Obituaries from the week of October 16, 2002
Marie C. Colburn, 85
Funeral services were held on Friday, October 11, 2002 for Marie C. Colburn at Lake Sarah Lutheran Church in Garvin, MN. Rev. Melba Smith officiated. Pianist was Susan Freeman with soloist Susan Almjeld. Readers were Kari Carr Tschider and Erin Mueller. Eulgoy was given by Ann Knudsen.
Casket bearers were her grandchildren Chad Carr, Kari Carr Tschider, Erin Mueller, Chris Carr, Scott Miller and Christie Mueller.
Marie Christine Almjeld Colburn was born October 6, 1917 to Peder J. and Clara Almjeld of rural Burchard, MN. She was baptized at Opdahl Lutheran Church in Florence, on November 4, 1917. Marie was the sixth of eight children: Clifford, Floyd, Earl, Clarence, Pearl, Marie, Benhard and Ileen. She attended Sunnyside School, District #58, Shelburne Township, Lyon County. Marie was confirmed at Opdahl Lutheran Church in Florence on May 31, 1931.
Marie was married to Ernest Colburn of Garvin on September 14, 1939 at the home of Rev. S.A. Stenseth in Ruthton. They lived in Garvin, Ernie's hometown, where he managed the Peavey Elevator for 37 years. Ernie and Mary had three daughters: Joan, Barbara and Debora. Mary had a busy life as a homemaker and was known for her skills as a cook, baker and seamstress. She was also very creative and did beautiful embroidery, crocheting and knitting.
Later in life, Mary started going to Mesa, AZ for the winters and returned to Garvin each summer to tend her rose garden and see her family and friends. Mary loved to travel and experience new adventures.
She is survived by her three devoted daughters - Joan (Richard) Carr of Detroit Lakes; Barbara (Cliff) Miller of Bloomington; Debora (Jerry) Mueller of Eagen; her six grandchildren: Scott (Angela) Miller, Kari (Tom) Tschider, Christopher Carr, Chad Carr, Erin Mueller, Christie Mueller and five great-grandchildren: Taylor, Matlyn and Lauren Tschider; Makena and Colin Miller; two sisters Pearl Mickelsen of Tyler and Ileen Withrow of Tracy and long-time companion Hector Olson of Madison, MN.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Ernest; five brothers, Clifford, Floyd, Earl, Clarence and Benhard.
Interment was in the Hoiland Cemetery, Garvin, MN with the Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy handling arrangements.
Death Notice
Services are pending with the Almlie Funeral Home of Balaton for Jane Tenhoff, age 78 of Balaton, MN. She died Tuesday, October 15, 2002 at Sioux Valley Hospital, Sioux Falls, SD.
A complete obituary will be published next week.
Willard Drackley, 89
Funeral services will be held for Willard S. (Bill) Drackley on Tracy United Methodist Church on Thursday, October 17, 2002 at 2 p.m. Visitation will be on Wednesday, October 16 from 5-8 p.m. at the Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy with Masonic Service at 7 p.m. and Prayer Service at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome to join the family at Almlie's Funeral Home at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday for the committal service that will be held at 1 p.m.
Willard Drackley was born September 19, 1913 to Arthur and Nellie (Sindel) Drackley in Ripley, IA. He was baptized and confirmed in the Methodist faith and as a young boy moved with his family to Marshfield, WI. In 1926 the family moved to Tracy, MN where Bill attended Tracy Public Schools and graduated from Tracy High School, with his brother, Art in 1933. As a young man he worked on the family farm.
On November 1, 1937 Bill married Helen Mowery in Tracy. They made their home on a farm outside Tracy until 1944 when they moved into Tracy. At that time he began working for Steinberg Creamery and later became a salesman for Quaker State Oil, National Ideal Poultry and also owned a local Firestone Store. Bill also worked for the City of Tracy Police Department as a dispatcher and for Tracy Public Schools as a bus driver. He continued his education in bookkeeping and opened his own business, Drackley Tax and Accounting. Although he retired in the 1970's Bill kept doing taxes well into his 80's.
Bill was a lifetime member of Tracy United Methodist church, held various officer positions and sang in the choir. He was also a member of the Tracy Masonic Lodge and served on the Tracy Library board. His hobbies included gardening, traveling, grilling for his family and watching Vikings football and Wheel of Fortune. He was also a past member of Tracy Community Band and especially enjoyed painting of landscapes.
Bill died Monday, October 14, 2002 at the Weiner Memorial Medical Center in Marshall, MN at the age of 89.
He is survived by his wife, Helen; one daughter, Karyn (Marlin) Muenchow of Tracy, MN; one son, Bruce (Virginia) of Balaton, MN; four grandchildren, Elizabeth, Melinda, David and Mike; three great-grandchildren, Madison and twins, Riley and Haley; one brother, Art (Mike) Drackley and his wife Charlotte of Tracy, MN; many nieces, nephews and cousins.
His parents, one brother, Ted and three sisters, Grace, Gladys and Genevieve preceded him in death.
James Hill, 60
James Richard Hill, age 60, of Faribault, died on October 10, 2002 at his home.
A memorial service was held on Monday, October 14, 2002 at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Houston, MN with the Reverend Lane Zaffke, officiating. Interment was at Swede Bottom Cemetery, Houston. Veteran's military rites were conducted by Arnet-Sheldon American Legion Post #423, Houston, MN.
James R., the son of Richard and Ruby (Egland) Hill, was born April 11, 1942 at LaCrosse, WI. Following graduation from Houston High School, he served in the U.S. Army. He worked 30 years for UPS on the LeCenter route.
On July 26, 1996, he married Janet Ziemke at Las Vegas, NV. He was an awesome dad, grandpa, golfer and good athlete and he loved the outdoors.
He was also a member of the American Legion Post #423, Houston, VFW Post #1562 of Faribault, Fraternal Order of the Eagles Aerie #1460, Faribault and the Lyon Order of the Moose Lodge #2098, Faribault.
He is survived by his wife, Janet of Faribault; three children, Richard Hill of Faribault, Tom (and Connie) Hill of Houston, MN and Cheryl (and Jerame) Rasmussen of Rushford; six grandchildren, Jimmy, Kalene, Samantha, Zachery, Jason and Gretchen; a brother Jon (and Lorraine) Hill of Houston, MN, a sister, Holly Fitting of LaCrosse, WI and many nieces, nephews and other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Clarence Sammons, 86
Funeral services for Clarence “Pete” Sammons, 86, of Walnut Grove were held Saturday, October 12, 2002 at English Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove, MN.
Born April 9, 1916, Pete was the fourth child of William and Anna (Sandvig) Sammons in Van Hook, North Dakota. At age 5 the family moved to Holly Township in Murray County, MN. They lived on six different farms in Holly Township and he attended rural schools until graduating eighth grade at District #15 in 1930.
On April 10, 1934 he married Helen Cecelia Keleher at St. Steven's Church in Minneapolis, MN.
Pete and his family lived in Tracy until 1951. During those years he worked for Allumbaugh's Dairy six years and the Holsum Bread Company except for the eight months in 1945 when he was in the Army Air Force. He farmed seven and half miles southeast of Tracy for the next ten years. Moving back to Tracy, he worked for the Terrace Park Dairy for five years. His last place of employment brought a move to Walnut Grove where he worked for the Municipal Liquor Store until he retired in 1980. On February 4, 1974, he married Deloras (Rue) Raveling in Las Vegas, Nevada. They have maintained their Minnesota residence in Walnut Grove and after retirement, during the winter months they lived in Apache Junction, AZ.
He enjoyed many hobbies. While woodworking he made many different items and most notable were the covered wagons, sold at the museum in Walnut Grove. A card player all his life, he enjoyed playing Nickel Nickel, Buck Euchre, Whist, 500, cribbage and many other games. Fishing Minnesota game fish was a passion all his life. Deer and pheasant hunting were an annual event for many years. Each year brought a garden rich with vegetables.
Pete died Tuesday, October 8, 2002 in the Prairie View Healthcare Nursing Home, Tracy, MN, at the age of 86.
He is survived by his wife Deloras of Walnut Grove, their eight children, 35 grandchildren, 52 great grandchildren and 15 great-great-grandchildren. The five Sammons siblings are Bill and Genny (DeMeyer) Sammons of Marshall, MN; Dick and Wilma (Smith) of Berrien Springs, Michigan; Dave and Helen (Cowell) Sammons of Tracy, MN; Mary Ann (Sammons) and Gary Mentjes of Prior Lake, MN; John and Pat (Galvin) Sammons of Hastings, MN. The three Raveling siblings are, Carol (Raveling) and Jerry Saxton of Randall, MN; Peggy (Raveling) and John DeBates of Sun Lakes, AZ; Jack and Betty (Stegmaier) of Payson, AZ.
Pete was preceded in death by his parents, 10 brothers, four sisters and his first wife.
Interment was in the Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Tracy, MN with the Walnut Grove Funeral Home handling arrangements.
Lawrence Wendland, 75
Funeral services were held on Friday, October 11, 2002 for Lawrence H. Wendland at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Balaton, MN. Rev. Mark Zander officiated. Organist was Lois Zander with Gloria Arndt as soloist.
Casket bearers were Ron Knoblauch, Frank Post, Gary Van Overbeke, Eldon Mitzner, Allan Koch and Dennis Keifer.
Honorary casket bearers were Rev. Dale Arndt, Lawrence Wichmann, Ed McCoy and Robert Arndt.
Lawrence Harris Wendland was born July 21, 1927 to Henry and Caroline (Loeck) Wendland in Custer Township, Lyon County, MN. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. Lawrence attended Balaton Public School and graduated from Balaton High School in 1946. He also attended two years of bookkeeping school in Tracy.
On June 10, 1960 Lawrence married Colleen Green at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Balaton. They made their home on the farm near Garvin that Lawrence was born on. He farmed until 1987 when he retired and they remained living on the farm until his death.
Lawrence was an NFO member and a life long member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Balaton, where he served on a committee to start the Parochial School at St. Peter's and was also on the school board there. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, harness racing, baseball and spending time with his family.
Lawrence died at his home Tuesday, October 8, 2002 at the age of 75.
He is survived by two daughters, Janice (Lonnie) Lambertus of Balaton, MN and Joan (Jim) Mitchell of Garvin, MN; four sons, Jeff (Lee) of Gaylord, MN, Jerry (Jenni) of Arco, MN, Jason and Justin both of Garvin, MN; eight grandchildren, Jessica, Seth, Julia, Ryan, Alexis and Parker Wendland and Lonnie Jr. and Leah Lambertus; two brothers, Walter Wendland of Starbuck, MN and Harvey Wendland of Garvin, MN; many nieces, nephews and cousins.
His parents, an infant sister and two sisters-in-law, Verna and Eldora preceded him in death.
Interment was in St. Peter's Lutheran Cemetery with the Almlie Funeral Home of Balaton handling arrangements.