Obituaries from the week of March 18, 2009
Merlyn Howard, 89
Merlyn Ray Howard, 89,
formerly of Slayton, passed away Tuesday morning, February 17, 2009 at the
Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne. A memorial service is planned for
Saturday March 21, 2009 at the Good Samaritan Chapel in Jackson at 2 p.m. with
Chaplin Kathy Brandt officiating. Burial will take place on Saturday
March 28, 2009 at the Park Lawn Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri.
Merlyn Ray Howard was
born on July 6, 1919 on the family farm near Windom, the son of Denton and
Beryl (McMorris) Howard, Jr. He
spent his childhood years in Pine City, Glyndon, Lakeland, Windom and Currie
where he attended Currie Public Schools. After school Merlyn went to Oregon to visit some of his relatives and
ended up joining the National Guard in November of 1940, soon after he was
inducted into the U.S. Army at Ft. Lewis, Washington. During his time in the Army, Merlyn saw combat in the
Pacific Theater, specifically at Biak, Mindanao, New Guinea and various other
islands in the Pacific. During his
service on Biak Island, Merlyn was awarded The Bronze Star for meritorious
service. After his discharge from
the Army, Merlyn was united in Marriage to Norma Leach on July 5, 1949. After marriage Norma and Merlyn made
their home in Slayton. In 1961 he
was united in marriage to June Williams. After marriage they made their home in Kansas City Missouri where Merlyn
owned and operated an auto shop. They stayed in Kansas City until June’s passing in 2001. In 2002 Merlyn moved to Jackson to be
near his sister, Margery. In 2004
Merlyn entered the Jackson Good Samaritan Center before moving to the Minnesota
Veterans Home in Luverne in 2007. Merlyn passed away at the Minnesota Veterans Home on February 17, 2009
at the age of 89 years, seven months, and eleven days.
In his younger years,
Merlyn was very adventurous, traveling the countryside from boxcar to
boxcar. Merlyn loved to pass the
time reading as well as sitting on the lake in his boat fishing. Merlyn also enjoyed hunting, as well as
his annual trips to the Black Hills and to Northern Minnesota. Merlyn was known for his kind heart;
his love of dogs getting the best of him on numerous occasions, he couldn’t say
no to a stray or wild dog.
Merlyn is survived by
his daughter Lori (Harry) Colby of State Center, Iowa; his step-son Jack
(Kitty) Williams of Springfield, Missouri; numerous grandchildren and many
nieces and nephews as well as a sister Margery Silvernale of Jackson,
Minnesota.
Merlyn was preceded in
death by his parents, his wife of 40 years June, and a daughter Cheri Lynn who
passed away in 1976.
Blessed Be the Memory of
Merlyn Ray Howard.
Marilyn Mortland, 72
Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. today, Wednesday, March 18,
2009 at the Tracy United Methodist Church for Marilyn Mortland, formerly of
Tracy, now of Marshall, MN.
Marilyn Joan Mortland was born
October 4, 1936 to Rudolph and Crystal (Ferguson) Stoltzman in Mankato,
MN. She was baptized and confirmed
in the Christian faith and attended public school in Mankato. As a young woman she worked as a
waitress at a café in Mankato.
On Nov. 7, 1954 Marilyn married Dean
Mortland at his parent’s farm near Lake Benton, MN. Dean was serving in the military at the time so they made
their home in Baltimore, MD for a short time before his being stationed in St.
Paul, MN. After his discharge they
moved to Los Angeles, CA in 1957 before returning to Russell, MN that same
year, as Dean accepted a teaching position there. They moved in 1959 to Atwater, MN until 1962, when they
moved to Tracy, MN. During the
years that followed, Marilyn was a wife and mother, raising her four
children. In the early 1970’s she
began working for several contractors in Marshall. Her work included painting and final inspection cleaning of
new properties. In October of 1987
Marilyn was involved in a near fatal car accident. She recovered and was able to resume caring for her own
household, but was forced into retirement. In 1989 when Dean retired from Tracy High School, they moved
to Marshall and built a new retirement home.
Marilyn was a past member of the
Tracy United Methodist Church where she had taught Sunday school and was active
in the church woman’s groups. Over
the years she also was active in her children’s academic and sports
activities. She enjoyed cooking,
keeping her house clean, and gardening, of which, she was well known for her
superior garden, especially her tomatoes, without much extra effort. Her greatest love was her grandchildren
and spending time with them and following all their accomplishments.
In 2007 Marilyn’s health required
her to become a resident of the Morningside Heights Care Center in Marshall and
in February of 2009 she became a patient at the Avera-McKennan Medical Center
in Sioux Falls, SD. On Friday,
March 13, 2009 Marilyn died, surrounded by her loving family, at the Dougherty
Hospice House in Sioux Falls at the age of 72.
Marilyn is survived by her husband,
Dean Mortland of Marshall, MN; one daughter, Sandy (Jeff Williams) Sik of
Marshall, MN; three sons, Jim (Mary) Mortland of Marshall, MN, Dave Mortland of
Sioux Falls, SD and Tom (Niki Anderson) Mortland of Colton, SD; nine
grandchildren, James Mortland III, Jennifer Tuffs, Dustin Hoffman, Mitchell,
Dylan, Malia, and Zachary Mortland, Cassidy Nelson and Staci Lubben; five great
grandchildren, Riley and Jessica Tuffs, Abigail and Felicity Mortland and
Sebastian Kron; three brothers, Robert Stoltzman of North Mankato, MN, Alvin
Stoltzman, of Mankato, MN and Kirt (Glenda) Stoltzman of Kingston, OK; six
sisters, Barbara Gannot of Marshall, MN, Susan (Howard) Korf of Denver, CO,
June Sorrell of Columbus, IN, Cheryl (Todd) Simonson of Caddo, OK, Gail (Tom)
Norris of Mankato, MN, and Jackie (Dave) Fideler of Sioux Falls, SD; many
nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.
Her parents, one infant grandson,
one infant granddaughter, three sisters, Marlene Yowell, Lucille “Ann”
Flatequal and Dorothy Stoltzman, and two brothers, L. Cpl. George Stoltzman and
Rudolph “Butch” Stoltzman preceded her in death.
Interment will be at the Tracy City
Cemetery. The Almlie Funeral Home
of Tracy handled the arrangements.
Online condolences may be placed at
www.almliefh.com
Michael Ramsey, 84
Michael James Ramsey, son of Michael
James Ramsey, Sr. and Marie Teresa Ramsey, both deceased, was born July 5, 1924
in Spalding, Nebraska and died on March 14, 2009 at dawn at Hospice of the
Valley, Mesa, Arizona.
Mike’s family moved from Spalding to
Omaha when he was 14 years old, but Spalding held a special place in his heart
every day of his life.
After graduating from high school,
Mike was employed by the Union Pacific Railroad in Omaha, but he was a people
person through and through, ultimately enjoying a career as a salesman in the
bread business and then with Ed Phillips and Sons, liquor distributors.
During WWII he served as a U.S.
Marine on Iwo Jima, Saipan and Tinian in the South Pacific. He was recalled by the military during
the Korean Conflict, stationed in Laguna Beach, California.
Mike is survived by many friends and
relatives who will miss the twinkle in his eye, the spring in his step and his
gift of gab. Among them are his
wife, Bettie Jean Evans Ramsey, to whom he was devoted during their 60 year
marriage. He is also survived by
their adult children Pam Keul (Tom), Roseville, MN, Claudia Antonelli (John),
Gold Canyon, AZ and Jon Ramsey of Tracy, as well as four grandchildren and one
great-grandchild.
Funeral Mass will be held at St.
George Roman Catholic Church, Apache Junction, AZ, 10:30 a.m., Thursday, March
19, 2009 with a rosary at 10 a.m.
A late spring interment is planned
at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery, Minnesota.
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