Obituaries from the week of July 27, 2005

Obituaries

Peggy Hahn, 46

Services for Peggy Hahn, 46, of Currie, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 28, 2005 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Walnut Grove. Visitation will be from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday (today) at the church, with a 7 p.m. prayer service. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the services at the church on Thursday. The Walnut Grove Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

She died Saturday, July 23, 2005, at the Worthington Regional Hospital.

Born July 29, 1958, in Valley City, N.D., she was the daughter of Edmund and Mary Ellen Hale Zenker. She married Donald Hahn on Oct. 15, 1978, in Westbrook.

She attended school in Almira, Wash., Jamestown, N.D., and Westbrook, where she graduated in 1976. After marriage, they moved to the family farm south of Walnut Grove, where they still resided. She drove for Floyd Wild Trucking for 20 years.

Survivors include her her husband, Donald of Currie; one son, Donovan of Sioux Falls, S.D.; one daughter, Angela of Walnut Grove; mother, Mary Ellen Zenker of Willmar; father, Edmund Zenker of Rapid City, S.D.; two sisters, Jacqulyn of Willmar and Patricia of Pennock; and one brother, Mark of Colorado Springs, Colo.

Orval Karstens, 44

Orval Karstens age 44 of Tracy, MN died Saturday, July 23, 2005 in Rogers, MN.

Services will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 30, 2005 at the Tracy United Methodist Church in Tracy. Visitation will be from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. Friday, July 29, 2005 at the Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy.

The Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy is handling the arrangements.

Henry Lessman, 84

Funeral services for Henry W. “Hank” Lessman were held Monday, July 25, 2005 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Johnsonville Township, Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Interment was held at Gales Cemetery, Gales Township. Arrangements were handled by Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy.

Officiant was Rev. Terri Skildum. Casket bearers were Allan Tate, Robert Vogl, Edward Ourada, Dale Templeton, Marlo Van Dorsten and Thad Lessman.

Henry William “Hank” Lessman was born June 13, 1921 to John and Josie (Knott) Lessman on the family farm in Amiret Township, Lyon County, MN. He was baptized and confirmed at the Zion Lutheran Church in Tracy, MN. He attended Country School District #96 and Tracy High School. As a young man Hank worked as a hired man for several local farmers until he started farming for himself in 1950.

On September 26, 1951 Hank married Elaine Johnson at her parents’ home in Tracy. They made their home on a farm north of Tracy for four years and then moved to a farm north of Walnut Grove, MN where they farmed until 1979. Hank and his wife then retired into Walnut Grove where he enjoyed gardening, helping area farmers, traveling and having coffee with his friends. He also enjoyed the family gatherings and visiting with his children and grandchildren.

Recently Hank became a resident of the Valley View Nursing Home in Lamberton, MN and on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 Hank died at the Redwood Area Hospital in Redwood Falls, MN at the age of 84.

Hank is survived by his wife of 53 years, Elaine of Walnut Grove, MN; four sons, Patrick of Becida, MN, Bruce of Ghent, MN, Paul of Shevlin, MN and Jay (Cindy) of Lamberton, MN; two daughters, Julie Tuinstra of Detroit Lakes, MN and Caroline (Tim) Alcorn of Marshall, MN; eleven grandchildren; one great grandson; three brothers, Frank of Tracy, MN, Richard (Margaret) of Prescott Valley, AZ, and William (Grace) of Laporte, MN; two sisters, Edith Lessman of Tracy, MN and Louella Lof of Park Rapids, MN.

His parents, one son, Tim, one infant son, one sister, Ardena, and two brothers, James and Warner (Fritz) preceded him in death.

Bernita Nackerud, 93

Bernita E. Nackerud age 93 of Walnut Grove passed away on Friday, July 22, 2005 at the Valley View Manor in Lamberton. Funeral services were held at on Wednesday, July 27, 2005 at the English Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove. Interment was in the Walnut Grove Cemetery. The Walnut Grove Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Bernita was born December 31, 1911 on the family farm north of Walnut Grove to Charles & Anne (Nelson) Olson. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. She attended country school district 19 and graduated from Walnut Grove High School.

Bernita was united in marriage to Rolf Nackerud in 1932 at St. Olaf Lutheran Church. Together the couple farmed south of Walnut Grove until 1942 when they moved into town. Rolf took a job as the town milkman. Bernita cooked at the Walnut Grove School for a number of years. Her cooking was well known throughout the area, and many friends, family, and sports teams were served dinner by Bernita. Rolf passed away in 1993. Bernita was a longtime member of English Lutheran Church where she served on the ladies aid, & numerous church committees. She enjoyed going to the local sports activities with Rolf, baking, and spending time with her family and friends.

She is survived by her children: David (Susan) Nackerud of Protland, OR, Mariann (Charles) Averill of Crookston, MN, Janice (Jim) Moe of Myrtle Beach, S.C., Diane Meth of Atlanta, GA, Bruce (Crystal) Nackerud of Eagle Point, OR, & Jay (Nancy) Nackerud of Hutchinson. She is also survived by over 75 grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great, great grandchildren and many other relatives and friends.

She is preceded in death by her husband Rolf, her oldest son Charles in 1979, a brother Gerald Olson and a sister Grace Stearns.

Charles Pamp, 59

Charles (Charlie) C. Pamp age 59 of Garvin, MN died Saturday, July 23, 2005 at the Tracy Area Medical Hospital in Tracy, MN Services will be held 2:00 p.m., Saturday, July 30, 2005 at the Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy. Visitation will be from 4:00 until 8:00 PM Friday, July 29, 2005 at the Almlie Funeral Home with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service at the funeral home and a 7:15 p.m. prayer service at the Tracy Eagles Club in Tracy. Interment will be at the Bethel Cemetery in Custer Township, Lyon County, MN. The Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy will be handling the arrangements.

Charles (Charlie) Curtis Pamp was born November 9, 1945 to William and Dorthey (Evans) Pamp in Slayton, Murray County, MN. In 1950 his family moved to the family farm near Garvin, MN. He was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith and attended Tracy Public Schools. Charlie graduated from Tracy High School in 1963 and then attended South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD for one year prior to his enlistment in the U. S. Navy in March of 1964. He completed his training at the Lakehurst, NJ Naval Air Station as an Aerographer in 1965 and served on the US Guam, an aircraft carrier, off the coast of Vietnam until March of 1969. He returned to the Tracy area and worked for the CNW Railroad for one year and then began farming with his family. Charles was still active duty Naval Reserve until March of 1971 when he was Honorably discharged from the service.

Charlie farmed with his father and later moved onto the home place. On January 2, 1988 Charles married Kathy Wyffels at the Tracy United Methodist Church in Tracy and they made their home on the farm. He was a lifetime member of the Tracy American Legion Earle Ray Post #173, the Slayton, MN VFW, Tracy Eagles Club, Arie #3918 and Commander of the American Legion Honor Guard for many years. He enjoyed deer and duck hunting and was very dedicated to his time with the Honor Guard. In years past Charlie showed livestock at both the Minnesota and South Dakota State Fairs, winning numerous championships with both his hogs and sheep.

Charlie died Saturday, July 23, 2005 at the Tracy Area Medical Services at the age of 59.

Charles is survived by his wife, Kathy of Tracy, MN; his parents, William and Dorthey Pamp of Tracy, MN; two sons, Carl of Redwood Falls, MN and Jason (Holly) of Prescott Valley, AZ; two grandchildren, Lona and Boden of Prescott Valley, AZ; one brother, Doug (Melanie) of Garvin, MN; one niece, Sarah and one nephew, Ben; uncles, aunts and cousins.

His grandparents, five aunts and two uncles preceded him in death.