Online Obituaries Wednesday, September 8, 1999 September obits by date  September obits by name August obits by date  August obits by name Click here for today's obituaries    Mary J. Karl, 47, of Rochester, formerly of New Ulm, died Saturday, Sept. 4, 1999 at Seasons Hospice in Rochester following a three-year illness with cancer.    Services are 11 a.m. today at Ranfranz Funeral Home in Rochester with a visitation one half hour prior to services at the funeral home.    Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary's Catholic Church New Ulm with burial to follow in the New Ulm City Cemetery.     Visitation will be from 9:15-10:15 a.m. at Firle Funeral Home in New Ulm.    She is survived by her husband, Robert H. Butt of Rochester; sisters, Dr. Lois J. Karl and husband J. Roy Black of Michigan, Eileen M. Welna and husband Thomas J.Welna of St. Paul; brother , Thomas M. Karl of Denver, Colo.; stepsons, Randall S. Butt of Panama City, Fla., Scott A. Butt of Spencer, Iowa, Wayne A. Butt-Schmidt of Woodburry, Kevin P. Butt of Cottage Grove; nine stepgrandchildren; aunt, Helen Bierbaum of New Ulm; two nephews and one niece.    She was preceded in death by her parents.    She was born Dec. 31, 1951, in New Ulm to Lester and Ethel (Leary) Karl. She graduated from New Ulm High School in 1969 and from Mankato State University in 1974 with a bachelor of arts degree in marketing and business administration. She married Robert H. Butt Feb. 29, 1980. She joined George Korenchen of New Ulm Travel and Travel fun Tours serving as general manager and vice president. In 1993 she joined Burnet Realty in Rochester, working as a realtor. She was a volunteer with the Ronald McDonald House in Rochester, and also a member of the Kiwanis clubs of New Ulm and Rochester.    Arra F. Madsen, 97, formerly of New Ulm, died Monday, Sept. 6, 1999 at Good Samaritan Village Nursing Home in Sioux Falls, S.D.    Services are 1 p.m. Thursday at United Church of Christ in New Ulm with burial in the City Cemetery in New Ulm.    Visitation is 4-6 p.m. today and 7:30-10:30 a.m. Thursday at Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm and will continue for one hour prior to the time of service at the church on Thursday.    She is survived by daughters and sons in law, Agnes and Kenneth Plautz of Minnetonka, Dorothy Dyrssen of Sioux Falls, S.D., Shirley and Dalaine Baade of North Mankato; son and daughter-in-law, William and Barbara Madsen of Rochester; 18 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; and sisters, Florence Potter of Jeffers, and Cora Toreen of Winthrop.    She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Neils C. Madsen on May 17, 1979; daughters, Lucille Slander and Katherine Sehr; granddaughter in infancy; sisters, Alice Schirlinger and Viola Gieseke; and brothers, Herbert, Erwin, Clarence and Elmer Scheible.    She was born on April 13, 1902, in Cottonwood Township, Brown County, to William and Anna Scheible. She married Neils C. Madsen on April 21, 1926, in New Ulm. After marriage they lived in New Ulm. She was a member of the United Church of Christ in New Ulm.    Meta Crouch, 94, of Sleepy Eye died Monday, Sept. 6, 1999, in Sleepy Eye.    Services will be 1:30 p.m. Monday at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sleepy Eye with burial in the Home Cemetery.    Visitation is 12:30-1:30p.m. Monday at church. Arrangements are handled by Sturm Funeral Home in Sleepy Eye.    She is survived by her son, Gerald "Bud" and wife Beverly Schuler of Redwood Falls; daughters, Marian and husband Lloyd Johnson of Seattle, Wash., and Lois and husband Dean Randall of Seattle, Wash.; son-in-law, Earl Trichler of Imperial Beach, Calif., eight grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren; twin sister, Minnie Bluhm and sister, Otileta Paape, both of Redwood Falls.    She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Anton in 1927; husband Stanley in 1987; daughter, Phyllis, son-in-law Lavern Severson; brothers, Walter and Carl; and sisters Ann McKay, Emma Ward and Martha Bohn.    She was born May 7, 1905, in Morgan to Carl and Wilhemena (Ott) Paape. She grew up in Morgan, graduating from Morgan Public School. She married Anton Schuler in 1922 in New Ulm. The couple lived in New Ulm where Meta worked at Union Hospital. Anton died Sept. 27, 1927. She continued to live in New Ulm for several years. She married Stanley Crouch on July 3, 1938 in New Ulm. The couple lived in Sleepy Eye, where Meta worked as a cook at Sleepy Eye Public School and also seasonally at Del Monte for more than 35 years. She was a member of St.John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sleepy Eye, the Ladies Aid, Legion Auxiliary and the Sleepy Eye Bowling Association.    James Kreitinger, 64, of Miami died Sept. 2, 1999, at Baptist Hospital in Miami.    James Donald Kreitinger was born Nov. 6, 1935, in Springfield to Bernard and Jessie (Larson) Kreitinger. He served 20 years in the United States Navy and retired as Chief Petty Officer. He then worked 18 years for Ryder Trucking main office in Miami.    He is survived by a daughter, Barbie Kreitinger of Miami; brothers and sisters-in-law, Eugene and Flora Kreitinger of Kirkland, Ill., Ken and Millie Kreitinger of Earlville, Ill; sister, Patricia Ginther of Springfield; and several nieces and nephews.    He was preceded in death by his wife Angela in 1988 and his parents.    Marlo Johnson, 70, of Madelia, died Tuesday, September 7, 1999 at Madelia Community Hospital.    Funeral arrangements are pending with Pilgrim Funeral Home, Madelia.     Ernest S. Eyrich, 86, of 1601 S. Payne, New Ulm, died, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 1999, at Oak Hills Living Center, New Ulm.    Arrangements are pending with Firle Funeral Home.    Services will be held within the next few weeks due to family travels.