Obituaries from the week of February 23, 2005
Evelyn Blankenhagen, 95
Evelyn Blankenhagen, age 95 of Lamberton, formerly of Vesta and Milroy, died Friday, February 18, 2005 in the Springfield Medical Center in Springfield. Services were held at 10:30 A.M. today, Wednesday, February 23, 2005 in St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Vesta with burial in the Vesta Cemetery. Arrangements were handled by the Sunset Funeral & Cremation Association of Echo and Wabasso.
A. Evelyn Blankenhagen was born Thursday, October 21, 1909 in Bottineau, North Dakota to William and Johannah (Mahoney) Beaton. She moved with her family to Lucan in 1923 and attended Wabasso Public School and rural school in North Dakota. On May 26, 1926 she was united in marriage to Herman F. Blankenhagen in the Lutheran parsonage in Vesta. They lived and farmed the Blankenhagen family farm near Vesta. In 1946 they moved to Milroy where they operated the telephone company until 1965. Following their retirement they moved to Tracy where they lived until moving to Lamberton in 1981. Herman died on August 25, 1987. She was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church and the Ladies Aid. Evelyn loved to play cards and crochet. She truly loved her family, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren and making crocheted gifts for them.
She is survived by her daughter Sharon Lee Pascher and her husband Garry of Springfield, daughter-in-law Deloryia Blankenhagen of Renville, 10 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, 22 great-great grandchildren and her sister Marcella Dupre of Chisago City. Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Herman, two sons LuVern and Darvin, a great grandson Shane Blankenhagen, her brother William Beaton Jr. and two sisters; Lucille Penke and Irene Bechtel.
Lillian Lavicky, 90
Lillian Lavicky, 90 of Walnut Grove, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2005 at the Tracy Nursing Home. Funeral services were held Sunday, Feb. 20 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove.
Casket bearers were Charlie Beecham, Jeffrey VanDeWiele, Francis VanDeWiele, John Broughten, Jason Vosberg, Tim Schenk, Derek Vosberg, Travis VanDeWiele, Zachary Broughten, Philip VanDeWiele.
Honorary casket bearers were all other grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Lillian Catherine Lavicky was born November 8, 1914 in Murray County to Ole and Clara (Hanson) Swenhaugen. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in rural Walnut Grove, and attended School District #14.
Lillian was united in marriage to Theodore Lavicky on January 3, 1933 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Walnut Grove. To this union three children were born: Beverly, Dennis and Francis. The family lived up north in Holdingford and Upsala, MN. A few years later they moved south of Walnut Grove, and they lived in the Walnut Grove area until retiring, at which time they moved to Lucan. Lillian had been a resident of the Tracy Nursing Home since 1997.
She enjoyed gardening and keeping up her lawn, was always ready to help anyone in need, and especially enjoyed her children and grandchildren. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and the ladies aid.
Lillian Catherine Lavicky passed away February 16, 2005 at the Tracy Nursing Home in Tracy, Minnesota at the age of 90 years, 3 months and 8 days.
She is survived by her children Beverly and Ray VanDeWiele of Walnut Grove, Dennis Lavicky of Salmon, Idaho and Florida, and Francis and Marcia Lavicky of Bonita Springs, FL; 9 grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her parents, husband in 1989, two sisters Eleanor and Annie, 4 brothers Myron, Clarence, Orville, and Alvin and one grandson Mark.
Interment was in the Trinity Lutheran Church cemetery. Walnut Grove Funeral Home handled the arrangements.
Lawrence St. Pierre, 86
Funeral services were held today, Wednesday, February 23, 2005 for Lawrence A. “Salty” St. Pierre at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Currie, MN. Fr. Paul Evers officiated. Organist was Patty Le Claire with Amy St. Pierre as soloist.
Honorary casket bearers were Brian Goltz, Curt Goltz, Jason Goltz, Kevin Goltz, Christina Le Claire, Theresa Matson, Travis St. Pierre, Cory St. Pierre, Troy Wigton, Dana Wigton, Rick Hohler, Jim Hohler and David Schoberl.
Lawrence A. “Salty” St. Pierre was born January 16, 1919 to Alphonse and Irene (Ackerman) St. Pierre in Currie, MN, Murray County. He was baptized and confirmed at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Currie and attended the catholic school there. As a young man he would help his father who operated the pool hall in Currie. He then joined the CCC and was stationed in Cle Elum, WA.
On May 28, 1944 Salty married Florence (Blomquist) Wigton in Balaton, MN. They made their home in Balaton for a short time, while he worked on the railroad and then moved to the Tracy, MN area where he worked as a farm hand. They then moved to Coleman, SD where he began working for Ross Electric. Salty then returned to Currie where he worked at the Lake Shetek State Park for six years, drove school bus for the Tracy Public Schools and volunteered time at the old pool hall. In 1995 he moved into the Twin Circle Apartments in Tracy.
Salty was a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Currie. He always enjoyed horses and training mule teams, for many years driving a team as part of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant in Walnut Grove. Salty enjoyed horseshoes, pool, trail rides and garage sales, but what he really loved was spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren.
In February of 2004 Salty became a resident of the Prairie View Healthcare Center in Tracy. He died Saturday, February 19, 2005 at the Tracy Area Medical Services at the age of 86.
Lawrence is survived by his three daughters, Mary (Jim) Le Claire of Lake Benton, MN, Leola “Lee” St. Pierre of Tracy, MN and Janet (Dennis) Schoberl of Richland Center, WI; two sons, Leo (Joyce) St. Pierre of Tracy, MN and Marvin (Pat) Wigton of Bloomington, MN; 13 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews and cousins.
His parents, wife, Florence, one sister, Leola, one brother, Cyril “Pete” and one grandson, Larry Eggen preceded him in death.
Interment was in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Cemetery, Currie, MN with the Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy handling the arrangements.
Laveeda Stowell, 89
Laveeda (Murphy) Stowell, age 89 of Maplewood, MN, formerly of Tracy, MN was born November 3, 1915 in Marion County, IA to Charles and Nannie (Waits) Murphy.
Laveeda and Shirley John Stowell were united in marriage on November 30, 1933. He passed away on July 15, 1970. Laveeda was the beloved mother of Barbara Stowell, Carol (Robert) Wood, Alan (Dorothy) Stowell, and Sheila Stowell; proud grandmother to Scott, Kim, Eric, Jason, Shane, Gregg, Lee, Susan and Sharon; and great-grandmother to Jay, Nick, Amy, Chris, Ben, Nate and Mya. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Laveeda was a long-time member and active volunteer at the Tracy Alliance Church, serving in various capacities as Church and Sunday School Secretary, Deaconess, Sunday School Superintendent, Sunday School Teacher, and as the Women’s Missionary Prayer Fellowship President. In her retirement years, she also served with the Tracy Hospital Auxiliary.
Due to failing health, after over 70 years in Tracy, Laveeda moved to a senior apartment complex in St. Paul (Maplewood), MN in February of 2001 to be closer to her daughters.
Laveeda died at St. John’s Hospital in Maplewood on Tuesday, February 15, 2005 at the age of 89 years.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Shirley; three sisters, Mildred Marrall, Fern Clark and Mae Umble; and two brothers, Asberry Murphy and John (Jay) Murphy.