Online Obituaries
Sunday, Dec. 7, 2003
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Dr. Theodore "Ted" Fritsche, 97, of 715 Summit Avenue, New Ulm died Friday, December 5, 2003 at his home.
Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m. Monday, December 8 at the United Church of Christ in New Ulm with Reverend Henry Campbell officiating. Burial with full military honors conducted by New Ulm Veterans Organizations will follow in the New Ulm City Cemetery. Visitation will be 3:00 6:00 p.m. Sunday and 7:00 8:30 a.m. Monday at Schmucker Funeral Service and one hour prior to services at the church.
Theodore Roosevelt Fritsche, the son of Dr. Louis and Amalia (Pfaender) Fritsche, was born October 23, 1906 in New Ulm. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota in 1928 and his medical degree in 1930. He interned at Letterman Army Hospital in San Francisco, and completed his residency at the Illinois Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary in Chicago, followed by additional training at Ancker Hospital in St. Paul. He was united in marriage to Lois Quast on February 20, 1935 in Tucson, Arizona. They moved to New Ulm where Dr. Ted began his practice that same year. Until 1960, he was an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist, then specialized on the eye. He practiced at the Fritsche Clinic as well as both Loretto and Union Hospitals, retiring in 1984. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, traveling, gardening and photography. Dr. Ted served as mayor of New Ulm from 1952-58, was President of the Minnesota Association of Mayors in 1957, a past Vice-President of the Minnesota Medical Association, a past President of the Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology, a member of the Brown County Medical Society, American College of Surgeons, New Ulm Turnverein, Lions Club, Brown County Historical Society, Minnesota Historical Society, Junior Pioneers, and a founding member of the Preschool Survey of Vision and Hearing, Minnesota. In 1967 he received the Harold S. Diehl Award from the University of Minnesota, in 1972 the President's Award from the Minnesota Medical Association, in 1990 the Sertoma Award which he shared with his wife Lois, and in 1992 the German Federal Republic Cross of Merit (Das Verdienstkreuz).
Survivors include his wife Lois of New Ulm; daughters, Jane Fritsche Watson and her husband Tom of North Oaks, MN, Katherine Fritsche and her husband Roger Higgins of Ruffin, NC; sons, Dr. Theodore Fritsche and his wife Chris of Marshall, MN, and Dr. Thomas Fritsche and his wife Mary Jo of Cedar Rapids, IA; eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers,William, Albert and Carl; and sisters, Elsa Bond and Louise Menzel.
Memorials are preferred to the Vision Foundation of the University of Minnesota and the Brown County Historical Society.
Merle Wayne Heck, 76, of Omaha, Neb., died Thursday, Dec. 4, 2003 in Omaha.
Services are 1 p.m. Sunday at the Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Omaha, with burial in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Brighton Township, Nicollet County. Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm is in charge of local arrangements.
He is survived by his wife, Sharon (Wischstadt) Heck of Omaha; daughter Sherri Dixon; and brothers, Rodger and Russell.
He was born Aug. 2, 1927 in Dakota City, Neb., to William and Freda (Hall) Heck. He served in the Navy during WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.
Catherine M. Woitas, 67, of Mankato, died Friday, December 5, 2003 at Immanuel St. Joseph's Hospital in Mankato.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in North Mankato with Rev. Peter Nosbush officiating. Burial will be in St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery in Minnesota Lake. Visitation will be from 4 7 p.m. on Monday at Mankato Mortuary with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. Visitation continues one hour before services at the church on Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.
Catherine Mary Woitas was born October 22, 1936 to Clyde and Anna (Kulla) Leininger in rural Wells, MN. She attended Minnesota Lake High School. Catherine was united in marriage to Gerald F. Woitas on November 5, 1953 in Minnesota Lake. She worked in the banking industry for Norwest Bank and American State Bank, both in Mankato. She then worked with her husband in the trucking industry before retiring in 1993. Catherine was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church and the Mankato Moose Club. Her interests included fishing, classic cars, her dogs and spending time with family and friends.
She is survived by her two sons and their wives, Duane and Joy of rural Pemberton, Larry and Peggy of rural Lake Crystal; fou grandchildren, Jammey Woitas and wife, Pam, Hollie Woitas, Jennifer Woitas, Joel Woitas; two great-grandchildren, Falecia and Jordan Woitas; mother, Anna C. Drill of Mankato; three sisters and their husbands, Addie and Bill Armstrong of St. Cloud, Carol and Grant Beske of Princeton, NJ, Marsha and Michael Burgraff of Fairmont; nieces, nephews and cousins.
Preceded in death by her father, husband, infant daughter, and infant granddaughter.
Ruth Laabs, 77, of Arlington died Friday, Dec. 5, 2003, at the Arlington Good Samaritan Center.
Services are 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Arlington, with burial in the Arlington Public Cemetery.
Visitation is 3 - 8 p.m. Monday at the Kolden Funeral Home in Arlington and one hour prior to services at the church.
Gladys E. Mahlum, 73, of Morton, died Friday, Dec. 5, 2003, at Redwood Area Hospital
Services are 10:30 a.m. Monday at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Morton, with burial in Calvary Cemetery in Morton.
Visitation is 4-8 p.m. Sunday at the Nelson-Martin Funeral Home, Redwood Falls, and one hour prior to service at the church.
Arrangements by Nelson-Martin Funeral Service in Redwood Falls.
She is survived by her husband, Jack, of Morton, son, John S. Mahlum of Hudsonville, Mich., daughters: Kay Berger of Brandon, S.D., Mary Patten of Chatfield, Susan Montgomery of Eden Prairie; 11 grandchildren; two sisters; and eight brothers.
She was born July 15,1930 in Willow Lake Township, Redwood County, to Walter H. E. Krueger and Anna Emma Radunz.