Obituaries from the week of May 2, 2001 Headlight Herald - Serving Tracy, Minnesota, since 1880

Virgil Rauschke, 70

Virgil E. Rauschke, age 70 of Lexington, formerly of Garvin, died on April 18, 2001.

Funeral services were April 24 at the Fort Snelling Chapel with interment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

Virgil's family moved in the early 1940s from Springfield, MN to the family farm that was located on the NW corner of Highway 14 & 59. Virgil was a 1948 graduate of Tracy High School. He was very proud to have served with the Army National Guard - Tracy 204th Clearing Company during the Korean War.

In 1958, he married Carol Lorraine Pauls and they added three daughters to their family. Virgil's family resided on the Rauschke farm until the spring of 1967. The family moved to Vadnais Heights, MN when Virgil started working for the United States Postal Service.

In 1990, Virgil married Carol Ann Belchak and gained two adult stepchildren. He retired from the USPS in the fall of 1990.

During the past years in his free time Virgil had enjoyed working a variety of part time jobs; his pets; bowling; deer hunting; grape and garden harvesting; collecting die cast tractors, cars and tools; watching and listening to the MN Twins, Vikings, Gophers and Timberwolves games and NASCAR races.

Virgil's health set backs the past couple years were due to a stroke (which he recovered from) and pancreatic cancer. During the last couple of months he was cared for in his home by Allina Hospice and his family. During the last peaceful week of his life, Our Lady of Good Counsel Hospice Center, St. Paul, MN cared for him.

Survived by his wife, Carol Ann; daughters, Lorri (fiancée Dave Johnson), Gena of Lafayette, CO, and Amy (Kevin) Shalles of Braham, MN; stepson, Joseph (Sheri) Belchak of Blaine, MN; stepdaughter, Icia Belchak of Los Angeles, CA; grandchildren, John and Allen AJ Belchak, and Riley Shalles; sister LaVerne (Marvin) Loeck of Marshall, MN; and many nieces and nephews.

Preceded in death by his parents Karl and Ottillie of Balaton, MN and sister Evelyn Krueger, Comfrey, MN.

The family can be contacted at (wife) 8900 Hwy Dr., Lexington, MN 55014 or (daughter Lorri) 10815 62nd St. N., Stillwater, MN 55082.

Dawn Spernow, 30

Services were held on Thursday, April 26, 2001 for Dawn Marie Spernow in Long Beach, CA. Services were held at the Cathedral Chapel with Dr. George Thilking officiating.

She was born October 3, 1970 and died in Lakewood, CA on April 19, 2001.

She is survived by her husband, David; daughters Kacy and Cierra; mother Barbara Cooreman; two brothers, Michael and Mark Unzietig; grandmother Lorraine Cooreman; aunts, uncles and many cousins.

She was preceded in death by her father, maternal grandfather and paternal grandparents.

Services were conducted by Forest Lawn Mortuary, Long Beach, CA. Interment was at Kindness Columbian Forest Lawn, Long Beach.

Helga Van Acker, 84

Memorial services will be held on Thursday, May 3, 2001 at 2 p.m. at Danebod Lutheran Church in Tyler for Helga Van Acker of Marshall. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church.

Burial will be in Ft. Snelling National Cemetery on Fri., May 4 at 1:15 p.m. Tyler Area Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Helga died on February 23, 2001 at Weiner Memorial Nursing Home.

Gordon E. Schultz, 83

Gordon Edward Schultz was born on April 12, 1918, to Charles C. and Anna (Gieshirt) Schultz on the family farm in Scandia Township, Murray County, Minnesota. He was baptized on May 12, 1918 at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Balaton and confirmed May 15, 1932. In 1923, Gordon's mother died and he went to live with his uncle Herman Schultz. Later he moved back to the family farm when his father remarried Minnie Wendland. He attended District School #47 and continued to work with his father on the farm.

In May of 1942 Gordon entered the U.S. Air Force, achieving the rank of sergeant and working as an aircraft mechanic. He was stationed in Panama and various areas of the Pacific. Gordon was discharged in November of 1945 and returned home to continue farming.

Gordon married JoAnn Plazak on June 24, 1960 in Lamberton, MN. The couple made their home on the family farm. He continued farming until retiring in 1982. In 1994 Gordon and JoAnn moved into Balaton, MN.

He was a lifetime member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, also a member of the American Legion of 55 years. Gordon very much enjoyed spending time with his daughters and brother. His hobbies were hunting and fishing.

Gordon died Tuesday, April 24, 2001 in the Sioux Valley Hospital, Sioux Falls, SD at the age of 83.

He is survived by his wife JoAnn, two daughters, Linda Wee of Granite Falls, MN and Bonnie (Kenny) Massmann of Luxemburg, MN; seven grandchildren, Merrick and Megan Wee, Chris, Patrick, Aaron, Holly and Carrie Massmann; one sister, Irene Geske of Marshall, MN; one brother Marlo (Marjorie) Schultz of Balaton, MN; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Gordon was preceded in death by his parents, stepmother and granddaughter, Mary.