Arlene Abrahamson, 71

Funeral services were held for Arlene Abrahamson, 71, on Saturday, November 10, 2012 at the Skandia Evangelical Free Church, rural Balaton, MN.   Interment was in the Tracy City Cemetery. The Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy is handled the arrangements. Online condolences may be placed at www.almliefh.com

Arlene Kathryn Abrahamson was born November 10, 1940 to Ted and Clara (Rasch) Leiting in Milwaukee, WI.  She was baptized in the Christian faith and grew up in various rural communities in southeast Wisconsin.  Her family moved to Rochester, MN in 1956 and she attended Rochester John Marshall High School, graduating in 1959.  She then attended two years at the Rochester Junior College.

On June 10, 1961 Arlene married Gary Abrahamson in Rochester.  They made their home in Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico for two years and returned to Rochester in 1963, where they lived until 1974.  They moved to Farmington, MN until 1981 when they moved to Tracy, MN, where they have lived to the present.  Arlene was a homemaker, wife, mother and an author.  She wrote and published her own book, “God Speaks, Please Help Me To Listen.”  She worked as a consulting coordinator for Friendship Bible Coffees for over 30 years.

Arlene was a member of the Skandia Evangelical Free Church and was very active over the years as a Sunday School teacher, nursery attendant, VBS teacher, Awana listener, and as a Bible Coffee leader.  She enjoyed making homemade greeting cards in her spare time, and spending time with her family.

On Tuesday, November 6, 2012 Arlene died at her home in Tracy, surrounded by her loving family, at the age of 71.   

Arlene is survived by her husband, Gary Abrahamson of Tracy, MN; daughter, Kathryn Booth of Point Roberts, WA; son, Jeffrey (Marcie) Abrahamson of Tracy, MN; nine grandchildren, Isaac, Josia, Nathaniel, Irenia, Tracy and Phillip Booth, Jakob, Faith, and Kyle Abrahamson; one sister, Helen Kish Richards of Crivits, WI;  nieces, nephews and friends.

Her parents, three brothers, Kenneth, Melvin and Robert Leiting, two brothers-in-law, George Kish and Howard Richards, and two nephews, Eric and Ricky Leiting preceded her in death.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be given either to Gideon’s International or Samaritan’s Purse.

Celestine “Sally” Lamfers, 94

Celestine “Sally” Rose Lamfers age 94 of Tracy, formerly of Amiret, passed away peacefully Thursday, November 8, 2012 at Prairie View Healthcare Center in Tracy after a brief illness.  Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy.  Interment will be in the Calvary Catholic Cemetery.  Stephens Funeral Service - Tracy Area Funeral Home assistied the family with arrangements.  Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com. 

Celestine was born December 3, 1917 in St. Joseph, Iowa to Peter and Susanna (Knott) Lenertz.  She received the sacraments in the Catholic faith.  At the age of three, Sally’s family moved to Comfrey, where she attended Catholic Parochial School, and later Comfrey Public School.  On October 8, 1940, Sally was united in marriage to Paul Lamfers at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy.  Together the couple lived on the farm by Mountain Lake, and later Springfield and Madison, MN before moving to Amiret in 1950.  Sally moved to Tracy in 2009, where she’s resided since.  Sally wrote for the Amiret News for years in addition to running the Marshall Library in Amiret.  She also operated Paul & Sally’s Greenhouse with her husband for several years.  Sally was a longtime member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church where she was active in the CCW.  She enjoyed gardening, quilting, sewing and embroidery. 

Sally is survived by her daughters: Susan (Leon) Mumm of Lake Shetek, JoAnn (Johnnie) Matthews of Ft. Gibson, OK, and Darlene (Wade) Rasmussen of Tracy; 9 grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren; 13 great great grandchildren; sister Virginia Lamfers of Tracy; and many other relatives and friends. 

 She is preceded in death by her parents; husband Paul; grandson Scott Matthews; brothers: Lawrence, Edward, Eugene and Peter; & sisters: Agnes Gagner, Mary Fisher, Millie Platcek, and Julia Schwaegerl.