Obituaries from the week of October 24, 2001 Headlight Herald - Serving Tracy, Minnesota, since 1880

Death Notice

Mrs. Arthur Ruthenbeck passed away in Port Angeles, WA on October 18, 2001. She was born on March 22, 1900.

William W. Mitchell

Mildred E. Mitchell

Burial of cremains of William (Billy) Mitchell and Mildred E. Mitchell took place on Saturday, October 6, 2001 at the Tracy City cemetery.

William (Billy) Mitchell died on July 31, 1994, at age 49, at the St. Joseph Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was survived by his wife, Janet, two children and his mother.

Mildred E. Mitchell died on January 28, 1997, at age 80, at the El Centro Villa Nursing Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is survived by two grandchildren.

The Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy was in charge of the inurnments.

Avis Pikula, 64

Funeral services for Avis A. Pikula, 64, of Coon Rapids was held on Wednesday, October 17, 2001, at St. Stephen's Catholic Church in Anoka, MN. Burial was in the Morningside Memorial Gardens. Mrs. Pikula died on October 14, 2001 at the Mercy Hospital in Anoka.

Avis A. Pikula was born May 4, 1937 in Currie, Minnesota to Lambert and Lily (Whitman) Petit. She attended Currie Catholic and public schools and graduated from Tracy High School.

On October 6, 1956, she and Ambrose Pikula were married at Brainerd, MN. They lived in Brainerd, Coon Rapids, Golden Valley, Crystal and Nisswa before returning to Coon Rapids.

Her interests included painting, sewing and spending time with children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include her husband, children and their spouses, Brad and Cathy Pikula, Michele and Brian Dahlin, Chris and Theresa Pikula, Maria and Scott Nelson, Marci and Jason Buchmann; 21 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; one brother Dallas Petit and wife Linda of Tracy; an uncle, Kermit Whitman of Currie; sister-in-law, Hazel Petit of Tracy; several foster children; nieces, nephews and friends and her dog, Hannah.

Her parents and one brother Douglas Petit preceded her in death.

Harold Schiller, 73

Harold Schiller, 73, of Springfield, MN, died Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2001, at St. Mary's Hospital, Rochester.

Services were Oct. 20 at Zion Lutheran Church, Springfield, with burial in the church cemetery.

He was born May 18, 1928, in New Ulm, to Herman and Minnie (Grabow) Schiller. He graduated from Lamberton High School in 1946. He farmed near Lamberton and Sanborn. He married Dorothy Schenk on Oct. 5, 1948, at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in Waterbury Township. They farmed near Sanborn. He worked part time for Sanborn Manufacturing and Fox Implement. In 1972, they moved to a farm in rural Springfield. He worked at Ochs Brick and Tile, Feeken Manufacturing, and Coleman Powermate. He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Springfield.

Harold is survived by friend, Ardis Christensen of Springfield; sons and daughters-in-law, Ken and Colleen Schiller of Tracy, Rich and Jackie Schiller of Olivia, Joel and Linda Schiller of Comfrey; seven grandchildren, Stephanie, David, Luke, Hannah, Anthony, Adam, Molly and husband Jim Rieke; two great-grandchildren, Riley and Karly Rieke; and sister, Dorothy Almer of Springfield.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy in 1981.

Sturm Funeral Home of Springfield handled the arrangements.