Obituaries from the week of April 12, 2006

Lawrence Landa, 88

Lawrence G. Landa, age 88 died Saturday April 8, 2006 at the Glenwood Retirement Village in Glenwood, Minnesota.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 at St. John Nepomuk Catholic Church out of Lowry, MN with Fr. Roger Thoeness officiating. Interment was at the church cemetery.

Lawrence G. Landa, the son of Frank and Rose (Novak) Landa was born August 12, 1917 on the family farm in Reno Township. He was baptized, confirmed and married at St. John Nepomuk. He attended country school through the eighth grade.

Lawrence was united in marriage to Helen Dynda on October 2, 1939 and they took over the farm where he was born and where he and Helen raised their three children.

He enjoyed hunting and fishing. He was very proud of his family and enjoyed spending time with them. He liked watching sports, especially the Vikings and Twins. In 1980 Lawrence sold their farm and retired in Lowry, MN. Together they enjoyed a few years of traveling.

He is survived by his wife, Helen; son, Allen and wife Janis of Tracy, MN, Barbara and husband Ken Denhardt of Eden Prairie, MN, Judith and husband Dennis Sager of Bloomington, MN; 7 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; and 2 sisters, Agnes Hlinsky and Rosella Schaub both of Glenwood.

Ava Mottinger, 102

Funeral services were held at Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy, MN for Ava Belle Mottinger on Tuesday, April 11, 2006. Rev. Homer Dobson officiated the service with Eleanor Hewitt as organist.

Casket bearers were Steve Mottinger, Eric Mottinger, Curt Mottinger, Keven Mottinger, Wes Mottinger and Cory Mottinger.

Ava Belle Mottinger was born October 31, 1903 to Royal R. and Myra (Aldrich) Smiley in Indianola, Warren County, IA. She was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith and attended school in Lewis, IA as a young girl. Her family moved to a farm near Tracy, MN where she attended country school and Tracy High School, graduating in 1923. Ava then attended the Brookings Normal School for teachers training for two years. She returned to the Tracy area and taught country school for one year.

On November 11, 1925 Ava married Dan Mottinger in Brookings, SD. They made their home in Tracy for several years and then moved to Amiret, MN. After her husband’s death, Ava moved to an apartment in Willmar, MN in the late 1980s.

Ava was a past member of the Tracy United Methodist Church and current member of the Willmar United Methodist Church. Over the years she was active in her Ladies Aid and her church. For many years she was a member of the Flower Club and enjoyed gardening. Ava enjoyed many types of needlework, from which she won many awards.

At the age of 99 Ava became a resident of the Bethesda Pleasantview Care Center in Willmar where she died on Friday, April 7, 2006 at the age of 102.

Ava is survived by her two sons, Lyle (Trudy) Mottinger of Golden Valley, MN and Floyd (Marilyn) Mottinger of Willmar, MN; nine grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.

Her husband Dan, one grandson, Todd, and two sisters preceded her in death.

Interment was in the Tracy City Cemetery with the Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy handling the arrangements.

Clair Williams, 82

Funeral services were held on Monday, April 10, 2006 for Clair “Bill” Williams at Lake Sarah Lutheran Church, Garvin, MN. Rev. Charles Lindgren was officiant. Marge Lindgren was organist and soloist. Heath Radke and Lucas Radke performed a duet.

Casket bearers were Dale Furan, Lucas Radke, Eugene Olson, Mike Olson, David Rykhus, Heath Radke, Jerry Janssen and Chris Lamfers.

Clair Edward “Bill” Williams was born May 16, 1923 to Harvey and Mabel (Nelson) Williams on the family farm in Stearns County near Sauk Center, MN. He was baptized at the Lutheran church in Sauk Center and later confirmed at Lake Sarah Lutheran Church in Garvin, MN. While still a young boy, his family moved to Balaton, MN in 1931 and he attended Balaton Public School. Bill worked for several farmers in the Balaton area and also near Sauk Center as a hired man.

In 1943 Bill enlisted in the U.S. Navy Air Corp and after his basic training was stationed on Wake Island in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. He received his Honorable Discharge in 1946 and returned to the Balaton area, where he again worked for several farmers.

On August 18, 1949 Bill married Ardys J. Weaver in Walnut Grove, MN and they made their home on a farm near Balaton. In the early 1950’s they moved to the Garvin area and moved to their present home in 1964. Bill drove truck for Ken Helleson and Nackerud Trucking. He then worked road construction for Rupp Construction and McLaughlin & Schultz for 25 years as a heavy equipment operator. After his retirement in 1988 he ran the road grader for Springdale Township.

Bill was a member of the Lake Sarah Lutheran Church in Garvin, Tracy VFW, the Balaton American Legion and helped establish the Lake Shore Saddle Club. He enjoyed raising chickens, Guineas, horses, collecting tractors, shaking dice and cards with friends, traveling and going to casinos. He will lovingly be remembered by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren as “Grumpy Grandpa,” although the smile was always there.

On Thursday, April 6, 2006 Bill died at his home at the age of 82.

Bill is survived by his wife, Ardys of Garvin, MN; one son, Don Williams of Mentone, CA; two daughters, Julie (Scott) Sanow of Garvin, MN and Joann Williams of Rochester, MN; four grandchildren, Jenny (Tom) Pint, Nicole (Chuck) Swanson, Jesse Buchholz and Amanda Williams; eight great-grandchildren, Alex, Avery, Olivia, Marissa, Amaya, Zachary, Austin and Alexis; one sister, Helene Schauer of Osakis, MN; many nieces, nephews and cousins.

His parents, two sisters and three brothers preceded him in death.

Interment was in the Hoiland Cemetery, Garvin, MN.

Arrangements were handled by the Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy.