Obituaries from the week of February 19, 2003

Death notice

Gladys L. Gilpin, 95, passed away Tuesday, February 18, 2003 at the Prairie View Healthcare Center, Tracy. Gladys was born August 7, 1907.

There will be a memorial service this spring. A complete obituary will be printed in next week's paper.

Doris Onken, 84

Funeral services were held on Friday, February 14, 2003 for Doris Onken, 84 of Appleton, formerly of Slayton. Rev. John T. Stern officiated. Organist was Lorane Onken. Soloist was Jeanette Pfaff.

Pallbearers were her grandchildren: John Byers, Jane Rohloff, Julie Frovarp, Nancy Wells, Sarah Dahlgren, Brenda Bose, Brian Byers, Janine Voorhees, Jared Voorhees and Joel Voorhees.

Doris Onken was born on June 23, 1918 on a farm in Lake Sarah Township, Murray County, MN to Ole and Inga Furan Grinde. She grew up on the family farm, attended country school and graduated from Tracy High School. Before her marriage she worked as a clerk at Silverberg's Department Store.

On June 22, 1941 she and Delbert R. Onken were married in Iona. Following their marriage they farmed three miles west of Slayton for 41 years. In 1982 they retired from farming and moved into Slayton. Delbert passed away on November 25, 1987. Doris continued to live in Slayton and moved to the Sunrise Terrace Apartments in 2000. Due to failing health, Doris moved to the Appleton Nursing Home in Appleton, MN on October 18, 2002. She passed away there on February 9, 2003 at the age of 84.

She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Slayton where she taught Sunday school and was a member of the Dorcas Society. Doris was a charter member of the Friendly Neighbor Extension Club. Doris enjoyed baking, playing cards, and coffee time with friends. She especially enjoyed her family and many friends.

Survivors include two daughters and their husbands, Gail and Larry Byers of Slayton and Mary and Ritchie Voorhees of Appleton, MN; one daughter-in-law, Karen Onken of Slayton, MN; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and a brother and his wife, Vernon and Doris Grinde of Tracy, MN.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Delbert, son, Gary, sisters, Bertha DeMong, Rose Reiter and Josephine Swenson, and brothers, Olando (Ole) and Lloyd Grinde.

Interment was at Slayton Memorial Gardens, Slayton, MN with the Totzke Funeral Home of Slayton handling arrangements.