Obituaries from the week of March 3, 2004
Pauline Allinson, 101
Pauline C. Allinson, age 101, of Balaton, MN died Saturday, February 28, 2004 at the Colonial Manor Nursing Home in Balaton. Services will be held this spring at the Balaton United Methodist Church in Balaton.
The Almlie Funeral Home of Balaton is handling the arrangements. The family requests that all memorials be given to a charity of choice.
Harold Christopherson, 83
Funeral services were held on Friday, February 27, 2004 for Harold Christopherson at the Ashford Presbyterian Church in Milroy, MN. Cindy Rosa officiated. Scripture reader was Kim Leach and the organist was Shirley Javens.
Casket bearers were Jack Christensen, Clay Rosa, Dan Leach, Randy Larson, Joe Nelson and Davis Nelson.
Harold Leslie Christopherson was born to William and Anna (Gilbe) Christopherson on October 25, 1920 in Milroy.
On May 8, 1944, he was united in marriage to Lucille Nelson at the Christ United Presbyterian Church in Marshall. After their marriage, the couple farmed near the Tracy area for six years and then moved to the farm in the Milroy area from 1952 until the present. In January 2004, Harold resided at the Weiner Memorial Nursing Home.
Harold passed away on Tuesday, February 24, 2004 at the Weiner Memorial Nursing Home in Marshall. He had reached the age of 83 years, 3 months and 29 days.
He is survived by his wife, Lucille, of Lamberton; one son, Doug Christopherson of Milroy; one grandson, Brent Christopherson of Brookings, SD; brother, Virgil Christopherson and other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents; grandson, Craig; and a sister, Gretchen Willhite.
Interment was in Milroy City Cemetery, Milroy, MN with the Hamilton Funeral Home handling the arrangements.
Merlin Engesser, 65
Merlin Engesser of Conchas Dam, New Mexico, formerly of the Garvin area, passed away February 23, 2004 at the age of 65.
He was married to Mary (Rolling) and owned and operated the Garvin Locker Plant for some time. They had two children, Mark and his wife Tanya and their children Tracey, Mark, Tasha and Autumn live in Rose Creek, MN, Margaret (Bornitz) and husband Bill and their children, Chris, Courtney and Carter live in Tracy.
Services are pending with the Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy. A complete obituary will be published at a later date.
Alfred Firebaugh, 94
Memorial services will be held in April for Alfred Firebaugh, age 94 of Greeley, CO with inurnment to be held in Minnesota.
Alfred Raymond Firebaugh was born December 12, 1909 in Gray, IA to Alfred Daniel and Hannah (Paulson) Firebaugh.
On September 30, 1937 he was united in marriage to Hazel A. Hall in Litchfield, MN.
Alfred was a member of the Eagles' Drill Team in Racine, WI, and he was also in Civil Defense in Owatonna, MN. He worked as a machinist for King Company from 1954-1976. Alfred enjoyed fishing, camping and “puttering” especially in his garage. Alfred helped with the Meals on Wheels and was very active in the Methodist Church.
He is survived by sons, Ron Firebaugh and wife Norma of Milliken, CO, Jim Firebaugh of Aurora, CO; a niece, Mary Schramm and husband Fred of Plymouth, MN; grandchildren, Jeff Firebaugh of Clintonville, WI, Gary Firebaugh of Oshkosh, WI, Ken Firebaugh of Longmont, CO, Matt Firebaugh of Owatonna, MN and Nathan Firebaugh of Owatonna, MN; great-grandchildren, Jeff Firebaugh, Jr. of Oshkosh, WI, Amanda Firebaugh of Oshkosh, WI, Emma Hill of Thousand Oaks, CA and Brittany Sims of Owatonna, MN.
Alfred was preceded in death by his parents, wife, sister Vernal Way, brother Merrill Firebaugh and one niece Russy Campbell.
Jennie Heinrich, 89
Services for Jennie Heinrich, 89, of Hendricks were held on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2004 at Birk Funeral Home in Hendricks. Burial was in Avoca. She died Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2004, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.
She was born on August 6, 1914, near Worthington to Everett and Gertrude (Sikking) Van Duinkerken.
Survivors include her daughters, Dorothy Nelson of Hendricks, Adeline Johnson of Tracy, Darlene Smith of Minnetonka, Betty Sturm of Brooklyn Park, and Roxy of Minnetonka; her sons, William of Walnut Grove, Robert of Marshall, Donald of Walnut Grove, Frankie of Statesville, N.C., and Greg of Garland, Texas; 27 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; a brother, Pete Van Duinkerken of Worthington; and sisters, Katie Vosberg of Worthington, Willie Saxton of Winnebago, Mary Smith of Worthington, Irene Jasperson of Madison Lake, and Evelyn Jordon of Sibley, Iowa.
Anna Johnson, 79
Services for Anna Marie Johnson, 79, of Tracy were held on Saturday, February 28 at Tracy United Methodist Church. She died Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2004, at Tracy Municipal Hospital.
Anna Marie Van Avermaet Johnson was born Dec. 20, 1924, in Mishawaka, IN. She graduated from Tracy High School in 1943.
On June 12, 1946 Anna was united in marriage to Norman George Johnson, Sr. She was a member of the Church of Christ of Tracy. Anna enjoyed playing cards with friends and spending time with her family.
Survivors include 10 sons, Norman (Mary) of Minneota, MN, Duane (Brandy) of Denver, CO, Gene of Las Vegas, NV, Terry (Barb) of Long Lake, MN, Joey (Carol) of Walnut Grove, MN, Gary (Brenda) of Raymond, MN, Eddie (Mary) of Redwood Falls, MN, and Mike, Ronald and Kent all of Rochester, MN; 22 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Shirley Daniels of Tracy.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, two brothers and one granddaughter.
Burial was in the Tracy City Cemetery with Johnson Funeral Home Services of Rochester handling the arrangements.
Laura (Starr) Raveling, 87
Laura Mae (Starr) Raveling 87, died in St. Petersburg, Florida on Feb. 27, 2004. She was born Sept. 13, 1916 to Mathilda (Tillie) Selck and Henry Starr in Tracy. She spent her early childhood and teenage years living in Tracy attending school there and was a 1934 graduate of Tracy High School.
She lived for a brief time in Davenport, Iowa but returned to Tracy and was employed as a telephone operator for Northwestern Bell and later took a position with Auto Sales, co-owned by Art Raveling and Vern Hemmingsen as bookkeeper and receptionist.
She and Raveling were married in October of 1952. They sold their interest in Auto Sales to Vern Hemmingsen and moved to Park Rapids, where they owned and operated a resort on Potato lake for a number of years. They then sold the resort and bought a bowling alley in Sauk Centre. They later moved back to Southwestern Minnesota, where Art owned and managed the Champlan service station on Sanborn corner and Laura raised chinchillas.
She became ill in the 1960s and was rushed to Fairview-Southdale in Minneapolis where they implanted a pacemaker on her heart. They retired and moved to the St. Petersburg, Florida area in the early 1970s.
Art Raveling died in 1977. Laura was able to live by herself until two years ago when she moved into an assisted living facility.
She is survived by her granddaughter, Lynn Raveling of St. Petersburg; grandson Boyd Raveling of Elgin, Illinois; a great-granddaughter, Francesca Raveling, also of Elgin; stepdaughter, Joan Raveling Goettig (Arnie) of Minneapolis; step-grandchildren Art Goettig (Cindy) of Chetek, WI., Tammy Goettig Ruppert (Matt) of Mound, Shelley Goettig Meulebroeck (Kevin) of Marshall, Kim Goettig Eifealdt (Dave) of Hudson, WI, and Jim (Cheryl) Goettig of Aitkin; plus ten step great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, sister Vola Starr, brother John Starr, son Dick Raveling, grandson Ryan Raveling and step great-grandson Brandon Meulebroeck.
Marjorie Penner, 70
Marjorie W. Penner passed away Saturday, Feb. 21, 2004 in Fort Collins, CO. Memorial services were held on Wednesday February 25, 2004 at First United Methodist Church in Fort Collins.
Marjorie was born January 31, 1934, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to William and Elizabeth Wheeler. She graduated from Rostern High School and from Misericordia School of Nursing in 1957 with an R.N. certification.
Marjorie married Reginald G. Penner in 1958 and supported him in his ministry with the United Methodist Church, beginning in Roseau, MN in 1969. Rev. Reg and Marge served the Tracy church from 1984 to 1989. Marjorie retired from nursing in 1995. In 2000, Marjorie and her husband moved to Fort Collins.
Marjorie is survived by her husband, Reginald, her sons, Reginald M. Penner (Theresa) of Laguna Beach, CA and Christopher R. Penner (Jennifer) of Fort Collins; two grandchildren.