    He was preceded in death by his parents, and a brother Alton Melzer.    He was born Feb. 20, 1923 in New Ulm to Hugo and Esther (Becker) Melzer. He attended country school in Nicollet County, and graduated from New Ulm Public School. He married Doris Schlottman on Nov. 19, 1942 at the St. Pauls' Lutheran parsonage. After marriage he farmed his family farm in the New Ulm area. From 1957 until 1975 he worked for Kraft, then he worked for Sioux Valley Hospital in New Ulm until retiring in 1992.    He was a member of the St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in New Ulm.    Donna Marie Grove, 75, of Arlington, died Sunday, July 4, 1999, at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby.    Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Peace Lutheran Church, Arlington, with burial in Fort Snelling National Cemetery at a later date.    Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Wednesday at the Fenske Funeral Home in Arlington, with a prayer service at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.    She is survived by her husband, Arnold of Arlington; sons and daughters-in-law, Donald and Karen Grove of St. Louis Park, and David and Diana Grove of Woodbridge, Va.; a daughter and son-in-law, Kristine and Donna Teich of Lakeville; a brother and sister-in-law, Kenneth and Lois Wilkens of Northfield; sisters and brothers-in-law, Lenora Forseen of Sarasota, Fla; Mildred Bernard of Apache Junction, Ariz., Eunice and Edward Cochran of Lawton, Okla., and Patricia and James Pulling of Deming, N.M.; and six grandchildren.    She was preceded in death by her parents.    She was born Oct. 23, 1923, in Red Lake Falls to Walter and Julianna (Zwingelberg) Wilkens. She grew up in Grand Rapids and graduated from Grand Rapids High School in 1941, and Moorhead State Teachers College in 1945. She started teaching at Parkers Prairie from 1945 to 1947, then at Morris for one year, and then Blythe, Calif., from 1948 to 1949.    She married Arnold Grove on June 10, 1949, in Grand Rapids. They moved to Arlington in 1951, where they were both teachers at the Arlington-Green Isle High School. She retired in 1981. She was a former Legion Auxiliary member.    Leonard E. Hills, 91, of Madelia, died Sunday, July 4, 1999 at the Madelia Community Hospital.    Services will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the United Methodist Church in Madelia with burial in the Riverside Cemetery.    Visitation will be Tuesday 5-8 p.m. at the Pilgrim Funeral Home in Madelia and will continue for one hour prior to the time of services at the church.    He is survived by his four daughters: Juanita Baldwin, and Leonora Jarvis, both of Madelia, LaRae and husband Earl LaPlante of New Ulm and Dianna Nundahl of Prior Lake; 20 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; two sisters; Lois Buchholtz of Osseo, Wis., and Selma Jensen of Henderson, Nev., nieces, and nephews.    He was preceded in death by his wife, Frances, in 1989, one daughter, Marlene Meyer in 1986; one grandson; 4 great grandchildren; two sisters and his parents.    He was born April 22, 1908, in Pottawattamie County, Iowa to Harry and Bessie (Wells) Hills. He was raised in the home of his parents and received his education in Pottawattamie District School. As a teenager, he moved with his family to the rural Madelia/Lake Crystal areas.    On Oct. 8, 1930, he married Frances Keech at Madelia. Following marriage, he worked as a mechanic, a truck driver for George Goode, corn sheller and farmer for 20 years in Watonwan County. He drove semi-trucks for LaSalle Farmers Grain Company until his retirement at age 80.    Alfred L. Grunst, 68, of Green Isle, died Sunday, July 4, 1999 at his home in Green Isle.    Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 a.m . Wednesday at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Arlington with burial in Mount Hope Cemetery, St. James, at 2 p.m.    Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. today at the Fenske Funeral Home in Arlington and one hour prior to service at the church on Wednesday.    He is survived by his wife, Lois Grunst of Green Isle; daughters and sons-in-law, Janelle and Maynard Dahlke of Arlington, Pamela and Lance Mikkelson of St. James and Patricia and Brian Pioske of Victoria; sons and daughter-in-law, Duane and Sharon Grunst of Eau Claire, Wis., and Daryl Grunst of Chaska; brothers and sisters-in-law: Alvin "Bud" and Irma of Alpha, William and Karen of Alpha and Alan and Marlys Grunst of Des Moines, Iowa; sisters and brothers-in-law: Betty Dormady of New Ulm, Donna Soehren of New Ulm, Mary Ann Miller of New Ulm, Karen and Gerald Benjamin of Jackson and Jolene and Chuck Frederick of Jackson.    He is also survived by 13 grandchildren.    He was preceded in death by his parents, and daughter, Michele.    He was born Jan.1, 1931 in Enterprise Township, Jackson County, Alpha to William and Ethel (Ingebrigtson) Grunst. He was a 1949 graduate of Jackson High School and attended a year at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D. before entering the Army in January 1951. He served during the Korean Conflict, receiving the Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Stars, United Nations Service Medal and Army Occupation Medal (Japan). He was honorably discharged in October 1952 with the rank of Sergeant.    He went to work for Krause Furniture. He married Lois Willett at Salem Lutheran Church in Jackson on April 25, 1954. He also served in the Army National Guard with a rank of Master Sergeant from November 1959 to February 1961. He then worked for Oak Grove as a distributor until 1970 at which time his family moved to Green Isle. He became General Manager of Oak Groves Dairy in Norwood and worked until 1993 at which time he retired due to ill health.    He was a former member of the Lions Club, member of the American Legion, and served St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in various capacities.    Leona Coulter, 86, of Lamberton, died Monday, July 5, 1999, at Valley View Manor in Lamberton.    Funeral arrangements are pending with Sturm Funeral Home in Lamberton.