Obituaries from the week of October 30, 2002

Kenneth Anderson, 77

Funeral services were held on Friday, October 25, 2002 at St. Mary's Catholic Church for Kenneth Anderson. Fr. Brian Mandel officiated. Readers were Penny Anderson, Jerry Anderson and Nicole Herdina.

Honorary casket bearers were: Rick Anderson, Tami Storey, Ashley Anderson, Dawn Schlunk, Sheri Anderson, Lynnette Anderson, Ryan Anderson, Adam Anderson, Chris Anderson, Nicole Herdina, Jackie Larsen, Kyle Herdina, Ross Herdina and Tiffany Herdina.

Kenneth Mose Anderson was born September 18, 1925 in Monroe Township, Lyon County, Minnesota to Nels B. and Stella (Surprenant) Anderson. He attended country school and Tracy Public School.

On January 23, 1946 Kenneth was united in marriage to Vera Greenbush in Tracy, Minnesota. The couple settled on a farm west of Tracy and a year later moved to Walnut Grove where Kenny drove semi cross country with his brother Vincent Anderson. In 1965 the family moved to Tracy where Kenny was the manager of Anderson Trucking, retiring in June of 2001. Kenny was active in the Tracy community serving on the city council for 21 years, and being mayor for four years. He enjoyed bowling, fishing in Canada and Lake of The Woods.

On October 22, 2002 Kenneth Mose Anderson died at the Prairie View Healthcare Center in Tracy at the age of 77 years, 1 month and 4 days.

Kenny is survived by his wife, Vera Anderson of Tracy; three sons, David (Sherri) Anderson of Garvin, Jerry (Jean) Anderson of Shiloh, IL, Kenneth Dwayne (Chris) Anderson of West Hills, CA; three daughters, Shirley Anderson of Long Lake, Judy Herdina (Larry) of Winona, Penny Anderson of Minneapolis; 8 granddaughters, 6 grandsons, 5 great granddaughters, and 2 great grandsons. He is also survived by one brother and two sisters, Vincent Anderson of Walnut Grove, Bernice Williams of Chicago, IL, and Joy VanMoer of Tracy.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and son Danny.

Interment was in Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Tracy, MN. Tracy Area Funeral home of Tracy handled arrangements.

Susan Coddington, 97

Memorial services were held on Wednesday, October 23, 2002 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Worthington, MN for Susan Coddington. Father Larry Brixius officiated.

Susan Agnes Coddington was born on January 15, 1905, in Currie, MN, the daughter of John and Mary Weiler Ruppert. She attended Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Currie.

Susan married John Hugh Coddington in August of 1936. In 1958, she moved to Worthington, MN where she worked for Campbell Soup Company, until her retirement in 1968. She lived at the Okabena Towers in Worthington, until being admitted to Crossroads Care Center.

Susan died on Saturday, October 19, 2002, at the Crossroads Care Center in Worthington at the age of 97 years.

Susan is survived by one son, John Coddington and his wife, Karen of Worthington, MN; two granddaughters; three great-granddaughters and one brother, Edward Ruppert of Sioux City, IA.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and seven brothers and sisters.

Burial of her cremains was held at the Calvary Cemetery in Currie, MN.

Constance Meoni, 54

Constance M. “Connie” (Petersen) Meoni age 54 of Apple Valley, MN died Sunday, October 27, 2002 at the Apple Valley Health Care Center in Apple Valley. Services will be 2 p.m. Friday, November 1, 2002 at the Tracy Lutheran Church in Tracy, MN. Visitation will be from 4 until 8 p.m. Thursday, October 31, 2002 at the Almie Funeral Home in Tracy and also one hour prior to the service at the church.

Rev. Stephen Olson and Rev. Gary Gabel will officiate. Organist will be Richard Stelter.

Casket bearers are Leo St. Pierre, David Rykhus, Kevin Rykhus, Scott Rykhus, Tim Petersen and Ronald Christensen.

Constance M. “Connie” Meoni was born February 18, 1948 to Leonard and Ethel (Rykhus) Petersen in Tracy, MN, Lyon County. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith and as a young girl attended Tracy Public Schools. In 1962 her family moved to Mankato, MN where she attended Mankato High School and graduated in 1966. Connie then moved to Burnsville, MN and went to work for the Veterans Administration.

On December 2, 1972 she married Dominic Meoni in Mankato and they made their home in Mankato. After a few years they moved to the metro area and Connie continued to work for the VA in Minneapolis within the records department for several more years. She then worked for the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Insurance Company for nearly 25 years as a claim's adjuster.

Connie was a past member of the Tracy Lutheran Church and a current member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Mankato. She enjoyed knitting, sewing, reading and studying genealogy. Connie also loved her dog, a Pug named, “Spike,” who was a great comfort to her through her early fight with cancer. Connie was also very active in the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure, held each Mother's Day for the fight against breast cancer.

After a brief stay in Fairview-Southdale Hospital, Connie then entered the Apple Valley Health Care Center in Apple Valley, MN last week, where she died Sunday, October 27, 2002 at the age of 54.

Connie is survived by her father, Leonard Petersen of Apple Valley, MN; one daughter, Brandi Meoni of Apple Valley; one son, Brian Meoni of Fridley, MN; one sister, Joyce “Jo” (Lauren) Coyle of Hackensack, MN; two nieces and many cousins.

Her mother, Ethel, one son, Chad, one niece and her beloved “Spike” preceded her in death.

Interment is at the Tracy City Cemetery, rural Tracy. The Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy is handling arrangements.

William D. Pearson, 66

Funeral services were held Tuesday, October 29, 2002 at Tracy Lutheran Church for William B. Pearson. Reverend Stephen Olson and Reverend Gary Gabel officiated. Soloist was Deb Miller with Richard Stelter as organist.

Casket bearers were Darrell Wendorff, Orlin Lustfield, Joe DeSchepper, Murl Fischer, Butch Peterson and Mike Scanlan.

Honorary bearers were his grandchildren James Kelly Hall III, Kory Hall, Curtis Hargrove, Kristopher Hall, Kyle Hall Lauren Hargrove and Paul Hargrove.

William Dennis (Bill) Pearson was born July 11, 1936 to William and Francis (Engesser) Pearson in Tracy, MN. He was baptized and confirmed at the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Tracy and attended Balaton Public Schools, graduating from Balaton High School in Balaton, MN in 1954.

Bill enlisted in the US Army and was stationed in Korea as a part of the Military Police Corp. Upon the deaths of his mother and two brothers in November 1959, he was honorably discharged from the army and returned to Balaton.

On July 20, 1963 Bill married Gayle Snyder at the Tracy United Methodist Church. The couple made their home on the Pearson family farm near Balaton where Bill farmed. After leaving the farm, Bill spent the next eight years working at the Farmers' Coop Oil Company of Balaton. During that time he was promoted to manager and moved from Garvin, MN to Balaton. In 1976 after a short time in Redwood Falls, he moved to Tracy where they lived until 1991. Since then he has made his home on West Norway Lake near New London, MN. Bill currently was a dealer for Legend Seeds of DeSmet, SD. He died at his home Wednesday, October 23, 2002 at the age of 66.

He was a long time member of the American Legion and past member of Tracy Lutheran Church. Bill enjoyed hunting and fishing with his son, golf, gardening and teaching his grandchildren the joys of nature.

He is survived by his wife, Gayle; twin daughters, Lynn (James) Hall of Strongsville, OH and Leah (Eric) Hargrove of Blaine, MN; one son, Jay of Blaine, MN; seven grandchildren, Kelly, Kristopher, Kory and Kyle Hall and Curtis, Lauren and Paul Hargrove; beloved step-mother, Leona Pearson of Baxter, MN; one brother, Father John Pearson of Wabasso, MN; one step-sister, Sharon (Gerald) Kramer of Baxter, MN; nieces, nephews and cousins.

His parents and two brothers, David and Darrell preceded him in death.

Burial was in the Tracy City Cemetery with the Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy handling arrangements.

Rosella VandeVelde, 91

Funeral services were held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Tracy, MN on Monday, October 28, 2002 for Rosella M. VandeVelde. Father Brian Mandel officiated. Cantor was Carol Cooreman with Richard Stelter as organist.

Casket bearers were Jay Van Altvorst, Harold Armstrong, Henry Armstrong, Joe Cooreman, Jon Wendorff and Henry Zajic.

Rosella Mary VandeVelde was born April 29, 1911 to Edward and Mary (DeBout) Billiet in Tracy, MN. She was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Tracy. She attended country school and worked on the family farm as a young girl.

On April 6, 1932 Rose married Edward VandeVelde at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Tracy. They made their home on several farms in the area, before settling north of Walnut Grove, MN in Redwood County. She was a housewife and enjoyed crocheting and other sewing projects. After her husband's death in 1965, she moved to Tracy where she lived until her death. Rose died Thursday, October 24, 2002 at the age of 91.

She is survived by one sister, Annie Schubert of Osseo, MN; many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Her parents, husband, six brothers and three sisters preceded her in death.

Interment was in Calvary Catholic Cemetery with the Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy handling arrangements.