Obituaries from the week of April 17, 2002
Death notice
Services are pending with the Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy for Gordan Holland, 79 of Tracy. Mr. Holland passed away on Tuesday, April 16, 2002 at Odyssey Hospice in Mesa, AZ.
A complete obituary will be published next week.
Annie Knapper, 88
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 2 p.m. for Annie Knapper at the Balaton United Methodist Church in Balaton, MN. Reverend O. Thomas Booker will officiate.
Visitation will be from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, 2002 at the Almlie Funeral Home in Balaton with a 7 p.m. prayer services. There will be a one hour visitation at the church on Thursday prior to the service.
Soloist is Karen Thooft with Carolyne Holck as organist.
Casket bearers are her grandsons Steve Chandler, Brian Chandler, Brad Chandler, Joel Chandler, Jayme Chandler, Terry Knapper, Kelly Knapper, Scott Knapper, John Knapper, Brent Knapper and Jeff Knapper.
Annie “Ann” (Ellingson) Knapper was born June 12, 1913 to Ole and Minnie (Sanders) Ellingson in Vesta, MN. Ann was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith. She grew up in the Lamberton, MN area and attended country school.
On February 20, 1936 Ann married Floyd Knapper in Walnut Grove, MN. The couple made their home in rural Revere, MN. In 1943 Floyd and Ann moved to a farm west of Balaton and in 1973 they moved into Balaton. Floyd died April 25, 1990.
Ann was a homemaker and also worked at the Colonial Manor as a dietary aide. She was a member of the Balaton United Methodist Church and church women's groups, the Good Will Club and Thimble Club. She enjoyed gardening, cooking, quilting, baking cookies, playing cards and visiting with family and friends.
Ann moved into the Colonial Manor Nursing Home in July of 1998 and died there on April 15, 2002 at the age of 88.
She is survived by two daughters; Betty (Lester) Chandler of Balaton, MN, Colleen (Mike) Wreath of Balaton, MN; two sons Don Knapper of Balaton, MN and Gary (Noy) Knapper of Kansas City, MO; daughter-in-law Deb Knapper of Marshall, MN; two sisters Lorraine (Fred) Crouse of Revere, MN and Gertie (Louie) Guggisburg of St. Cloud, MN; 19 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Her parents, husband, son Bob, one grandson, one granddaughter, one sister and one brother preceded Ann in death.
Interment will be in the Lakeside Cemetery, Balaton, MN with the Almlie Funeral Home of Balaton handling arrangements.
Elaine Lawson, 93
Funeral services were held for Elaine Lawson, age 93, of Ortonville, MN on Wednesday, April 17 at the Congregational United Church of Christ in Ortonville.
Survivors include many nieces and nephews. The Funeral Home of Ortonville handled the arrangements.
Linda (Strand) Howe, 52
Linda Lee Howe of 227 North East Street, Manly, passed from her earthly home to her heavenly home on Wednesday, April 10, 2002, at the Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient unit in Mason City, after fighting a courageous 11 year battle against breast cancer.
Funeral services were held on Friday April 12, 2002, at the Bethel United Methodist Church, Manly, with Reverend Robert Cumings officiating. Organist/pianist was Carolyn Benjegerdes. Soloists were Harold and Lisa Arians.
Casket bearers were Brian Gerry, Richard Visker, Jason Visker, Steve Larson, Jay Strand and Ryan Strand.
Her body was laid to rest in the Tracy Memorial Cemetery in Tracy, Minnesota. A graveside service was held Saturday, April 13, 2002, with a reception following at the Tracy United Methodist Church.
Linda was born April 27, 1949, in Redwood Falls, Minnesota, the daughter of Donald `Bud' and Shirley Strand. Following graduation from Tracy High School, Linda attended college at Moorhead State College, graduating in 1971. Linda and Jerry Howe were married on August 7, 1971, in Tracy, Minnesota. Linda taught in Ruthton, MN, Olivia, MN, and Tracy, MN where they resided when daughter Sarah was born. Linda and her family then moved to Estherville, Iowa, where she was a substitute teacher. In 1985 they moved to Manly where Linda has been a reading teacher in the North Central Community Schools.
Linda had a great love for her family, her church, and her Title I and Reading Recovery students. She enjoyed reading, sewing, cross stitching, and collecting children's books.
She was quite active at Bethel United Methodist Church. She served as director of the Mini-Choir and started the Mini-Bell Choir. She also played in the Joyful Ringers Bell Choir and sang in the Adult Choir. She was also a member, president, and treasurer of the Entre Nous Circle and a member of the United Methodist Women.
Linda was also an active member of the National Education Association, Iowa State Education Association, and North Central Education Association where she recently served as the local secretary and treasurer.
Linda will be remembered as a kind, loving, caring individual with a strong inner faith.
Survivors include her husband Jerry Howe of Manly, daughter Sarah Howe Ruley and husband Jeff Ruley of North Mankato, MN. Also surviving are her mother Shirley Strand of Tracy, MN; brothers Dwayne (Rita) Strand and children Ryan, Anna, and Leah of Granite Falls, MN; Randy (Lisa) Strand and children Brittni, Reid and Dru of Adrian, MN; Terry (Carol) Strand and children Jay and Donald of Tracy, MN; Bradley Strand and special friend Julie Dobrenski of Marshall, MN; sisters Vickie (Steve) Larson and daughter Sadi of Sioux Falls, SD; Barbara (Richard) Visker and children Jason, Michael, and Meghan of Pipestone, MN; Kelli (Brian) Gerry and children Jennifer, Matthew, and Nathan of Sioux Falls, SD; mother-in-law Dorothy Howe of Tracy, MN. She also leaves behind a host of friends.
Waiting to welcome her to her next life are her grandparents, her father Donald `Bud' Strand, her father-in-law Clarence Howe, and other friends and relatives.
Linda has requested that memorial contributions be made to Hospice of North Iowa, the North Central Education Association Scholarship fund, or the Bethel United Methodist Scholarship Fund.