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Obituaries from the week of August 30, 2000 Headlight Herald - Serving Tracy, Minnesota, since 1880

Brian Byers, 42

Funeral services were held for Brian Byers, age 42 of Walnut Grove, MN on Monday, August 28, at 10:30 a.m. at the Walnut Grove Public School. Pastor Marvin Pederson officiated with Janice Carter as pianist. Casket bearers were Joe Plaetz, Tom Wahl, Chris Hanson, Ed Fornberg, Scott Parker and Jeff Farber.

Brian Byers was born in Tracy, MN on April 25, 1958, the son of Rodney and Joan (Harbo) Byers. He attended school in Walnut Grove. After graduation he moved to St. Cloud where he attended Cosmetology School. He lived in Indiana for a short time, then moved to Fairmont and worked for City Looks for about four years. He moved back to Walnut Grove and worked in Marshall for a time, and also made beautiful craft items and sold them at craft fairs.

Brian was the owner of the Sullivan House in Walnut Grove for the last 3-1/2 years. He spent many, many hours in his gardens and people from all over the world stopped to wander through the lovely paths and to admire the beauty inside the shop as well as outside.

Brian was an active member and the president of the Walnut Grove Retail Association and served on the board of the Walnut Grove Community Club.

He will be greatly missed by his parents Rodney and Joan Byers of Revere, two brothers, Bradley of Vacaville, CA and Bruce and his wife Julie of Carlock, IL; one sister Eileen and husband Tim Helmer of Revere, MN; four nieces and four nephews, Jared Byers, Jenny Byers, Ben Byers, Nicole Byers, Justin Byers, Lindsey Byers, Andrew Helmer, Emily Helmer; several aunts and uncles; cousins; his maternal grandmother Marie Harbo of Tracy and a host of friends.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents.

Interment was at North Hero Cemetery in rural Walnut Grove, with Jacobson Funeral Service of Walnut Grove handling arrangements.

Eugene Saxhaug, 68

Services for Eugene M. Saxhaug, age 68, will be held on Friday, August 25, 2000 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Lamberton. Gene passed away at his home on Tuesday, August 22.

Pastor Lee Harder will officiate the 10:30 a.m. service. Visitation will be held at Sturm Funeral Home in Lamberton from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday and 7:30-8:30 a.m. on Friday and also at the church one hour prior to the services. Interment will be held at St. Mary's Cemetery in Dundee at 1 p.m.

Gene was born on Feb. 21, 1932 in Chicago, IL, the son of Otto and Joyce (Robinson) Saxhaug. He moved with his family to a farm near Westbrook, MN where he grew up and attended school.

He married Charlotte Carlson on April 3, 1950 at the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Dundee, MN. The couple made their home and farmed in the Dundee area. They moved to a farm near Walnut Grove in 1960 and later to a farm near Revere where they lived until retiring. Charlotte passed away in February of 1996 and in 1997 Gene moved off the farm and into Lamberton. He made his home with his wife, Lu, until the present time.

Gene was a cattle buyer in the 1960s and 1970s and served on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota State High School Rodeo Association.

Gene enjoyed traveling, horses and buffalo, but mostly he really loved antiques, he bought, sold and collected them for many years.

He is survived by his wife, Lu Reetz of Lamberton; children, Robert, St. Paul, Kim and husband Joe Loe of Hermosa, SD, Jon and wife Mari of Fulda, Heidi and husband Ric Morgan of Tracy, Shane and wife Roxanne of Burnsville and Tim of Marshall; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; step-children Doyle Jr. and wife Dee Johnson of Woodward, IA, Patty and husband Dan Bilharz, Nashua, IA, April Martin of Waseca, Scott Johnson of Nora Springs, IA, David and wife Lori Johnson of Owatonna, and Todd and wife Robin Johnson of Memphis, TN; 13 step-grandchildren, two step-great-grandchildren.

Gene is preceded in death by his parents, wife Charlotte, brother Donald and grandson, Cody Morgan.

Tom Holland, 71

Funeral services were held today, Wednesday, August 30, 2000 at 11 a.m. at Lake Sarah Lutheran Church in Garvin, MN for Thomas Holland. Rev. Bruce Carlson officiated with Dick Stelter as organist. Prelude was by Josh Roots. Heath Radke and Luke Radke provided a music selection with Deb Janssen as accompanist. Ushers were Jerry Janssen and Floyd Radke.

Honorary casket bearers were Dale Robinson, Curt Bangasser, Bruce Frisvold, Joe Buyck, Del Anderson and Jeff Lau. Military honors were by the American Legion Earl Ray Post #173. Josh Roots and Jordan Roots performed taps.

Thomas Dale Holland was born on July 26, 1929 to Thomas and Agatha (DeMong) Holland in Lyon County, Tracy, Minnesota. He was baptized and confirmed in Modum Lutheran Church, attended country school District #89, and graduated from Tracy High School in 1947.

He was in the U.S. Army, and served in Korea. Following his return from service, he farmed near Balaton.

On June 18, 1954, he and Bev Nelson were married in Tracy, Minnesota. They first lived on the farm near Balaton before moving to the family farm located south of Garvin in 1960. Tom retired from farming in 1994, and they moved to Keeley Island on Lake Shetek in 1998.

Tom was on the board of directors of the Garvin Elevator and the Tracy Country Club, and an active member of Lake Sarah Lutheran Church. He loved the out of doors and the activities that went with it.

Tom died at his home on August 26, 2000, at the age of 71.

He is survived by his wife, Bev, three sons and their spouses, Greg and Janet, Gilbert, AZ; Paul and Karen, Gilbert, AZ; Michael and Sheila, rural Garvin, MN; two daughters, Lynn and Lane Larson, Green River WY; and Kathryn and Wade Schmidt, rural Garvin, MN; 6 dearly loved grandchildren, three sisters, LaVina Huso, Lynd, MN; June and Vernon Pauling, Lamberton, MN; and Velma and Gerald Vickerman, Fairmont, MN; many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Preceding him in death were his parents, and one brother.

Interment was at Modum Cemetery in Garvin, MN with Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy handling arrangements.

Family requests donations to Murray County Hospice in lieu of flowers.

James Peterson, 41

Funeral services were held on Saturday, August 26, 2000 at 2 p.m. at St. Ann's Church in Slayton for James Michael Peterson. Fr. Mark McNea officiated. Organist was Judy Andrew with Arlene Schmitz as song leader.

Pallbearers were Eric Miller, Randy Schreier, Randy Schreier Sr., Dean Thooft, Bill Ellefson and Roger Petersen.

Jim Peterson was born on May 24, 1959 in Rochester, MN to Jay and Bernadine Davis Peterson. The family moved to Slayton in 1960. He grew up in Slayton and graduated from Slayton High School in 1977.

On December 15, 1986, he and Shirley Lanners were married at Marshall, MN. He graduated from Granite Falls Technical College for tool and die in 1988. They lived in Marshall, Lynd, Inwood, IA and Ghent before moving to acreage south of Garvin where they have lived the past 10 years.

Jim worked for Fran's Welding and has been working in maintenance and welding for Schwan's in Marshall for the past two years.

Jim passed away unexpectedly at the Murray County Memorial Hospital on August 23, 2000 at the age of 41.

Jim grew up in St. Ann's parish and attended Holy Redeemer Church in Marshall. He had served as an EMT on the Tracy ambulance squad. He played on the Balaton pool league and enjoyed fishing, hunting, welding, golfing, shooting pool and darts, training his dogs, softball, stock car racing and demolition derby, and spending time with his family.

Survivors include his wife, Shirley of Garvin; a son, Jonathon Peterson and his girlfriend, Jill Johnson of Tracy, MN and daughter Mary Peterson at home; one granddaughter Lauren Peterson; his mother, Bernadine Peterson of Racine, MN; one brother, six sisters and their spouses; Karen and Mike Maher of Marshall, MN, Dorothy and Steve Wilkison of Sioux Falls, SD, Kathy and Bill Ellefson of Slayton, Douglas Peterson of Kasson, MN Jean Peterson of Stewartville, MN, Jane Peterson of Stewartville, and Brenda and Gene Gullickson of West Concord, MN.

He was preceded in death by his father, infant son, Lance Edwards, and mother-in-law, Carol Lanners.

Interment was in St. Ann's Cemetery in Slayton, MN with Totzke Funeral Home handling arrangements.

Frances Pommier, 78

Funeral services for Frances C. Pommier will be held at Thursday, August 31, 2000 at 10 a.m. at the Immaculate Heart of Marcy Catholic Church in Currie, MN. Mosignor Paul Evers will officiate. Burial will follow in the church cemetery in Currie.

Frances C. Pommier, the daughter of the late Joseph and Rose (Oberbrockling) Huerkamp was born in Iona, MN on July 15, 1922. She was baptized and later confirmed at the St. Columba Catholic Church in Iona, MN and received her education at St. Columba Catholic School in Iona.

Frances was united in marriage to Vincent J. Pommier at St. Columba Catholic Church in Iona, MN on August 22, 1945. After marriage the couple farmed near Hadley before moving to the Currie area where they farmed for 15 years until moving to Jeffers, MN. While living in Jeffers, the couple ran the pool hall for 17 years and retired in 1980. Frances enjoyed crafts, gardening, sewing and playing cards. She was a member of the St. Augustine Catholic Church in Jeffers and the women's church society until the church was closed in the middle nineties. She was currently a member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Windom.

Frances had been a resident of the Sogge Good Samaritan Home in Windom and it was there that she passed away Sunday afternoon, August 27, 2000, at the age of 78 years, 1 month and 12 days.

She is preceded in death by her parents; and husband, Vincent on March 15, 1999; sisters, Betty and Sr. M. Josette; brothers, Alvin, Mathias and Joseph Jr.

Her grateful family includes four children, David Pommier and his wife, Maxine of Bedford, TX; Darlene Hanish and her husband, Rod of Rosemount; Zandy Holicky and her husband, Robert of Kilkenny, MN; Jim Pommier of Grand Junction, CO; sisters, Marie Muck and her husband, Orville of Slayton; Bernadine Steffes of Glydon, MN; Irene McGowan and her husband, Jim of El Paso, TX Rosella Manderscheid of Lake Wilson; Marlene Holloway and her husband Jim of Minneapolis; brothers, Jodie Huerkamp and his wife, Lou of Iona; Leonard Huerkamp of Slayton; seven grandchildren, Jason Pommier, Ryan and Casey Hanish, Mindy and Teri Holicky, Joshua and Justin Pommier; two step-grandchildren, Donna Tierney and her husband, Michael and Rick Watson.