Obituaries from the week of February 8, 2006

Barbara DeSmet, 62

Barbara Jean DeSmet, age 62 of Omaha, NE passed away on Wed., Feb. 1, 2006 after succumbing to cancer after a strong and brave 2 year battle.

She was preceded in death by parents- Arthur and Ida Petersen.

Barbara is survived by children and spouses: Bonnie De Smet-Bacon and husband James of Omaha, Kathleen and Dante Cometto of Morrison, Colorado, Amy De Smet of Omaha, Dennis De Smet of Phoenix, Arizona, Christopher and Michele De Smet of Omaha. Grandchildren – Simon and Emelia Kate De Smet-Bacon, Benjamin Cometto, Zachary De Smet, Elizabeth De Smet. Sister – LaVon Egge of Kandyohi, Minnesota.

Funeral services were held on Friday, February 3, 2006 at Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church with at Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery.

Family requests memorials to Girls & Boys Town.

Robert Staeffler, 93

Funeral services for Robert B. Staeffler were held Jan. 26, 2006 at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne, MN with interment at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.

Robert. B. Staeffler, age 93, was born Mar. 15, 1912 in Hardwick to parents, Robert E. and Erene (Hagedorn) Staeffler. He died Jan. 22, 2006 at Prairie View Healthcare Center in Tracy, MN.

Robert attended rural school near Hardwick, MN and graduated from Luverne High School. After his schooling he farmed with his family in the Hardwick area. Robert was united in marriage to Laura Erickson on June 14, 1939 in Luverne. They made their home in the Hardwick area and were engaged in farming. They later moved to the Ellsworth area where they continued farming in Kanaranzi Township. Robert was active in senior activities at the local and county level. He was also the Nobles County Senior Citizen of the year in 1986. He was active in the Optimist Club and served on the County Board on Aging. They retired from farming and moved into Elllsworth. Laura preceded him in death on Apr. 28, 1987.

He was united in marriage to Amy Jacobs on May 14, 1988 in Austin, MN. They lived in Ellsworth, Worthington and Tracy. Robert enjoyed farming, woodworking, flowers, bowling and fishing.

Robert is survived by his wife, Amy J. Staeffler, Tracy; daughters, Linda Boyken, Watertown, SD; and Marcia (Don) Linssen, Worthington; stepchildren, David (Luella) Jacobs, Viroqua, WI; Barbara (Robert) Purves, Tracy; Elaine (Bill) Feikema, Faribault; five grandchildren, nine great grandchildren; six step grandchildren, seven step great grandchildren; four brothers, Leonard (Margaret), LeRoy (Vangie), Kenneth (Lorraine), Horton; five sisters, Alice Schmuck, Louise Kiebach, Dorothy Maxwell, Agnes (Ben) Koens, and Lois (Gerald) Lorenzen; a sister-in-law, Leone. He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife, Laura; brother, Irvin; sisters, Myrtle, Irene and Vera and a son-in-law, Harry Boyken and a step granddaughter.

Leon Vandendriessche, 84

Mass of Christian Burial for Leon “Lee” Raphael Vandendriessche, 84, of Marshall, will be at 10:30 a.m. today, Wednesday, February 8, 2006, at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. Interment follows the service at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Marshall.

Leon “Lee” Raphael Vandendriessche was born on December 14, 1921, in Lyon County to Aloise and Clara (Vercruysse) Vandendriessche. He attended Milroy School. Lee lived in the Tracy area until 1945 when he moved to the farm in rural Marshall.

On June 4, 1946 he was united in marriage to Helen Vandeputte at Holy Redeemer Church in Marshall, Minnesota. The couple farmed in Grandview Township until 1986 when they moved to Marshall and continued to farm with their sons until 2003. Lee served on the Grandview Town Board, Calvary Cemetery Board, and Lyon Co-op Board in Ghent. He volunteered as an usher at Holy Redeemer Church, for Heart-to-Heart and the Marshall Senior Center woodworking classes. His passion was his family, farming and dancing. He loved to work with wood, creating many wood working projects. He was a capable handyman and he could fix anything. He enjoyed watching Jeopardy and football.

Survivors include his wife Helen, and their children, Jeanette (Everett) Boerboom of Kenosha, WI., Thomas (Janet), Donald, Daniel (Beth), all of Marshall, MN., Linda Johnson of Hayfield, MN., Colleen of Boulder, CO., Lauren Loretta of Dumont, NJ., eight grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, an infant brother, son-in-law, Allan Johnson and grandson, Michael Johnson.

Memorials are preferred to Holy Redeemer School Foundation.

The Rehkamp & Horvath Funeral Home of Marshall handled the arrangements.