Marvel Erbes, 91
Funeral services were held on Tuesday, April 8,
2008 at Tracy Lutheran Church for Marvel Erbes.
Casket bearers were her grandsons, Fred (Randy)
Stoltenburg, Jerry Stoltenburg, Bryan VanDale, Jeff
VanDale, Wayne Erbes, Gary Erbes, Nathan Erbes,
Neal Erbes, Allen Erbes, Michael Erbes.
Honorary casket bearers were her granddaughters
Marsha Grimmus, Cindy Hendley, Carol Christianson,
Deanne Stoltenburg, Debbie VanDale, Denise Chamberlin,
Melanie Lee, Amanda Lipinski, Stacy Wendorff, Jamey
Johnson, Ashley Wendorff, Hailey Erbes, Melissa
Ebbing.
Marvel Harriet Erbes was born April 10, 1916 to
Henry and Mabel (Walden) Haugen on the family farm
south of Tracy, MN in Murray County. She was baptized
and confirmed in the Christian faith at Willow Lake
Lutheran Church. Marvel attended Country School
District #16 and then Tracy High School, where she
graduated on May 29, 1936.
On January 15, 1939, Marvel married Gerald Erbes
at her parents’ home which later became their
home. This farm house where Marvel was born and
married was her residence for all but five years
of her life.
Marvel worked many jobs in the Tracy area as well
as running the farm household. She was a cook for
Ma-Pa-Loma in Currie, the Red Rooster in Tracy and
the Neon Inn (now the Mediterranean Club) which
she also owned. She also worked as a clerk for the
Gardener’s grocery store in Currie, MN, which
later became RJ’s.
Marvel was a life long member of the Willow Lake
Lutheran Church until it closed two years ago when
she became a member of the Lake Sarah Lutheran in
Garvin, MN. Over the years, she had been very active
in her church women’s groups as well as Birthday
Club, Tracy Senior Center, and the Currie American
Legion Auxiliary. She was proud of being recognized
as a Gold Star Mother for her son, John, who died
in Vietnam. She enjoyed playing cards, bingo, quilting,
and embroidering, but her love was spending time
with her children and their families.
In the fall of 2007, Marvel became a resident of
O’Brien Court in Tracy and later she moved
to the Colonial Manor Nursing Home in Balaton, MN
where she died Friday, April 4, 2008, surrounded
by her loving family, at the age of 91.
Marvel is survived by her two daughters, Murlayne
(Dwane) VanDale of Prior Lake, MN and Muriel Hubbard
of Seattle, WA; five sons, Kermit Erbes of Minneapolis,
MN, Kevin (Donna) Erbes, Kim Erbes and George (Lori)
Erbes, all of Tracy, MN, and Paul Erbes of Baltimore,
MD; twenty-three grandchildren; over forty great
and great-great grandchildren; one sister, June
(Dick) Axelson of Park Rapids, MN; many nieces,
nephews and many friends.
Her husband, Gerald, her parents, one daughter,
Marlys Leversedge, two sons, John and Keith and
two sisters, Mavis Matchin and Hazel Werth, preceded
her in death.
Interment was at the Tracy City Cemetery. The Almlie
Funeral Home of Tracy handled the arrangements.
Online condolences may be placed at www.almliefh.com.
Ethel M. Johnson, 94
Ethel M. Johnson of La Crosse, WI died Sunday, March
30, 2008, surrounded by her family at Gundersen
Lutheran Medical Center, La Crosse.
She was born Dec. 30, 1913, in Garvin, MN to Thomas
D. and Mary Jane (Williams) Phillips. Ethel graduated
in 1931 from Tracy High School in Tracy, MN. She
continued her education at Mankato State College,
graduating in 1933 with a degree in Elementary Education.
On Sept. 20, 1934, she married Milton W. Johnson
in Huron, S.D., and he preceded her in death in
June 1992. Ethel operated a private nursery and
kindergarten in Falcon Heights, MN, and later taught
elementary school in Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN
until she retired in 1964.
After retirement, she and her husband, Milton, moved
to Alexandria, MN and spent winters in Harlingen,
Texas. In 1983, they made their home in Harlingen,
where they enjoyed golfing and traveling. In 2004,
Ethel moved to La Crosse to be near family and resided
at The Willows Assisted Living. She loved playing
bridge, sewing and in her younger years she liked
to fish and hunt.
Ethel is survived by her son, Dr. Bruce L. (Nancy)
Johnson of Houston, MN; two grandchildren, Lisa
(Dave) Nutter of Houston, and Brad (Katie) Johnson
of Balsam Lake, Wis.; three great-grandchildren,
Alex Nutter, Grant Nutter and Ryan Nutter; also
by many loving nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in
death by her parents; three sisters, Mayme Donaldson,
Harriet Colburn and Esther Safford; and two brothers,
Harold Phillips and Louis Phillips.
Memorial services were held Tuesday, April 8, at
Woodruff-Jandt Funeral Home, La Crosse. The Rev.
Don Iliff officiated.
Joan Walters, 82
Mass of Christian Burial was held today, Wednesday,
April 16, 2008 at the St. Mary’s Catholic
Church in Tracy for Joan Walters.
Joan Eleanor Walters was born January 24, 1926 to
Fred and Julia (Boyle) West in Slayton, MN. She
grew up on a farm near Garvin, MN. Joan was baptized
and confirmed in St. Anne’s Catholic Church
in Slayton and attended Tracy Public Schools, graduating
from Tracy High School in 1943. She then attended
Lamberton Teachers College in Springfield, MN and
taught country school in the Tracy area for eight
years.
On June 12, 1951 Joan married Dick Walters in Slayton
and they made their home on a farm near Garvin,
MN. After raising her children Joan went to work
in the Tracy Elementary School as a Teacher’s
Assistant for 13 years. In 1998, after her husband’s
death, she moved into Tracy.
For many winters they enjoyed going to Texas and
they also enjoyed a summer cabin on Lake Sarah,
near Garvin, but what Joan thoroughly loved was
spending time with her family. She was a member
of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy,
enjoyed sewing, and going out for a “small
bite to eat”, with her friends.
On Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Joan died at the Sanford
Tracy Medical Center at the age of 82.
Joan is survived by her one daughter, Julie Walters
of Garvin, MN; two sons, Michael (Gail) Walters
of Albuquerque, NM and John (Laurie) Walters of
San Ramon, CA; three grandchildren, Sammy Jo, Carley
Rae and Ryan Walters; four sisters, Mary (Glenn)
Curtis and Carmel Brouillet, both of Slayton, MN,
Jerri (Ray) Milewski of Minneapolis, MN and Theresa
(Ed) Thomsche of Melrose, MN; one sister-in-law,
Arlene West of Tracy, MN; one brother-in-law, Ed
Miller of Slayton, MN; many nieces, nephews, cousins
and a host of friends.
Her husband, Dick, one son, Jim, one brother, Joe
West, and three sisters, Alyce Miller, Pat Knuth
and Betty West preceded her in death
Interment was at the Calvary Cemetery in Tracy.
The Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy is handling the
arrangements. Online condolences may be placed at
www.almliefh.com.
Myrtle Schulte, 89
Funeral services for Myrtle Schulte, 89, of Tracy,
formerly of Marshall, was held on Monday, April
14, at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Marshall.
Myrtle was born February 8, 1919, in Island Lake
Township in Lyon County, the daughter of August
and Ida (Wolff) Stelter. She was baptized in the
Lutheran faith and renewed her baptismal covenant
through confirmation at Zion Lutheran Church of
Island Lake. She received her education in the township’s
country school.
She was married to Harold Jorgensen February 8,
1937, and to this union was born six children. She
later married Albert Schulte and they bought a farm
in Clifton Township. They farmed until Albert’s
death on August 22, 1991 and Myrtle remained on
the farm until she moved to Prairie View Healthcare
Center in Tracy. Myrtle worked at the Club 59 for
many years. She was a member of the St. Stephen
Lutheran Church of Marshall.
Myrtle died on Thursday, April 10, 2008, at the
Prairie View Healthcare Center in Tracy.
Myrtle is survived by her family; Barbara (Allen)
Albertson of Erhard, Judy (Ty) Roberts of Marshall,
Ardell (Robert) Fay of Graham, Washington, Beatrice
(Tim) Hought of Foxhome and Jerry (Tory) Jorgensen
of Omaha, Nebraska; 10 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren,
2 step granddaughters, and 3 great great grandchildren.
She is also survived by her good friend, Elsie Coudron,
and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by; her husband, Albert
Schulte, her parents, one infant son, 3 sisters,
one brother and one infant granddaughter.
Interment was at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Marshall
with the Rehkamp & Horvath Funeral Home handling
the arrangements.
