Obituaries from the week of January 31, 2001 Headlight Herald - Serving Tracy, Minnesota, since 1880

Marie Kurtz, 75

A memorial service for Marie Kurtz, 75, was held at Tracy Lutheran Church in Tracy, MN on Saturday, January 27, 2001. A private family interment was held at St. Olaf Cemetery, rural Walnut Grove, MN.

Marie Elida (Sammons) Kurtz was born March 5, 1925 to William and Anna (Sandvig) Sammons in Slayton, MN. She passed away on January 23, 2001 at 2:45 p.m. at North Country Regional Hospital in Bemidji, MN.

Marie was one of 15 children, which included three sets of twins, she being a twin. She grew up in the Tracy and Currie area attending rural grade school and then Tracy High School. After high school she worked for Honeywell in Minneapolis and in 1945 she joined the United States Air Force MDETS (WAC) where she achieved the rank of sergeant. She completed her training as a Medical-Surgical Technician on September 6, 1945 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana and was then stationed in San Antonio, TX.

Marie was married to William Kurtz on September 1, 1946. She lived and worked many years in Tracy and in 1974 moved to Marshall to work at Haas Bakery. In 1985 she became a companion and caregiver for the elderly and also worked part time for Prairie River Home Companions. She retired in 1991 to enjoy knitting, crocheting, reading and bingo with friends at the Lyon County Retirement Home. In March of 2000 she moved to Bemidji's Long Lake Loon Lodge following a stroke.

Survivors include daughters, Ruth (Mrs. John) Lickvar of Spring, TX, Kathleen (Mrs. John) Haas of Marshall, MN, Paula (Mrs. Dale) Engen of Bemidji, MN, Danielle (Mrs. Lenneg) Hernandez of Westly Chapel, FL, sons, Nicholas and wife Liala of Rockingham, NC, Marvin of Evans, GA; 12 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; her brother Clarence (Pete) Sammons of Walnut Grove and many special nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her twin brother Marvin, and nine other brothers and three sisters.

Evelyn Schlotfeldt, 88

Evelyn Schlotfeldt, age 88, of Noblesville, Indiana, formerly of Luverne, died Monday, January 22, 2001 at Riverview Hospital, Noblesville, Indiana. She was born January 1, 1913 at Haywarden, IA to Harry and Marie (Moeller) Schlumbohm. She attended school in Inwood, IA.

Evelyn was united in marriage to Otto Schlotfeldt on June 9, 1937 at Evangelical Lutheran Church, Alvord, IA. She lived in Luverne for 25 years before moving to Sioux Falls, SD in 1997. In 1999 she moved to Noblesville, Indiana.

She was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. When living in Luverne, she was a member of the Ladies Church Circle, Card Club, Sewing Club, and volunteered several hours to the Republican Party. Evelyn also loved to crochet, knit, and do crossword puzzles.

Evelyn is survived by her two children and their spouses, Sherlynn and Richard Erickson, Wethersfield, CT; and Terry and Marsha Schlotfeldt, Noblesville, IN; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; three sisters, Viola Childress, Inwood, IA; Fern Nelson, Sioux Falls, SD; and Bette Pedersen, Inwood, IA; and one brother, Wallace Schlumbohm, of Kansas.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Otto; and two brothers, Richard and Harold “Bud” Schlumbohm.

The funeral service was held on Friday, January 26, 2001 at Grace Lutheran Church, Luverne, officiated by Rev. Maurice Hagen.

Holm Dingmann Funeral Home of Luverne handled arrangements.

Eldora Wendland, 52

Funeral services were held on Friday, January 26, 2001 for Eldora Wendland at St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Balaton. Reverend Mark Zander officiated. Organist was Lovilla Schlenker with Gloria Arndt as soloist.

Honorary bearers were Kathy Pugh, Darlene Schentzel, Millie Pagel, Marge Christianson, Marie Vercruysse, Tonya Wendland, Mary Ahlschlager, Darlene Pochardt, Pat Klein and Mary Ann Ertz.

Casket bearers were Eddie McCoy, Neil Schultz, Allen Koch, Roger Krueger, Jerry Baas and Lyle Sharratt.

Eldora (Dottie) Louise Wendland was born February 19, 1948 to Therman and Bertha (Krebs) Green in Tyler, Minnesota. She was baptized on August 5, 1948 and confirmed April 15, 1962 in the Lutheran faith.

She attended country school and finished her education in Balaton Public School graduating in 1966. She attended Granite Falls Vocational school for one year. On October 28, 1967 Eldora married Harvey Wendland in St. Peter's Church in Balaton. They moved to Mille Lacs and resided there for 18 years, where she worked as a cook at Izaytes Resort as a cook. They returned to the Balaton area to farm in 1987. Dottie was employed at the Colonial Manor Nursing Home as a cook for the past 11 years.

Dottie was a member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church and was active in many of the women's groups there. Her hobbies and interests included gardening, dancing and decorating for special occasions, such as weddings.

Dottie died on Monday, January 22, 2001 at the Our House of Murray County in Slayton, MN.

She is survived by two daughters, Wanda Knoblauch of Slayton, MN and Dawn Wendland of Cottonwood, MN; one brother, James Green and his wife Kathy of Garvin, MN; four sisters, Sharon Larsen (Larry) of Balaton, MN, Darlene Mumby (Robert) of Arlington, SD, Lois Bruns (Mike Swanson) of Balaton, MN, Colleen Wendland (Lawrence) of Garvin, MN; nieces, nephews and many friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents, and sister-in-law, Verna Wendland.

Interment was at St. Peter's Cemetery with the Almlie Funeral Home of Balaton handling arrangements.

Billy Woodruff, 69

Memorial services were held on Monday, January 29, 2001 at Fort Snelling National Cemetery for Billy Parker Woodruff of Redwood Falls. Mr. Woodruff died Wednesday, January 24, 2001 at St. Cloud Veterans Administration Medical Center. A family visitation was held on Tuesday, January 30 at First United Methodist Church at Redwood Falls.

Billy was born December 23, 1931 in Morgan County, Alabama to Willie and Mary (Parker) Woodruff. He was a supervisor in Mental Health at DAC, retiring in 1996 and lived in Redwood Falls in the later years of his life.

He was a member of United Methodist Church in Redwood Falls. He was an Army Veteran of the Vietnam and Korean War. Bill had an Honorable Discharge of Major. In 1998 he graduated from Marshall University with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

He is survived by his daughter and sons and their spouses: Lynnelle and Scott Johnson of Willmar; Richard and Julie Woodruff of Chamberlain, SD; Matthew Woodruff of Hanley Falls, MN; sister and brother and their spouses, Betty and Alan Cameron of Marietta, GA and Bobby and Pat Woodruff of Hartselle, AL and five grandchildren.

His parents preceded him in death.

The Dingmann Family Funeral home of Sauk Rapids handled arrangements.

Gloria Hamilton, 70

Funeral services are scheduled for 11am on Thursday, February 1, 2001 for Gloria M. Hamilton at the Tracy Lutheran Church.

Gloria passed away on Sunday, January 28, 2001. Almlie Funeral Home is handling arrangements. A complete obituary will be published next week.