Obituaries from the week of February 18, 2004
Margaret Carlson, 90
Margaret Carlson, 90, of Sioux Falls, SD formerly of Walnut Grove,died February 11, 2004 at Bethany Lutheran Nursing Home in Sioux Falls, SD. Funeral services were held Monday, February 16, 2004 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove.
Margaret Carrie Carlson was born at Garden City, Minnesota on October 28, 1913 to Nels and Mary Peterson. She was baptized in the Lutheran faith and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Lake Crystal, Minnesota on June 23, 1926. She remained a member there until her marriage in 1934, when she transferred to Trinity Lutheran Church at Walnut Grove. She had attended Welcome Memorial School in Garden City, where she graduated from high school in 1931.
Following her parents deaths and sale of the home farm, she moved to Mankato where she was employed as a maid in an attorney's home. Later she moved to Walnut Grove where she worked on a dairy farm. It was then that she met and later married her husband, Fred Carlson. They farmed north of Walnut Grove most of their lives. Two sons, Richard Duane Carlson and Roger Charles Carlson were born to this marriage. Richard lived in New Ulm, and passed away on April 24, 2000. Roger lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Margaret was preceded in death by her husband Fred, son Richard, granddaughter Kathy Jones, a great granddaughter, her parents, two brothers and five sisters.
She is survived by her son Roger and daughter-in-law Ellen of Sioux Falls, daughter-in law Barbara of New Ulm, six grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren, several cousins, nieces and nephews.
Burial was in the Walnut Grove Cemetery. The Walnut Grove Funeral Home handled the arrangements.
Donald Priebe, 91
Don Priebe was born on December 25, 1912 on a farm in Murray County, MN to Rudolph and Lizzie Benter Priebe. He grew up on the family farm and attended country school. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church in Avoca. On July 12, 1934 he and Rhonda Hanover were married at the Church of Christ in Tracy, MN. Following their marriage Don worked for Louse Beal, delivering and selling beer until 1939 when they moved to a farm in Skandia Township. This was the family farm where they raised their three children. After they retired from farming, they continued living there until they moved to Sunrise Terrace Apartments in Slayton in 2001. Due to failing health, Don recently moved to the Slayton Manor. He passed away at the Murray County Memorial Hospital on February 4, 2004 at the age of 91. He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Balaton where he has served council.
Survivors include his wife, Rhoda Priebe of Slayton, MN; two sons, a daughter and their spouses: Bruce and Lila Priebe of Edina, MN; David and Lavon Priebe of Plymouth, MN and Barbara and John Williams of Huntington Beach, CA; five grandchildren and their spouses: Collette Morgan, Craig and Anna Priebe, Carla and David Diepholz, Curtis and Kathleen Priebe, and Christine and Tony Pruessing; seven great-grandchildren: Jesse Elianor, Katarina, Nickolai, Alyssa, Lauren and Austin; sister Delephine Troseth of Arden Hills, MN; and two sister-in-law's, Emma Priebe and Ella Priebe both of Slayton. He is preceded in death by two brothers, Darel and Dwight and sisters, Doretta Oldewurtel, Dolores Martin, Dorothy Brandon and Donna Stack.
Funeral Services were held at United Methodist Church in Balaton, MN on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 with the Rev. Tom Booker officiating. The organist was Peggy Bundy. Special music was by Craig Priebe. The pallbearers were the grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Interment was in Slayton Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Slayton, MN.
Mabel E. Griffith, 94
Funeral services were held today, Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at the Almlie Funeral Home for Mabel E. Griffith. Father Brian Mandel officiated.
Casket bearers were John Griffith, Alisa Lickteig, John Lickteig, Judy Simons, John (Sam) Griffith and Janet Griffith.
Mabel Esther Griffith was born August 28, 1909 to Herman and Emma (Wallschlager) Paetzel on the family farm in Gales Township, Redwood County, MN. She was baptized and confirmed at Nettiewyynnt Methodist Church in Gales Township. Mabel attended country school District #35 also in Gales Township.
On February 23, 1927 Mabel married Morris Griffith at the Methodist Church in Marshall, MN and they made their home on a farm west of Tracy, MN. In 1934 they moved to a farm 4-1/2 miles northwest of Tracy and in 1971 Mabel moved into Tracy.
Besides being a farm wife Mabel worked as a waitress at Raine's Cafe' in Marshall and for many years as a waitress at the Red Rooster Cafe' in Tracy. She was very active in the Tracy Senior Center and enjoyed flowers, gardening, playing bingo, cooking and baking.
In February of 2002 Mabel became a resident of Prairie View Healthcare Center of Tracy where she died Sunday, February 15, 2004 at the age of 94.
Mabel is survived by one son, John “Sam” (Janet) Griffith of Garvin, MN; one grandson, John (Peggy) Griffith of Parkville, MO; one granddaughter, Alisa (John) Lickteig of Eden Prairie, MN; five great-grandchildren, Olivia and Emma Lickteig and Gabrielle, Collin and William Griffith; one sister-in-law, Bertha Griffith of Lake City, IA; one brother-in-law, Earl “Swede” (Artie) Rowell of Tempe, AZ; nieces, nephews and cousins.
Her parents, husband, Morris, three brothers, Charley, Elmer and Wilbur and three sisters, Ruth, Myrtle and Irene preceded her in death.
Burial was in Bethel (Custer) Cemetery, Tracy, MN with the Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy handling the arrangements.
Edward Ruppert, 92
Funeral services were held on Friday, February 13, 2004 at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Sioux City, IA for Edward Ruppert, age 92 of Sioux City.
Edward Francis Ruppert died Tuesday, February 10, 2004 at a Sioux City nursing home.
Edward was born April 30, 1911 in Currie, MN, the son of John and Mary (Weiler) Ruppert. He attended a country school in Currie and graduated from Immaculate Heart of Mary High School in Currie. He also attended the Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis.
On Nov. 23, 1932, he married Mary Keough in Le Mars, IA. The couple lived in Currie until 1965. While in Currie, he owned and operated a plumbing, heating and hardware store. In 1965, they moved to Le Mars and then to Iowa City, IA. He retired in 1977 and they moved to Sioux City.
He is survived by his wife; two sons, Mark of Rochester, MN and William and his wife Dottie, of Guerneville, CA; three daughters, Colleen Mayock of Seattle, WA, Virginia and her husband, Jim Klein of Mission Viego, CA and Kathleen Hall of Gainsville, FL; six grandchildren; one great-granddaughter.
He was preceded in death by three brothers and five sisters.
Graveside services were held in St. Mary's Cemetery with the Larkin Northside Funeral Home of Sioux City, IA handling the arrangements.
Tracy Hafner, 84
Funeral services were held on Thursday, February 12, 2004 at St. Ann's Church in Slayton, MN for Tracy “Trace” Hafner. Rev. Rollin Haynes officiated.
Trace Hafner was born on June 17, 1919 at Sutton, ND to Charles and Emily Johnson Hafner. He grew up and attended school in Ellendale, ND. In 1930 Trace moved with his family to Tracy, MN where they ran a butchering shop. He graduated from Tracy High School in 1937. Trace then went on to attend South Dakota State University where he graduated in 1943 with his Pharmacist Degree.
On June 14, 1943 he and Virginia “Pep” Key were married in Tracy, MN. Following their marriage they lived in Tracy where he worked as a pharmacist at Bartholomew Drug.
In 1943 Trace served in the U.S. Army during WWII in a medical unit in New Guinea as a pharmacist. In 1946 they moved to Slayton and Trace opened the Slayton Drug Store.
Trace passed away at his home on February 9, 2004 at the age of 84.
Survivors include his three sons and their spouses, Trace and Diann Hafner of Slayton, MN, Larry and Su Hafner of Slayton, MN and Rich and Lois Hafner of Sioux Falls, SD; two daughters, Terri Murphy and her husband, Larry Mikkelson of Harmony, MN and Susan Isder and her husband, Marshal of Fulda, MN; 12 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; special first cousin, Eunice Fredericks.
He is preceded in death by his parents.
Interment was in Slayton Memorial Gardens, Slayton, MN, with military honors provided by the Slayton VFW and American Legion Posts. The Totzke Funeral Home of Slayton handled the arrangements.
Virginia Hafner, 82
Funeral services were held on Thursday, February 12, 2004 at St. Ann's Church in Slayton for Virginia “Pep” Hafner. Rev. Rollin Haynes officiated.
Virginia was born on December 5, 1921 in Tracy, MN to George and Laura Snedigar Key. She grew up in Tracy and graduated from the Tracy High School in 1938. Pep then attended Tracy Junior College in 1940.
On June 14, 1943 she and Trace Hafner were married in Tracy, MN. Following their marriage they lived in Tracy. In 1946 they moved to Slayton and Trace opened the Slayton Drug Store. In 1960 Pep started Hafner's Style Shop and in the late 60's she opened The Hut Gift Shop. She retired in 2001.
Pep passed away at the Our House Hospice Home in Slayton on February 10, 2004 at the age of 82.
Survivors include her three sons and their spouses, Trace and Diann Hafner of Slayton, MN, Larry and Su Hafner of Slayton, MN and Rich and Lois Hafner of Sioux Falls, SD; two daughters, Terri Murphy and her husband, Larry Mikkelson of Harmony, MN and Susan Isder and her husband, Marshal of Fulda; MN; 12 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; one sister, Phyllis Miller and her husband Jim of Windom, MN; one brother, Bob Key and his wife, Audrey of Mankato, MN, special friend Julie Giefer.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Trace, nine brothers and sisters.
Interment was in Slayton Memorial Gardens, Slayton, MN with the Totzke Funeral Home handling the arrangements.
Viola Turner, 99
Funeral services for Viola Turner will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, February 19, 2004 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Tracy. Visitation will be from 4 until 8 p.m. Wed., Feb. 18, at the Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy with a Rosary at 4 p.m. and a Prayer Service at 7:30 p.m. Interment will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Tracy. Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy is handling the arrangements.
Viola Mary Turner was born June 13, 1904 to Frank and Clara (Hoebel) Bangasser in Ackley, IA. She was baptized at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Ackley and moved to a farm south of Garvin, MN in 1905, where she attended country school.
On May 12, 1926 Viola married Merle “Mudge” Turner at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Currie, MN. They made their home on a farm in the Garvin area until 1940 when they purchased a farm north of Tracy, MN. After her husband's death Vi stayed on the farm until 1985, when she moved into Tracy. She stayed in her home until 1999 when she became a resident of the Tracy Nursing Home in Tracy.
Vi really missed the farm for many reasons, but what she missed most was watching the sun rise while she did her breakfast dishes and the sunset from her living room window in the evening. She also enjoyed caring for her lawn over the years, riding her lawn mower and keeping almost three acres well trimmed was no small chore. Over the years her family marveled at her ability to carry tons of wet clothes from her basement to the clotheslines around the perimeter of her house. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Tracy where she was active in the church's women's groups and the St. Mary's Mission Society. When asked if anyone knew how many quilt tops she had sewn, the reply was “an awful lot times two.” Vi enjoyed doing long stitch embroidery and creating many beautiful framed items for her family and friends.
On Sunday, February 15, 2004 Vi died at the Tracy Nursing Home at the age of 99.
Viola is survived by three sons, Vernon of Annandale, MN, Darel and his wife, Donna of Mounds View, MN and James and his wife, Alice of Fridley, MN; three daughters, Lois and her husband Forrest Elder of Lake Park, MN, Muriel and her husband Kenneth Ruppert of Baldwin, WI and Donna and her husband Tom Lehman of Willmar, MN; 25 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; numerous step grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews and a host of dear and loyal friends and neighbors.
Her parents, husband, Merle, grandson, one great-great grandson, three brothers and two sisters preceded her in death.