Headlight Herald - Serving Tracy, Minnesota, since 1880

Ruby M. Hines age 87 of Tracy, MN died Saturday, February 1, 2014 at the Prairie View Senior Living in Tracy. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 AM Thursday, February 6, 2014 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy. Visitation will be from 5:00 until 7:00 PM Wednesday at the Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy, with a rosary at 5:00 PM and a prayer service at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue one hour prior the service at the church on Thursday. The luncheon will be served immediately following the service in the church social hall, with the interment in the Calvary Cemetery in Tracy at 1:30 PM. The Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy is handling the arrangements.

Ruby Mae Himes was born May 23, 1926 to Simon and Anna (Mehlhausen) Larson in Watertown, SD. She attended McKinley Grade School and graduated with the National Honor Society from Watertown High School in 1944. As a young woman she was employed as a court recorder and as a meter reader, before she was united in marriage to Richard Williams on December 2, 1945 in Watertown.

They moved to Missouri soon after they were married and then returned to Watertown shortly before Richard’s death in 1948. She worked as a photo re-toucher for Gunn’s Photography and Gray’s Studio, both located in Watertown. On February 9, 1950 Ruby married Walter R. Hines in Watertown, where they made their home. They moved with their family of three children to Tracy, MN in 1963.

She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, an active member of the Catholic Church Women and was historian for St. Mary’s Catholic Church. She was also a member of the Sunshine Club, PrimeTimer’s Club, Tracy American Legion and V.F. W. Auxiliary’s and served as historian for the V.F.W. Auxiliary. Ruby delighted her family and friends with her creative sewing skills, making sock monkeys, crotched clothing, baby layettes and afghans. She especially loved spending time with her many grand, great and great-great grandchildren.

On Thursday, January 30, 2014 Ruby became a resident of the Prairie View Senior Living in Tracy, where she died, Saturday, February 1, 2014 at the age of 87.

Ruby is survived by her son, Patrick (Eileen) Hines of Eagle Lake, MN; her daughter, Joan Zvorak of Tracy, MN; son, Michael (Bernadette) Hines of Minneapolis, MN; nine grandchildren, Jondell (Maria), Joseph, Jaymes, Matthew and Elizabeth Hines, Loellen Preston, Ry Ann (Ben) Norris, and Eddie (Kathy) and Aaron Zvorak; nine great grandchildren, Reuben and Jondell Hines, Devin (Tony) Whitford, Kylan, Kaylee and Karnren Hines, Sophia Norris,and River and Raven Zvorak; two great-great grandchildren, Tiger and Landon Whitford; many nieces, nephews and friends.

Her two husbands, Richard Williams and Walter Hines, her parents, two sisters, Alta (Milan) Cook and Alice (Myron) Resen, all her many brothers and sisters-in-law, and several nieces, nephews and many friends preceded her in death. She often said she was, “the last of the Mohicans”.

Doris Labat age 84 of Sleepy Eye, formerly of Milroy and Marshall, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 1, 2014 at the Sleepy Eye Care Center. Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 5, 2014 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Milroy. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. Wednesday until the time of services at the church. Interment is in the church cemetery. Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com. Stephens Funeral Service - Redwood Valley Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Doris M. (VanOverbeke) Labat was born June 29, 1929 near Ghent, Minnesota to Arthur and Josephine (Jennen) VanOverbeke. She was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith. She attended Cottonwood Public Schools, graduating in 1947. Doris went on to practice nursing at the Tracy Hospital.

On August 23, 1950, Doris was united in marriage to John P. Labat at St. Clotilde’s Catholic Church in Green Valley, Minnesota. Together, Doris and John lived on the family farm in rural Milroy where they raised their family of seven children.

Doris is survived by her children: Beverly (Ron) Petersen of Sleepy Eye, Dave (Jodi) Labat of Mesa, AZ, John J. (Lynn) Labat of Milroy, Julie (Alan) Macht of Marshall, Dan (Julie) Labat of Detroit Lakes, and Laurie (Jim) Allex of St. Cloud; 23 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings: Vincent (Lucella) VanOverbeke, Ronald (Deloris) VanOverbeke, Audrey (George) Bakker, Marlen (Judy) VanOverbeke; and many other relatives and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband John P. Labat, infant son Steven, brothers Francis VanOverbeke and James VanOverbeke, sister Phyllis Bot, and infant brother Jerome VanOverbeke.

Patricia Lies, 65

Patricia Jo “Trish” (Stassen) Lies was born in Granite Falls, MN to Donald & Crystal Stassen on March 27, 1948, and baptized at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church.

In 1949, she moved with her family to Tracy, MN where they purchased the Hanapel Photography studio. They renamed the business Stassen Photography.

Trish attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and St. Mary’s Church, where she was confirmed. She attended Tracy High School, where she was busy with many activities and had many friends. After earning her high school diploma in 1966, she attended the College of St. Catherine’s in St. Paul and became a Registered Nurse. After college, she worked at the University of Minnesota Hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit.

Trish and Don met at Tiffany’s, a popular gathering spot for St. Catherine’s and St. Thomas University students. They fell in love, and were married on August 15, 1970. The couple was blessed with two sons: Todd and Andrew.

Trish enjoyed being a mother, wife, and homemaker, and had many interests, including golf and reading.

In recent years, Trish was a volunteer, and later an employee for Pacer, a non-profit organization that assists people with disabilities. Pacer helped found the National Anti-Bullying organization. She loved her work and enjoyed spending time with her many friends.

Four of her nursing classmates at St. Catherine’s were lifelong friends, and were a great source of support for Trish and Don as complications arose from her diabetes, which she lived with since the seventh grade. Her friends were there for her during all of her medical difficulties. Trish’s St. Kate’s friends told Don that when he married Trish, they came along with the package.

Trish’s first stroke occurred in March of 2013. Trish fought valiantly, smiling through it all, to overcome her problems, but that wasn’t in God’s plans. She passed away peacefully on Jan. 16, 2014, at the Little Hospice of Edina and became the “Angel” her husband had called her.

A Mass for Trish was held at St. Edwards Catholic Church in Bloomington on Jan. 21.

She is survived by her mother, Crystal Stassen of Tracy; husband Don; sons Todd (Amber) and Andrew; sister Judy (Francis) McGuinn, brother David (Kathy) Stassen, and many loving nephews, nieces and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her father, Don; grandparents (Stassens and Mooers), and many uncles, aunts, and cousins.

Her friends and family members will miss her smiling face, and loving spirit. Blessed be her memory.

Arnold K. McDaniel age 95 of Tracy, MN died Sunday, January 5, 2014 at the Sanford Tracy Area Medical Center. Services will be 11:00 AM Saturday, February 8, 2014 at the Tracy Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 5:00 until 7:00 PM Friday, February 7, 2014 at the Almlie Funeral Home, with a prayer service at 7:00 PM, and continuing one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Interment will be in the Tracy City Cemetery with a luncheon served in the church social hall immediately following the burial. The Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy is handling the arrangements. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made payable either to the Tracy Methodist Church-Basement Window Fund or the Tracy Masonic Lodge’s Tracy Matched Funds Food Shelf Drive. Please mail to either Mason Dave Hicks of Tracy, MN or Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy.

Arnold Kenneth McDaniel was born September 25, 1918 to Samuel and Marie (Balle) McDaniel in Island Lake Township in western Lyon County, near Tyler, MN. He was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith and attended country school. On May 18, 1934, during the depression’s worst week of dust storms, Arnie’s youngest sister was born and his father died that same day. Arnie and his older siblings took care of the younger children and managed to stay on the farm through crop failures, bitter winters, and bankruptcy. His lifelong approach to his work ethic, values, persistence, enjoyment and faith, was galvanized by this experience.

On July 9, 1944 Arnie married Everal Faye Kennedy in the Marshall Methodist Church. He many times expressed this opinion that Everal was the best influence on his life. Moving from the Marshall area to Tracy in 1946, his wife started teaching and Arnie worked various jobs until he landed a job at Gordon Mattson’s John Deere dealership in December of 1950. With a dream to farm, Arnie found a friend and mentor in Gordon, who helped him get started in 1953. Able to buy land in the 1960’s, Arnie had made it to the good ground around Tracy. They moved out to the farm in 1972 and into Tracy in 1990. A lifelong John Deere man, he formed a special friendship with a young John Deere employee, Ron Holmbeck, who restored Arnie’s 1959 “630” to mint condition. It later made the 1994 John Deere calendar.

Arnie enjoyed fishing, card playing, horseshoes, and town team baseball. He served as both president and secretary of the Tracy Engineers baseball team for many years and was a driving force in the forming of the Wheels Across The Prairie Museum in Tracy. Most of all he loved spending time with his family, local history, giving of his time to the community and as many know, visiting with anyone. He was a member of the Tracy United Methodist Church and Tracy Lions Club, and his faith and friendships nourished by community and congregation helped him grow and stay relevant in his later years. His recent involvement with the Tracy Food shelf had a big impact on his outlook, his focus to serve, and to build new friendships.

He lived out his dream with dignity, promoted his community with enthusiasm, held strong opinions along with deep concern for others, and lived with vitality. Arnie moved into the O’Brien Court Apartments and became a patient of Sanford-Tracy Area Medical Center shortly before his death on Sunday, January 5, 2014 at the age of 95.

Arnold is survived by his one son, Ron (Marcia) McDaniel of Tonka Bay, MN; one daughter, Nyla (Ragnar) Nordvik of Sammanish, WA; three grandchildren, Markus (Kasey) Nordvik, Ryan Nordvik and Kari Nordvik all of San Francisco, CA; one sister, Shirley Whitlock of Upland, CA; one sister-in-law, Lauraine McDaniel of Marshall, MN; many nieces, nephews and friends.

His wife, Everal, his parents, six brothers, Adrian (June), Orville (Alma), Eldon (Julia), Marion (Shirley), Lowell and Irvin McDaniel, five sisters, Beatrice (Marlin) Peterson, Cleone (Guy) Stewart, Arlene (Everett) Buchert, Alice (Ozzie) Reed, and Yvonne (George) Tanghe, and brother-in-law, Guy Whitlock preceded him in death.

Funeral services for Gerald Schreier, age 77 of Currie were held at Immaculate Heart Of Mary Church in Currie, MN on Friday, January 31, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. with Fr. Andrew Vogel officiating. The organist was Patty LeClaire. The song leaders were LoAnn Hansen and Kris Hansen. The pallbearers were his grandsons and the gift bearers were his granddaughters. Interment was at Calvary Cemetery Currie, MN.

Gerald (Gerry) Schreier was born on August 10, 1936 in Slayton, Minnesota to Joseph and Rosella Beach Schreier. He grew up on the family farm near Currie, MN. Gerry attended Immaculate Heart of Mary High School in Currie and graduated in 1954. While in high school he was well known for his boxing skills. He continued boxing after high school and is well remembered as a Golden Gloves Champion.

On September 8, 1956 he and Lita Holles were married at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. Following their marriage they farmed northeast of Currie later purchasing that farm. In addition to farming, Gerry also worked at the Lake Shetek State Park for 29 years. He took great pride in his work at the park and enjoyed spending time camping there on the weekends. In 1980 Gerry started to cut back and Melvin and Robert took over more of the family farming operation. Gerry and Lita remained on the farm until 2004 when they moved to Currie.

On January 2, 2014 due to failing health, Gerry moved to Our House Hospice Home in Slayton and passed away there surrounded by his family on Monday, January 27, 2014 at the age of 77.

He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church where he served as an altar boy, lectored for mass and many family weddings, ushered, served as a communion distributor and on the parish council. Gerry enjoyed spending time with his family, farming, golfing, bowling, hunting, camping, playing cards and shooting pool.

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Lita Schreier of Currie, MN, nine children and their spouses, Monica and Burdell Braa of Luverne, MN, Melvin Schreier of Slayton, MN, Robert and Carol Schreier of Currie, MN, Vernon Schreier of Cibolo, TX, Donald and Lisa Schreier of Russell, MN, Nancy and Troy Fiegen of Wood Lake, MN, Romain and Julie Schreier of Wood Lake, MN, Jerome and Cari Schreier of Slayton, MN, and Ramona and Scott Boadwine of Ellsworth, WI, 19 grandchildren, Matt (Dawn) Braa, Mike (Kaili) Braa, Jenny (Joel) Evens, Jess (Dennis) Doeden, Samantha (Randy) Wynia, Kim Schreier, Sarah (Travis) Plantz, Ashley (Mark) Buysee, Amber (Adam) Synder, Ben (Leah) Schreier, Becky Schreier, Brad (Cassie) Schreier, Tim Schreier, Kassidi Fiegen, Karissa Fiegen, Cory Schreier, Lindsey Schreier, Kyle Schreier, and Jeremy Boadwine, 12 great-grandchildren, Carter Braa, Mariah Braa, Dylan Doeden, Erica Doeden, Gavin Wynia, Dane Hanson, McKinley Plantz, Maverick Snyder, Jayda Snyder, Laura Schreier, Andrew Schreier and Mia Schreier, six brothers and sisters and their spouses, Duane and June Schreier of Currie, MN, Bernadine Kremer of Iona, MN, Evelyn and Daniel Ackerman of Tracy, MN, Mary and Darrell Foster Maple Grove, MN, Francis and Mary Schreier of Emily, MN and David and Alice Schreier of Currie, MN.

He is preceded in death by his parents, grandson, Eric Schreier, two brothers, Vincent and John Schreier.

Totzke Funeral Home of Slayton was entrusted with arrangements. To send condolences visit totzkefuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers memorial may be sent to Murray County Hospice, Slayton, MN.

Raymond Van De Wiele, 81

Raymond F. Van De Wiele age 81 of Tracy, formerly of Walnut Grove passed away Monday, February 3, 2014 at Prairie View Senior Living in Tracy surrounded by his family. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:30 a.m. Friday, February 7 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Walnut Grove with visitation one hour prior to the service. Visitation will be 4:00-7:00 p.m. Thursday, February 6 at the Tracy Area Funeral Home with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service. Burial is in Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Walnut Grove. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorials to Prairie View Senior Living in Tracy and Compassionate Care Hospice in Worthington. Stephens Funeral Service – Tracy Area Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com.

Raymond F. Van De Wiele was born July 19, 1932 on the family farm in Springdale Township, Redwood County, Minnesota, to George and Elisa (Maeyaert) Van De Wiele. He was baptized on July 24th, 1932 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy, and he was later confirmed there as a youth. Ray attended country school northeast of Tracy, and later attended Walnut Grove Public School.

On August 20, 1952, Ray was united in marriage to Beverly Lavicky at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy. Ray was drafted into the U.S. Army on January 28, 1953 and served during the Korean War. He received his honorable discharge on December 2, 1954. After his military service, Ray returned to the Walnut Grove area. He began dairy farming northeast of Walnut Grove in North Hero Township. Together the couple lived on the home farm for 25 years until 1983 when they moved one mile to the west. They lived there another 25 years before moving to Tracy in 2008. Over the years Ray did assorted custom welding work with metals, and he enjoyed working on his own machinery. Ray served as Commander of the American Legion Alfred Nelson Post 267 in Walnut Grove, and was an active member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Walnut Grove. Ray enjoyed spending time on the lakes fishing, pontooning, and boating. Another of Ray’s hobbies he enjoyed was playing rolle bolle. Ray and Bev experienced many travels together including Alaska, Mexico, and Florida. They also spent four years wintering in Arizona. Ray loved spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Ray is survived by his wife of 61 years, Bev of Tracy; children: Fran (Teresa) of Garvin, Jeff (Sharri) of Milroy, Laurie (Greg) Vosberg of Tracy, and Lisa (Tim) Schenk of Harrisburg, SD; grandchildren: Travis Van De Wiele (Kim Keul), Amy (Eric) Trulock & Abby (Michael) Hubin, SrA Philip (SrA Laira) Van De Wiele, Derek, Dayna, & Destiny Vosberg, Lance Corporal Mitchell Schenk, and Meagan Schenk; great-grandchildren: Sydney Vanderwall & Olivia Van De Wiele, Hattie, Lilly, & Aubrey Trulock, Mikayla, Gabrielle, & Reilly Hubin. He is further survived by his siblings: Alice Vandendriessche, Julie (Jim) Claeys, twin brother Rich (Pearl) Van De Wiele, Maurice (Judy) Van De Wiele; brothers-in-law Fran (Marcia) Lavicky and Denny Lavicky; and many other relatives and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents George and Elisa, mother and father-in-law Ted and Lil Lavicky, grandson-in-law Chris Hannasch, brothers Oscar and Augie Van De Wiele, sister Mary Vandeputte, sisters-in-law Rita and Marlene, brothers-in-law Don Vandeputte and Paul Vandendriessche.