Online Obituaries Monday, October 13, 2003 2003 obituaries 2002 obituaries    2001 obituaries 2000 obituaries    1999 obituaries The Journal Online   Experience New Ulm Click here for today's obituaries     Esther Marie Mack-Babel , 47, of New Ulm, died Saturday, Oct. 11, 2003, at the New Ulm Medical Center of leimyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer.    Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Fr. Douglas Grams at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Church of St. Mary in New Ulm. Burial will follow in the New Ulm Catholic Cemetery.    Visitation is Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Church of St. Mary in New Ulm and one hour prior to service at the church.    Schmucker Funeral Service of New Ulm is handling the arrangements.    Esther is survived by her husband, Tim; children, Zachary, of St. Cloud, Molly, of Minneapolis, Jacob, Joseph, Madeline, Britta and August, at home; father, Stanley F. Mack, New Ulm; sister, Maggie and husband Doug Schwab of New Ulm, brothers, Stanley and wife Marggie Liebfried of Fridley, Frank and wife Joan of Devils Lake, N.D., Bill and wife Sandie of Langdon, N.D., and Andy of Fairmont; brother-in-law Jim Babel and wife Sharon of Forest Lake; aunts and uncles, Mrs. Agatha Mack of Lake Crystal, Frank and Agnes Mack of Bertha, Mrs. Delores Guldan of Sleepy Eye, and Cliff and Vicki Kelzer of Oakdale; 20 nieces and nephews and many cousins.    She was preceded in death by her mother, Bernice Mack, in 1987 and a niece, Heidi Mack, also in 1987.    Esther was born April 29, 1956, in New Ulm, Minn., to Stanley F. and Bernice (Guldan) Mack. She was a 1974 graduate of New Ulm Cathedral High School and a 1975 graduate of the Mankato Area Technical Institute. She married Timothy T. Babel on June 2, 1979, at the Church of St. Mary in New Ulm. Tim and Esther lived in Madison Lake before returning to New Ulm in 1983.    Everything Esther did -- from baking bread to sewing quilts to comforting children to welcoming guests -- came from her deep faith and her loving heart. She was a homemaker in the truest sense of the word. Esther was also a generous member of the Church of St. Mary, a gracious supporter of all District 88 schools and a dear friend to the community.    Memorials are preferred to the donor's choice.    Ralph E. Gerasch , 79, of 904 S. Franklin St. in New Ulm, died Saturday, Oct. 11, 2003, at the Sleepy Eye Care Center in Sleepy Eye.    Funeral arrangements are pending with the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm.    Gerald Grausam , 81, of Springfield, died Saturday, Oct. 11, 2003, at the New Ulm Medical Center.    Services are 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 16, at St. Raphael's Catholic Church in Springfield with burial in the church cemetery.    Visitation is 4:30-8:30 p.m., Wednesday and 7:30-10 a.m., Thursday at Sturm Funeral Home in Springfield. A parish prayer service will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. A K.C. Rosary will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday at the church.    A complete obituary will appear in a later edition.    Waldo E. Kletscher , 70, of Redwood Falls, died Sunday, Oct. 12, 2003, at Wood Dale Nursing Home, Redwood Falls.    Services are 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 15, at St. Catherine's Catholic Church, Redwood Falls. Burial will be in the church cemetery.    Visitation is 4-8 p.m. Tuesday at Nelson-Martin Funeral Service in Redwood Falls with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday at the church, one hour prior to the service.    He is survived by his wife Florence of Redwood Falls; sisters, Edwina Munsch of Marshall and Bonnie MacLeod of Aurora, Colo.; stepmother Lydia Kletscher of Echo; three half-sisters, Kathy Wurzinger of Albertville, Karen of Edina; and Teresa Ferkenstad of St. Peter.    He was born July 2, 1933, to Ed and Leona (Zimmer) Kletscher in Echo Township, Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota.    Gerald T. 'Jerry' Reed , 44, of Madison Lake and formerly of New Ulm, died Friday, Oct. 10, 2003 at Gilbert, Minn., due to an ATV accident.    Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Marysburg with Rev. Edwin Savundra officiating. Burial will be in Marysburg Cemetery.    Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m., Wednesday, at Mankato Mortuary and one hour before services at church on Thursday.    Memorials may be given to an organization of the donor's choice.    Jerry was born Aug, 17, 1959, to Robert F. and Mary Kay (Nolan) Reed in New Ulm. He married Barbara Nelson on Aug. 8, 1987, at Redeemer Lutheran Church, rural Mankato. He was employed at Pro-Fabrication in Madison Lake. Jerry enjoyed fishing, golf, playing pool, watching sports, dogs, and spending time with his family.    He is survived by his wife, Barbara; two sons, Brandon and Ryan Reed all of Madison Lake; parents, Robert F. and Mary Kay Reed of New Ulm; five brothers and their wives, Thomas and Peggy Reed of Janesville, Robert and Sandee Reed of Scandia, Kenneth and Sherry Reed, Daniel and Jayne Reed, all of New Ulm, Brian and Kelly Reed of Lafayette; five sisters and their husbands, Mary Hacker and fiancé Lester Roach of New Ulm, Elaine and Jim Sprenger, Eileen and Dennis LeGare, Beth and Tom Bastian, Kathy and Jim Bastian, all of New Ulm; nieces, nephews and cousins.    He was preceded in death by an infant brother and sister.    Alfred Suess , 75 ,of Sleepy Eye, Minn., died on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2003 at Immanuel St. Joseph's Hospital in Mankato, Minn.    Service will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church on Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 10:30 a.m. The Clergy will be Brian Oestreich. Interment will be at the St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery.    Visitation will be at Sturm Funeral Home in Sleepy Eye, on Monday, Oct. 13, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Sturm on Tuesday Oct. 14, 2003 from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.     Rosary will be at 4:30 p.m. Monday. Wake Service at 8 p.m. Monday.    Alfred was born on Jan. 5, 1928, to Fred and Louisa (Hindermann) Suess in Nicollet County near St. George, Minn. He attended school in Mulligan Township. On April 2, 1951 Alfred was united in marriage to Verna (Mickelson) in Leavenworth, Minn., at the Church of the Japanese Martyrs. He served in the Korean War from 1952 to 1954 when he was honorably discharged. He received the Bronze Star. Alfred was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye, of Isaac-Radl VFW Post 800, and the Knights of Columbus. Alfred loved woodworking, baseball and fishing. He especially enjoyed his grandchildren and great grandchild.    Alfred is survived by his wife, Verna of Sleepy Eye; son Duane Suess of Sleepy Eye; two grandchildren, Becky Suess-Brey of New Ulm, Minn., Craig Suess of Sleepy Eye; a great-grandson, Shawn Suess of New Ulm, Minn.; five sisters, Rosella Windschitl of Sleepy Eye, Adeline Svoboda of Olivia, Marie Evers and her husband Walter, Cecelia Zwaschka and her husband Richard, Marjorie Prokesch and her husband Thomas, all of Comfrey; brother-in-law, Wesley Mickelson of Springfield; three sisters-in-law, Betty Mickelson of Springfield, Della Schieffert of Sleepy Eye, and Lois Nelson and her husband Bill of Sleepy Eye.    He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Norbert, Donald, and James Suess; and three sisters, Leona, Delores and Hildegard.