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Obituaries from the week of April 27, 2005

Elenaor (Reese) Quinn, 81

Eleanor “Jo” (Reese) Quinn, 81, died March 20, 2005, in Phoenix, AZ.

A 1942 Tracy High School graduate, she was born Jan. 10, 1924 in Tracy, the daughter of Irene and Ben Reese. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease was the cause of death.

She is survived by her husband Richard; daughter Carol and son-in-law Warner Orr, granddaughters Kathryn and Kristen Orr; son James and daughter-in-law Barbara Quinn; grandson Travis Goulette; cousin Lance Belville; and sister-in-law Etta Teusink. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Joan Goulette.

Eleanor and Dick were married in 1946, and she became a certified dental assistant while Dick finished school at South Dakota State University. The family moved to Phoenix in 1959, where she was active in the Civil Air Patrol, Sweet Adelines, and the Phoenix Four-Wheelers.

Funeral services were conducted at Calvary Community Church, Phoenix. Burial was at National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix.


William Baack, 37

William G. Baack age 37 of Zumbrota died on Tuesday afternoon, April 19, 2005 in a traffic accident in Hampton. A funeral service was held Saturday, April 23, 2005 at 2:00 P.M. at Christ Lutheran Church in Zumbrota with Pastor Erich Westphal officiating. Burial was in the Zumbrota Cemetery.

William Guy Baack was born on August 28, 1967 in Fort Ord, CA to Dave and Carol (nee Robb) Baack. Bill grew up and attended school in Anchorage, AK. He joined the Marine Corps and was stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA. On December 26, 1987 he married Cynthia S. Stiller at Faith Lutheran Church in Anchorage, AK. The couple spent some time in Oceanside, CA until returning to Anchorage, AK where they made their home. In 1995 the couple moved to Zumbrota, MN. Bill worked on the family farm for two years, drove truck for Schott Distributing Company Inc. in Rochester until becoming an independent trucker. At the time of his death he was a truck driver for Fil-Mor Express Inc. in Cannon Falls. He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Zumbrota.

William is survived by his loving wife Cynthia; one daughter Sarah; three sons, Joshua, Garrett and Jacob all at home; parents, Carol (John) Benkovich of Anchorage, AK, and Dave (Joan) Baack of Balaton, MN; three sisters Dawn (Ted) Jewell of Corvallis, OR, Robin (Daniel) Hill of Anchorage, AK, and Rebecca (Darren) McGuire of Anchorage, AK; one brother, Brian (Angela) Baack of Gastonia, NC., two step-sisters, Pam (Dan) Kirk of Balaton, MN, and Kim (John) Lunsford of Benicia, CA., one step-brother, Joel Benkovich; and many nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles.

Preceded in death by his grandparents, Bill (Viola) Robb and Guy (Hazel) Baack.

The family prefers memorials be sent to Christ Lutheran School.


John P. Glaser, 92

Funeral services were held on Saturday, April 23, 2005 at the Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy, MN for John P. Glaser. Father Brian Mandel officiated.

Casket bearers were Patricia Helgoe, Kathleen O’Brien, John Glaser, John Helgoe, Michael Helgoe, Erin Sugget, Shannon Sugget, John Helgoe and John Schleppenbach.

John Patrick Glaser was born March 17, 1913 to John and Maria (Grund) Glaser in Harvey, ND. He was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith and graduated from Harvey High School. John spent much of his early years traveling throughout the midwest as a musician and part owner of the Al Menke Band.

In 1941 John married Mary Catherine O’Brien in Fairmont, MN where they made their home. John enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1944 and served over seas in the Philippines until 1946. He was honorably discharged in November of 1946, and several years later they came back to Tracy, MN to live. Together John and Mary Catherine owned and operated the O’Brien and Hollywood Theatres as well as a record shop in Tracy. John also had a popular radio program for many years in Tracy.

John was very active in community affairs including the American Legion, VFW, the Tracy Box Car Day Committee and the Tracy Country Club. He was a member of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy, where he was also a member of the church choir for many years and a member of the Knights of Columbus. John was an avid outdoor enthusiast and enjoyed hunting, but his real passion was music. He continued his entertaining for many years traveling the area as part of the TracyTones Barbershop Quartet.

On Tuesday, April 19, 2005 John died at the Tracy Area Medical Services at the age of 92.

John is survived by two daughters, Patricia (John) Helgoe of Blaine, MN and Kathleen O’Brien of Mission Viejo, CA; one son, John Glaser of Tracy, MN; four grandchildren, John, Shannon, Michael and Erin and four great-grandchildren, Amber, Derick, Ally and Ryan.

His parents, wife, Mary Catherine and 13 brothers and sisters preceded him in death.

Burial was in Calvary Cemetery, Tracy, MN with the Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy handling the arrangements.


Stewart Govig, 78

Stewart D. Govig, 78, died unexpectedly Sunday, April 10, 2005, in Parkland, WA. Funeral services were held on Sunday, April 17, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Parkland, WA.

He was born in Walnut Grove, MN on March 20, 1927, where he grew up and attended all 12 years of public school. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith by his father, The Rev. Olaf Govig.

He received his undergraduate degree in history from St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, earned a Master of Theology degree from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. and a Master of Theology degree from Princeton Seminary. Stewart continued his education as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Oslo, Norway, in 1958 and completed his Ph.D. studies at New York University in 1966.

Stewart is survived by his wife, Alice; sons John, of Parkland; Bruce (Pauline) of Adelaide, Australia; daughter Ellen McCracken (Ben) of Spanaway; two granddaughters; sister Eunice Gronbeck of Henning, MN: and sister-in-law Ruth Govig of Bismarck, ND.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Olaf and Ruth (Tollerud) Govig, and his brother Bruce.

Burial was in Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery, Amor, MN, near Ottertail Lake.