Obituaries from the week of December 26, 2001 Headlight Herald - Serving Tracy, Minnesota, since 1880
Karen Edwards, 45
Services were held on Saturday, December 22, 2001 for Karen Kay Edwards, Marshall, MN, at the Hamilton-Birk Funeral Home.
Karen Kay Edwards was born on August 30, 1956 at Baldwin, WI to Kermet and Maydrith (Fahrenholz) Christianson. Karen was baptized in 1975 as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. At the age of three she moved with her family to Tracy, MN where she attended grade school and her parents managed the Tracy Hotel. Her family lived for a brief time in Garrison, MN on Mille Lac Lake. They moved back to Tracy in 1970 and in 1974 she graduated from Tracy High School. Karen attended SSU in Marshall for 2-1/2 years.
On February 5, 1983 she was united in marriage to Gary Edwards at Marshall, MN. Gary and Karen started a cleaning company, Marshall Janitorial and Carpet Cleaning. They have managed it for the past 20 years. Karen was devoted and loving mother to her four children and a wonderful wife to her husband.
She enjoyed flower gardening, a wide variety of pets, camping, and enjoying the outdoors with her family. She spent many hours playing with and teaching her children important values from the Bible. She had a strong faith in God and shared her hope with many in her Christian ministry and in her life. Karen was blessed with many friends who loved her dearly. Her kind and patient ways were felt by everyone who met her. She will be deeply missed by her children, her husband, her mother and all her family.
Karen passed away on December 20, 2001 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, MN at the age of 45 years, 3 months, 20 days.
She is survived by her husband Gary, her daughters Kimberly Kay, Krystal Dawn, Kelsie Marie, one son Kyle Gary; mother Maydrith Christianson, Marshall; one sister Gail Swanson, Rice, MN; one nephew, Dwayne Swanson, Rice, MN.
She was preceded in death by one infant daughter Sara Lynn, her father and one niece Terri Lynn; also her paternal and maternal grandparents.
Ralph Hoffrogge, 66
Ralph L. Hoffrogge, age 66, of Hammond, IN passed away Friday, Dec. 7, 2001 at The Community Hospital, Munster. He is survived by his wife, Helen of 43 years; three sisters, Mildred Werner of Willmar, MN, Arlene (Norman) Thiel of Redwood Falls, MN and Dianne (David) Garvin of Canby, Oregon; brother Walter (Lois) Hoffrogge of New Ulm, MN; several nieces and nephews; a sister-in-law, Rosella Hoffrogge of Tracy, MN.
He was preceded in death by two brothers Art and Alvin and a sister, Irene Schroeder Peterson.
Funeral services were held on Tuesday, December 11, 2001, from the Bocken Funeral Home.
Hoffrogge was a member of the First Church of Christ of East Chicago and attended Sun Crest Christian Church in St. John. He was a self employed mechanic and a U.S. Army Veteran.
Carol M. Justice, 64
Carol M. Justice, 64, of 1807 Cerro Gordo Way, Mason City, died Sunday morning (Dec. 16, 2001) at her home.
Memorial services were held at on Saturday, December 22, 2001 at Jacobson Funeral Home in Walnut Grove. Minn., with Pastor Terri Skeldoim officiating. Carol was cremated at Cremation Services of North Iowa. Inurnment was at North Herro Cemetery, Walnut Grove. Fullerton Funeral Home of Mason City, IA handled the arrangements.
Carol was born on Sept. 20, 1937, at Tracy, Minn., the daughter of Leonard and Gertrude "Hanson" Gullickson. She was a graduate of Tracy High School.
She was employed as the salad lady at the Pheasant Run restaurant, and later for Prime and Wine and Pappa's.
She looked forward to and enthusiastically decorated her home and yard for every season and holiday.
Those thankful in sharing Carol's life include her husband, Donald, of Mason City; two daughters, Vickie Patraw, of St. Paul, Minn., and Shelly Odland and her husband, Craig, of Ramsey, Minn.; one son, Robert Justice, of Mason City; six grandchildren, Aaron and Ryan Patraw, Candice and Andrea Goddard, and Margaret and Maya Justice; and one brother, Donald and his wife, Nan Gullickson, of Florida.
She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother Duane Gullickson.
Frank DeSchepper, 90
Services for Frank DeSchepper, 90, of Tracy and formerly of Marshall was on Friday, Dec. 21, 2001 at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Marshall. Burial was at Calvary Cemetery in Marshall. Rehkamp Funeral Home in Marshall, handled the arrangements.
Mr. DeSchepper died Monday, Dec. 17, 2001, at Weiner Memorial Medical Center in Marshall.
He was born Aug. 8, 1911, in Jasper to Leo and Mary (Carton) DeSchepper. He moved with his family to Marshall at an early age. Frank and Victoria Skerecki were married Feb. 17, 1936, at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Marshall. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He returned to the Marshall area after his discharge. He worked as a truck driver, and retired from Glendenning Motorway in 1962. He entered Prairie View Nursing Home in Tracy in August 1999. He was a member of the American Legion. During his early years, he was an avid fisherman and hunter. He also enjoyed gardening and spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. He will be remembered for his fish stories.
Survivors include two sons, Leonard of Marshall and Robert of Farmington, Utah; three daughters, Mary Ann Hanson and Frances Andrzejewski of Marshall and Jeanne of Salt Lake City, Utah; 10 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, a grandson, three brothers and a sister.
Eldora K. Bakken, 88
Eldora K. Bakken, 88, of Walnut Grove, died Saturday, Dec. 22, 2001. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, December 26, 2001 at Jacobson Funeral Home, Walnut Grove, and from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, December 27 at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, rural Walnut Grove.
Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, rural Walnut Grove. Burial will be in St. Olaf Lutheran Cemetery, rural Walnut Grove.
Born April 30, 1913, in Cottonwood County, she was the daughter of Eimer and Linda Mathiason Kopperud. She attended rural schools.
She married Floyd Bakken Feb. 1, 1941. After marriage, they farmed in Cottonwood County. Floyd died in 2000.
Eldora was a member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church, rural Walnut Grove.
Surviving are two daughters, Kathleen (Alan) Bakke, Forest Lake, and Louise (James) Wenner, Oakdale; four brothers, Truman Kopperud and Konrad Kopperud, both of Westbrook, Roger Kopperud, Revere, and Eli Kopperud, Ely; two sisters, Lorraine Steffen and Anna Margaret Warner, both of Walnut Grove; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Roger J. Goerish, 57
Funeral services for Roger J. Goerish, 57, who spent his entire teaching career in Kiester and who earned his players' devotion as a multi-sport coach, were held Tuesday morning at Casimir Catholic Church in Wells. Father Eugene Stenzel officiated. Burial was in Our Savior's Lutheran Cemetery in Kiester.
Roger's sudden death Thursday, December 13, 2001, after collapsing while working at Kiester Feed and Grain, saddened the area community.
The son of Albert and Thelma (Fults) Goerish, he was born Jan. 10, 1944, in Springfield, MN. After graduating from Sanborn High School in 1962, he attended Winona State University. While at Winona, Roger earned All-Conference football honors three consecutive years. He graduated with a teaching degree in 1967 and joined the faculty of the then Kiester-Walters High School.
Roger married Beverly Stark, August 13, 1966, in Lamberton.
Roger taught seventh and eighth grade math at the Kiester site from 1967 until last spring when he retired. Although the district evolved into South Central and the current United South Central, Roger remained a math teacher in the Kiester building his entire career.
He also coached high school football, wrestling, track and baseball, besides basketball, football and girls softball on the middle school level. He was named Minnesota Nine-Man Football Coach of the Year in 1990.
Roger was a member of the St. Casimir Catholic Church in Wells. He was a member of South Central and USC Education Association of which he served as past-president and was a lifetime member of the Minnesota State High School Association, Minnesota Education Association and National Education Association. He was a charter member and former president of the Kiester Jaycees, a current member of the Kiester Economic Development Authority and a former member of the Kiester City Council. He was also a current member of the Rice Lake Golf Club and a founder and past member of the Kiester City Park holiday decorating committee.
He loved his family and especially babysitting his grandchildren. He also loved teaching, coaching, golfing, fishing, early morning coffee and boiler room visits.
Roger is survived by his wife, Beverly of Kiester; sons Chad and his wife Carla Goerish of Mankato; Perry Goerish of Denver, CO; and Jon and his wife, Shawnda Goerish of Des Moines, lowa; grandchildren, Chase and Cierra Goerish of Mankato; mother Thelma Goerish of Sanborn; brothers Lewis Goerish of Sanborn, Gerald and his wife Gloria Goerish of Clear Lake, lowa, Edward and his wife Lei Lani Goerish of Ashby, Charles and wife Sandra Goerish of Tracy and Thomas Goerish of Clara City; sisters Eleanor (Elly) and her husband Frank Trebesch of Sanborn and Bev and her husband Sal Windschitl of New Ulm; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Albert Goerish in 1999.
Death Notice
Services are pending for Beverly Baker of Revere.
Bev passed away on Monday, December 24, 2001. Jacobson Funeral Home of Walnut Grove is in charge of the arrangements. a complete obituary will be published in next week's newspaper.