Online Obituaries Thursday, August 5, 1999 August obits by date  August obits by name July obits by date  July obits by name Click here for today's obituaries    John D. Mueller, 72 of 11 S. Payne, New Ulm died Tuesday, Aug. 3. 1999 at Oak Hills Living Center in New Ulm.    Services will be 1 p.m. Friday at Redeemer Lutheran Church in New Ulm with burial in the New Ulm City Cemetery.    Visitation is 4-7 p.m. today and 7:30-11 a.m. Friday at Firle Funeral Home in New Ulm and one hour prior to the service Friday at the church.    He is survived by his wife, Eleanore of New Ulm; son, John and his wife Ellen Mueller of Austin; stepdaughter, Linda Gruber of Fairmont; stepson, Gregory and his wife Julie Gruber of Slayton; one grandson; two step-grandchildren; sister, Luella and her husband Howard Heller of New Ulm; sisters-in-law, Louise and her husband Austin Lockrem of Northfield, Marjorie and her husband Cordell Hanson of Duluth; and two nieces.    He was preceded in death by his first wife in 1977.    He was born Oct. 29, 1926, in New Ulm to John and Ida (Hogan) Mueller, Jr. He attended New Ulm public schools. After graduating from New Ulm High School in 1945, he worked with his father in the carpentry business. He married Irene Staffen in June 1947 in New Ulm. They lived in New Ulm where he worked for the City Water Department as a operational chief for 31 years. Irene died in 1977. He married Eleanore (Ruff) Gruber on May 20, 1978, in New Ulm. He received a 25-year service award by the city and was recognized by the Public Utilities Commission resolution when he retired in 1991. He was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in New Ulm. He played with the former Pioneer Band which later became the Municipal Band until 1976, and also with the former Greenhouse Band.    Lynette Hanson, 73, of Litchfield, died Sunday, Aug. 1, 1999, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.    Services are l:30 p.m. today at Zion Lutheran Church in Litchfield with burial at Ripley cemetery in Litchfield.    Visitation will be at the church today one hour prior to the service. Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home in Litchfield is handling arrangements.    She is survived by her husband Wayman of Litchfield; daughters and sons-in-law, Peggy and Hugh Smith of Litchfield and Susan and Dennis Penkert of New Ulm; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.    She was preceded in death by daughter, Kathleen; her parents; and brother, Kirk Lindner.    She was born Oct. 4, 1925, in Toledo, Ohio, to Melvin and Anne (Bieglow) Lindner. She grew up in Toledo and graduated from Scott High School in 1943. On Sept. 12, 1945 she married Wayman Hanson in Atwater. They lived in Litchfield She was active in various organizations including Jobs Daughters where she was a past Bethel 45 Guardian. She was also very active at Zion Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School for 18 years and sang in the church choir for 40 years.    Betsy 'Betty' Gaines, 89, of Morgan formerly of Sleepy Eye, died Aug. 3, 1999, at Gil-Mor Manor in Morgan.    Services are 1:30 p.m. Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sleepy Eye with burial in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery.    Visitation is 4-8 p.m. today and 7:30-11:30 a.m. Friday at Sturm Funeral Home in Sleepy Eye and continues one hour prior to the service Friday at the church.    She is survived by her daughters and their husbands, Marion and Ray Bielen of Springfield; Clarice and Glenn Honsey of Dunseith, N.D., Annabelle and Donald Christiansen of Sleepy Eye, and Beverly and Tony Guza of Sleepy Eye; 10 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and sisters, Alma Larson of Red Lake Falls and Nelda Kezar of Stoughton, Wis.    She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ollie in 1958; husband, Spike in 1991; brothers, Martin, Sam and Alfred; and sisters, Susie, Minnie, Mabel and Esther.    She was born Oct. 16, 1909, in Gatzke to Mons and Anna Serene (Brekke) Troland. She grew up on a farm and attended school in Gatzke. She worked as a waitress in Thief River Falls. She married Aloysius "Ollie" Webskowski on Nov. 18, 1928, in Thief River Falls, where the couple made their home until moving to Sleepy Eye in 1948. She worked at the City Cafe in Sleepy Eye. Ollie died in 1958. She married Forrest "Spike" Gaines on Sept. 16, 1961 in Helena, Mont. They lived in Sleepy Eye, where they owned and operated the Sleepy Eye Motel. Spike died in 1991. She moved to Gil-Mor Manor in 1996. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sleepy Eye.    Merle Gaalswyk, 86, of rural St. James, died Tuesday, Aug. 3, 1999 at St. Marys Hospital, Rochester.     Services are 11 a.m. Saturday at First Lutheran Church, St. James, with burial in Mount Hope Cemetery.    Visitation is 5-8 p.m. Friday and 7:30-9 a.m. Saturday at Sturm Funeral Home, St. James, and continues one hour before services at the church.