Con Rettmer, 78

Visitation for Con Rettmer will be held from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Thursday, August 14, at the Tracy Area Funeral Home.  Rettmer age 78 of Tracy, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, August 10, 2014 at the Sanford Hospital in Tracy.  Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday at the Tracy Lutheran Church.  A private family interment will be held at a later date.  Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com.  Stephens Funeral Service - Tracy Area Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Conrad Arthur Rettmer was born March 4, 1936 in Tracy, Minnesota to Arthur and Lena (Nordling) Rettmer.  He graduated from Tracy High School in 1954 and from Mankato State University in 1962.  Con served in the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1957.  On August 27, 1960 he was united in marriage to Sandi Starken in Tracy.  Con “Mr. Tracy” Rettmer, being born and raised in Tracy, devoted virtually his entire life to the community.  From directing Box Car Days parades and bringing in millions of dollars for economic development to hosting and emceeing myriad events and being the Voice of Tracy on KMHL radio, he left an imprint on our hearts.  His booming voice, his handshakes and “pats” on the back, his laughter and smile will be missed by us all.  He was also involved in the Housing & Redevelopment Authority, Tracy Fine Arts Council, Prairie Home Hospice, Lyon County Fair, Tracy Area Chamber of Commerce, Star City Task Force for Industrial Development, Tracy Lions Club, Tracy United Fund, MN Board of Aging (St. Paul), Tracy Golf Club, and Tracy Box Car Days.  Con enjoyed reading, traveling, gardening, and golf, golf, golf!

Con is survived by his wife Sandi (Starken) Rettmer; children: Stacy (Doug) Neis of Minneapolis, Jane (Patrick) Belisle of Charlottesville, VA, Sara (Chad) Sammons of Rhinelander, WI, and Matthew (Heidi Simon) Rettmer of Castle Rock, CO; grandchildren: Mitch, Ben, and Ellen Neis, Gabby and Natalie Sammons, Lindsey and Peyton Rettmer; and the grand dogs; and sisters Lola Jean Mummert of Kirkland, WA, and Elaine Berry of Crystal. 

Douglas Schmiesing, 58

Douglas Paul Schmiesing was born August 17, 1955 to Russell and Fern (Renneke) Schmiesing at Redwood Falls Hospital, Redwood Falls, MN, Redwood County. He was baptized and confirmed in the Johnsonville Lutheran Church near Lucan, MN. As a young child, he lived in Johnsonville township until 1964 when the family moved to a farm near Walnut Grove, MN. Doug attended Lucan and Walnut Grove public schools, graduating from Walnut Grove High School in 1973. He went to Granite Falls Technical School for Auto Body for a year before returning to farm with his father in 1974.

On November 27th, 1981, Doug was united in marriage to Nancy (Trost) Schmiesing and lived on a farm south of Milroy. From this union, two wonderful children were born, Dane and Sonia. In 1992, when his parents moved to Tracy, Doug moved to his parent’s farm and took over the farming operation along with the Dekalb Seed business. Over the years, Doug continued to farm, sell seed, and drive truck for Eickhoff Enterprises Inc of Marshall, MN. He was a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Milroy, MN.

While growing up on the farm, he enjoyed riding his horse “Cookie” and racing around in his go-kart. Through the years, he enjoyed being with his family and friends, playing dice and card games, fast-pitch softball, bowling, hunting, boating, golfing and more recently canoeing and power parachuting. Anything for a “dare” or “bet” is what gave him his highs, along with the love he had for spending time with his family and friends, including antagonizing his son-in-law, Tony!

Doug loved to get involved in anything and everything he could. He was always ready to try new adventures. He enjoyed working hard and doing what he could to help others, especially his children and beloved mother in every way he could, often times before they even knew they needed help... he was there...with his million mile per hour attitude. He loved the challenge of flipping quarters for a pop when he brought the truck in from a run (even though his luck was a little weak in this area).

Doug was a people person and a giving man with a generous heart. He will be remembered for his upbeat and positive personality, his willingness to give of himself to others, and the father role he played in the lives of the children he cared so strongly for.

On Tuesday, July 29, 2014, Doug passed away unexpectedly at the Sanford-Tracy Area Hospital at the age of 58.                              

He is survived by his two children, son, Dane Schmiesing of Walnut Grove, MN, and daughter, Sonia (Tony) Meyer of Milroy, MN, his loving mother, Fern Schmiesing of Tracy, MN; brother, Scott (Barb) Schmiesing of Madison, WI;  sisters, Julie Schmiesing of Eagan, MN; Sheri (Doug) Barber of Appleton, WI.

He is preceded in death by his father Russell Schmiesing and his maternal and paternal grandparents.

Blessed be his memory.

Lorraine Wakefield, 83

Lorraine Wakefield, age 83 of Tracy, MN passed away on Monday, August 11, 2014 at the Sanford Orthopedic Center in Sioux Falls, SD.  Services will be at 10:00 am on Friday, August 15, 2014 at the Almlie – Horvath Funeral Home in Tracy.  Visitation will be from 4 – 7 pm on Thursday at the funeral home with a prayer service at 6:30 pm with visitation continuing one hour prior to the service on Friday.  Online condolences may be placed at www.almliefh.com.  The Almlie – Horvath Funeral Service of Tracy is caring for the family.

A full obituary will be published next week.