Obituaries from the week of February 13, 2002

Dale Bartlett, 67

Dale E. Bartlett of Yankton, SD passed away Saturday, January 26, 2002, at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, January 29, 2002, at Riverview Park Reformed Church, Yankton. Burial was in the Yankton Cemetery.

Pallbearers and honorary pallbearers were his 18 grandchildren.

Dale was born March 21, 1934, in Amboy, IL to Dwight and Helen (Baum) Bartlett. He was baptized into the Christian faith as a young man. He attended the Church of Christ in Tracy and Lamberton, MN.

He married JoAnn Bass of Westbrook on June 19, 1953 at Tracy, MN. To this union six children were born. Dale worked and managed elevators in southwest Minnesota and southeast South Dakota for 37 years. Due to poor health, he retired in 1990. Dale and JoAnn have resided in Yankton since 1991.

Dale loved to hunt and fish when his health was good. Dale was a member of Riverview Park Reformed Church in Yankton.

Dale's memory is cherished by his wife, JoAnn of Yankton; sons Wayne (Teresa) Bartlett of Kaylor, SD and Roger (Vicky) Bartlett of Tyndall, SD; daughters Janice (Harley) VerMulm of Hudson, SD, Cyndi (Ron) Nelson of Wakonda, SD, Doris Mehlhaff of Huron, SD and Patty (Andrew) Diede of Scotland, SD; 18 grandchildren; brothers George (Ruth) Bartlett of Revere, MN, Lyle (Ruth) Bartlett of Fort Dodge, IA and Glenn (Belva) Bartlett of Apple Valley, CA; sisters Mildred (Neil) Horsman of Tracy, MN and Clara (Charles) Fultz of Seward, AL.

He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, three brothers and one grandson.

Matthew Miller

Matthew John Miller was born Monday, January 28, 2002 in Marshall, MN to Chad and Christine (Lawson) Miller of Slayton, MN. Matthew died shortly after his birth on Monday at Weiner Memorial Medical Center in Marshall, MN. Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday, January 31, 2002 at the Sillerud Lutheran Church, rural Balaton, MN. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Interment will be at the Sillerud Lutheran Church. The Almlie Funeral Home of Balaton is handling the arrangements.

Matthew was baptized in the Lutheran faith before his death and was a member of Sillerud Lutheran Church. Although he was with his family for a very short time his memory will live with them forever.

Matthew is survived by his parents; three brothers, Arron Benson, Chase Miller and Cody Miller all of Slayton; two sisters, Samantha Lawson and Kolbie Benson both of Slayton; maternal grandparents, Francis and Mary Lawson of Balaton; paternal grandparents, Shari DeGroot of Balaton and Lewis and Melva Miller of Slayton; one great-grandmother, Louise Converse of Arlington, SD; one great-great-grandmother, Nora Rustman of Luverne, MN; many aunts, uncles and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his paternal great-grandfather, Henry DeGroot, paternal great-grandparents, Louis and Mildred Miller and maternal great-grandparents, Matt and Eunice Rustman and Kenneth and Mildred Lawson.

Geraldine Erickson, 64

Funeral services were held for Geraldine J. Erickson on Friday, Feb. 1, 2002 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Balaton, MN. Pastor Steven Quist officiated. Soloist was Jean Larson and organist was Lisa Parker.

Casket bearers were Grant Erickson, Mark Erickson, Mike Erickson, Brian Erickson, Lynn Goltz, Kent Henkel, Kevin Henkel, Scott Myers and Wes Dobberstein.

Geraldine (Jerry) Erickson was born May 4, 1937 to Nels and Hattie (Swan) Miller in Tracy, MN. She attended Balaton Public Schools and graduated from Balaton High School in 1955. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Sillerud Lutheran Church.

During high school Jerry worked at the Pla Eatorium. Over the next 30 years she worked for Mattsen's Market and Balaton Food Center. She also cleaned at the bank in Balaton and cooked for the Balaton Sportsman's Club, Wild Game Feed. Jerry also took part in Balaton's Funfest, Balaton's Beautification project and was in the choir at both Sillerud and Trinity Lutheran Churches while a member.

On August 21, 1955, she married John Anton Erickson at Sillerud Lutheran Church in rural Balaton where they made their home.

Jerry enjoyed fishing, watching the Vikings, spending time with her children and grandchildren and camping.

Jerry passed away on January 30, 2002.

She is survived by one daughter, Carmen (Bob) Villa of Balaton, MN, two sons: Greg (Julie) of Balaton, MN, Todd (Amy) of Minnetonka, MN; four grandchildren: Eric Villa, Erin, Lindsay and Shane Erickson; two sisters: Murlaine (John) Henkel of Balaton, MN, Janice (Melvin) Goltz of Balaton, MN; three sisters-in-law: Joyce (Roger) Myers, Drexel (Earl) Erickson, Bonnie Erickson and many nieces and nephews.

Jerry is preceded in death by her parents, husband and brother, John.

Interment was in Sillerud Lutheran Cemetery, Balaton. Almlie Funeral Home handled arrangements.

Anna Swan, 98

Funeral services were held for Anna Swan on Saturday, February 2, 2002 at the Sillerud Lutheran Church in Balaton. Pastor Steven Quist officiated. Lucille Thrasher was soloist, Rita Everhart pianist and Donald Swanjord organist.

Casket bearers were Grant Swan, Jeff Swan, Robert Everhart, Dean Sondrol, Daniel Ellingson, Garry Leaf and John Solberg.

Anna (Hermodson) Swan was born March 16, 1903 in Malmo, Sweden to August and Emma (Nelson) Hermodson. She immigrated to America with her parents when she was 3 years old.

The family first settled south of Balaton, MN then moved to Beltrami in 1914. She finished eighth grade and enrolled in Bemidji State College and earned a teacher's certificate. She taught in country schools near Beltrami and later in the Balaton area.

Anna married Nels Swan on September 18, 1934. To this union, four children were born. They farmed south of Balaton until 1962, when they retired and moved into Balaton. Nels died in 1978. She remained in her own home after the death of her husband and then made her home with her sister, Amy. She entered Colonial Manor Nursing Home in Balaton in January of 2001.

She was an active member of the Sillerud Lutheran Church, where she served as Sunday School superintendent; ladies' aid president, financial secretary and on various committees. Anna was also active in community organizations. In their retirement years, Anna and Nels enjoyed traveling. Her hobbies included flower gardening, cooking, baking and entertaining family and friends.

Anna died Tuesday, January 29, 2002 at the Tracy Area Medical Services at the age of 98.

She is survived by three sons: Dennis (Donna) of Balaton, MN, Donald (Berniece) of Salem, IL, Daryl (Geneva) of Balaton, MN; one daughter, Marilyn (William) Wendt of Mondovi, WI; eight grandchildren: Rita (Robert) Everhart of Coon Rapids, MN, Carmen (Dean) Sondrol of Waupaca, WI, Kathy (Daniel) Ellingson of St. Louis Park, MN, Grant Swan of Salem, IL, Lori (John) Solberg of Mitchell, SD, Jeffrey (Tonia) Swan of Hills, MN, Jennifer Wendt of Plymouth, MN, Sarah (Garry) Leaf of Edina, MN; 10 great-grandchildren and one sister, Amy Brown of Balaton, MN; five sisters-in-law and one brother-in-law; nieces, nephews and friends.

Anna was preceded in death by her husband, Nels, her parents, five brothers and two sisters.

Interment was in the Sillerud Lutheran Cemetery, Balaton, MN with the Almlie Funeral Home handling arrangements.