Obituaries from the week of March 29, 2006
Dorothy Canfield, 82
Dorothy Canfield, 82, passed away in the Greenbriar Medical Center in Lewisburg, West Virginia on March 18 after an encounter with cancer.
Dorothy was born and raised in the Lake Sarah area to Joe and Nettie Magnell. She graduated from Tracy High School and also from St. Cloud Teacher’s College.
She met and married Claude Canfield from Lewisburg, West Virginia who was in the Air Force at that time. After Claude’s discharge from the service they moved to Sacramento, CA where Dorothy taught school until their retirement.
Dorothy and Claude moved to Lewisburg, West Virginia in the early 90s.
Preceding her in death were her parents, Joe and Nettie Magnell and her brother Marion Magnell.
She is survived by her sister Betty (Magnell) Klein.
A service was held for Dorothy on March 19 at the Shuck Memorial Baptist Church in Lewisburg, West Virginia.
Dorothy and her husband Claude were married 62 years. Dorothy was 82 at the time of her death.
Dena Pemble, 80
Funeral services for Dena Pemble age 80 of Walnut Grove will be Thursday, March 30, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Walnut Grove. Burial will be in the Walnut Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Walnut Grove Funeral Home. Visitation will continue on Thursday at the church one hour prior to services.
Dena (Groen) Pemble was born December 15, 1925 on the family farm north of Renville, MN to Jacob & Bertha (Aalderks) Groen. She was baptized and confirmed in the Emden Christian Reform Church in Renville, and graduated from Renville High School.
On August 1, 1944, Dena was united in marriage to Dale Pemble at her parents’ farm near Renville. There were seven children born to this union, with 21 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren. The family lived in Renville until 1949 when they moved to Walnut Grove. Dena worked at Dorothy’s Cafe in Walnut Grove, the Pizza Parlor in Tracy, and for 40 years at the Municipal Liquor Store in Walnut Grove. She enjoyed playing bingo, playing cards and painting on dishtowels. She also enjoyed polka music and going to State Fairs. Dena was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 267.
On March 26, 2006 Dena Pemble died at the Tracy Area Medical Center at the age of 80 years, 3 months and 9 days.
She is survived by her husband Dale Pemble of Walnut Grove, children: Diane (James) Shaw of Dovray, Lester (Carla) Pemble of Walnut Grove, Carol (Stephen) Schneider of Renville, Donna (Douglas) Rathje of Balaton, JoAnn (Bill) Timmers of Belle Plaine, Teresa (Bradley) Munson of Walnut Grove and son-in-law John Doubler of Walnut Grove; 21 grandchildren: Robert, Denise, Melissa, Brian, Susan, Thomas, Timothy, Kim, Kurtis, Lisa, William, Keith, Nichole, Samantha, Jaclyn, Chad, Brooke, Shaun, Casie, Christopher and Jamie; 19 great grandchildren: Nicole, Ashley, Tyler, Gavin, Abby J., Westyn, Wyatt, Taylor, Tyson, Natasha, Matthew, Lauren, Danielle, Kaden, Kayliann, Jariah, Jindelee, Alexander, and William; one sister Johanna Kuiken of Renville, and many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
Her parents, daughter Janice Doubler, great grandson Landon Caranta, and her sister Anna Standfuss preceded her in death.
Lydia W. Mentjes, 91
Services here held for Lydia W. Mentjes on Mon., March 27, 2006 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Balaton. Officiating was Rev. Mark Zander. Organist was Lois Zander. Casketbearers were her grandchildren: Matthew Mentjes, Ricky Laborde, Mark Laborde, Justin Kindt, Scott Baker and Melissa Baker. Burial was held at St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery in Balaton. Arrangements were handled by Amlie Funeral Home of Balaton, MN.
Lydia Mentjes was born September 27, 1914 to Louis and Emma (Rachuy) Rasche on a farm in Rose Hill Township, Cottonwood County, MN. She was baptized on October 18, 1914 and confirmed on September 28, 1930 at the Grace Lutheran Church in Westbrook, MN. She graduated from Westbrook High School in 1932 and then attended St. Cloud College, graduating with a Teacher’s Certificate.
On June 27, 1940 Lydia married Dirk “Dick” Mentjes at her mother’s home in Garvin, MN. Lydia taught country school in Murray and Cottonwood County. She farmed with her husband in Skandia Township, Murray County. After retirement, they spent winters in Arizona and Leesburg, Florida until her husband’s death in 1982. Lydia remained on the farm until moving to O’Brien Court in Tracy, MN in 1997.
She was a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Balaton where she was active in the Ladies’ Aide and taught Sunday school for many years. Lydia volunteered at St. Peter’s Parochial School in Balaton and the Treasure Haus in New Ulm, MN. She did sewing and mending for the Balaton Nursing Home and read to the residents at Prairie View Healthcare Center in Tracy as well as in a nursing home in Arizona. Lydia’s volunteer work also included working with handicapped adults and at a Boy’s Ranch in Leesburg, Florida. She enjoyed sewing, reading, gardening, birds, flowers, history and travel.
On Thursday, March 23, 2006 Lydia died at the Sioux Valley Tracy Medical Center at the age of 91.
Lydia is survived by three daughters, Ramona (David) Laborde of Lake Crystal, MN, Rosalie (Dennis) Kindt of Sioux Falls, SD and Marlene (Terry) Baker of Fairmont, MN; one daughter-in-law, Barb Mentjes of Linn Creek, MO; six grandchildren, Ricky (Mandy) Laborde, Mark (Rebecca) Laborde, Justin (Angelica) Kindt, Scott Baker, Melissa Baker and Matthew Mentjes; and her many friends at O’Brien Court including Linda Shaw, Cindy Swenhaugen, Bonnie Buysse and Renae Devereaux; nieces, nephews and cousins. She was joyously awaiting the birth of her first two great-grandchildren.
Her parents, husband, Dick, one son, Marvin, one brother and four sisters preceded her in death.
Madeline Verstraete, 90
Funeral services were held on Tues., Mar. 28, 2006 for Madeline Verstraete at the Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy. Father Brian Mandel officiated. Richard Stelter was organist.
Casket bearers were Jim Ohleman, Adam Elliott, Jeff Meyer, John Meyer, Jared Elliott and Joe Cooreman.
Madeline Rosie (Cooreman) Verstraete was born December 30, 1915 to Alphones and Sidonie (Colpaert) Cooreman on the family farm in Springdale Township, Redwood County, MN. She was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith and attended country school District #42. In the early 1940’s Madeline went to work in a parachute factory in Michigan and then for the Honeywell Corporation in Minneapolis, MN.
On August 28, 1944 Madeline married Frank Verstraete at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy, MN. The couple farmed in Redwood and Lyon Counties until 1968 when Frank retired and they moved into Tracy.
Madeline was a member of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church and active in the St. Agnes Guild. She also was a past member of the Tracy VFW Auxiliary. She was a housewife her whole life but also enjoyed gardening, sewing, reading and jigsaw puzzles.
After Frank’s death in 1987 Madeline continued to live in her own home until February of 2005 when she became a resident of the Tracy Nursing Home. On Friday, March 24, 2006 Madeline died at the age of 90.
Madeline is survived by one son, Gary (Patricia) Verstraete of Langdon, KS; one daughter, Sharon (Chuck) Elliott of Savage, MN; four grandchildren, Brad Verstraete, Will (Janelle) Verstraete, Adam (Lisa) Elliott and Jared Elliott; three great-grandchildren, Ashley, Dylan and Cassandra Verstraete; one sister, Alice Nelson of Mesa, AZ; nieces and nephews.
Her parents, husband, Frank, two brothers and two sisters preceded her in death.
Interment was in Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Tracy, MN with the Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy handling the arrangements.