Arnold Goettig, 89

Arnold Goettig age 89 of Marshall passed away Thursday, April 30, 2015 at Morningside Heights Care Center in Marshall.  Memorial services are pending with Stephens Funeral Service - Tracy Area Funeral Home.  Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com. 

Frank Myer, 80

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, May 15, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. for Frank Junior Myer at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 720  1st Street in West Concord, MN with Father Thein Nguyen officiating.  Visitation will be 4:00-7:00 p.m. Thursday, May 14, 2015, at Czaplewski Family Funeral Home, 25, South Street SW in Dodge Center and one hour before the service at the church on Friday.

Frank Junior Myer, 80, peacefully passed away on Saturday evening, May 9, 2015, at his home, surrounded by his family, after his courageous battle with COPD, in Dodge Center. 

Frank Myer was born on September 17, 1934, in Hitchcock, South Dakota to Frank and Bertha (Scott) Myer.  He grew up on the family farm on Lake Shetek (outside of Garvin), Minnesota and graduated from Tracy, MN in 1952.  Frank served in the United States Army from 1955 to 1957, in Korea.  On June 27, 1964, he and Mary Jo Reynolds were married at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hayfield, MN.  Following their marriage they made their home in Waltham, MN and Frank was the Grain Manager for the Cargill Elevator.  In 1973, he began working as the Grain Manager  for Thoen Brothers Elevator in West Concord (which eventually became the Concord Co-op).  They moved to West Concord in 1974.  In 2007, they relocated to Dodge Center, MN.  They celebrated 50 years of marriage, raising five children, welcoming 14 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. 

Frank’s biggest passion was dancing with his bride of 50 years.  As a boy he loved to roller skate.  He enjoyed tinkering with just about anything.  He remodeled the Waltham and West Concord homes.  He enjoyed league bowling and golfing until his health declined.  Frank enjoyed the new age of electronics and gadgets.  After retirement, Frank enjoyed traveling with and being the Crew Chief of the Tommy Myer Race Team.  He was a dedicated fan of all his grandchildren’s school activities at Triton, Blooming Prairie and Kasson-Mantorville Schools.                                                     

Frank is survived by his wife, Mary Jo and 5 children, Thomas (Charlene) Myer, Natalie (Craig Bentzin) Louks, Rodney (Wendy) Myer, Gina (Mark) Head, Matthew (April) Myer; mother-in-law, Mary Reynolds-Reimann; one brother, Donald (Shorty) Fogelson; sisters-in-law, Rosalyn (Arvid) Tollefson, Annette (Larry) Ludwig, Janice Thompson, Patricia (James Kellner) Bergerson, Shirley (Linn) Thoen, Bridget (Gene) Tapp; brother-in-law, James (Elaine) Reynolds; 14 grandchildren, McKayla Myer, Weston Myer, RaeLynn (Ben) Mattick, Alicia (Matthew) Clock, Isaac Louks, Luke Myer, Elle Myer, Abraham Myer, Mallory (Bryce Long) Myer, Whitney Head, Gabrielle Head, Vanessa Head, Emma Myer, Chloe Myer; 5 great grandchildren, BrookLynn Mattick, Brystal Mattick, Rose Clock, Oliver Clock, Easton Long, and numerous nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his parents Frank (Fritz) and Bertha, brothers and wives, William and Glenna Fogelson, Harold and Skip Fogelson; sister-in-law, June Fogelson; father-in-law, Clayton Reynolds; brothers-in-law, Jerry Thompson, and Laverne Rollins.

Frank will be remembered by his family for his unconditional love, willingness to do anything for anyone, and his quiet calming nature, his service on the St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery Board, roasting whole hogs and chickens on the cinder blocks for the Lions Club and St. Vincent de Paul Fun Fest, watching golf and the Minnesota Vikings.  The family would like to thank the entire staff at St. Croix Hospice for their amazing care of Frank for over a year and a half.

Blessed be his memory.

Jimmy Welle, 79

Funeral services for Jimmy Welle, age 79, of Tracy will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 14, 2015 at the Lake Sarah Baptist Church in rural Garvin.  Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday with a time for sharing of memories at 7:00 p.m. at the Almlie -Horvath Funeral Home in Tracy and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.  Interment will be at Elm Creek Cemetery in Trimont, MN.  Online condolences may be placed at www.almlie-horvath.com.  The Almlie-Horvath Funeral Home in Tracy is caring for the family.

Jim A. Welle was born March 20, 1936 to Glen and Viola (Erickson) Welle at Webb, Iowa.  He was the oldest of four children.  At age 3, Jim’s family moved to a farm at Greenville, Iowa, where he grew up and went to school at the Greenvill Rossie schools.  He attended William Penn College at Oskaloosa, IA, for 2 years, he then went into the US Air Force for 4 years.  On August 25, 1957, he was married to Nancy McLellan at Spencer, IA.  They had 2 daughters, Linda and Susan.  After he returned from the Air Force in 1963, he went to work for the Caterpillar dealer in Fort Dodge, IA, as a diesel mechanic.  In 1977 he transferred to Spencer, IA, to take over the field mechanic position there.  In 1982, he went to work for Dickinson County, IA, as their head mechanic and worked there until he retired in 1998.  Jim and Nancy moved to West Okoboji, IA, in 1986.  They made many memories over the next 24 years with their children and 6 grandchildren on Lake Okoboji.  In 2010, they moved to Tracy, MN, to be near Susan and her family.

Jim was a true servant of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He loved the Lord and His Word and shared Jesus with all those he knew.  He was active in every church he was a member of, most recently Lake Sarah Baptist Church.  Over the years he taught Sunday School, was a church leader, sang in the choir, worked in Awana and on many occasions grilled for church events on the grill he had built. He had a beautiful singing voice.  For 30 years he has served the Lord in a Nursing Home ministry, through Bible studies, singing hymns and preaching from God’s Word.  He loved the residents and they loved him.

Jim enjoyed wood working, gardening, fishing, inventing and building with iron.  He was a very talented welder and mechanic and had to customize nearly everything he purchased.  Jim used his many talents in helping others.  He enjoyed playing games and cards with his family.  Jim was a devoted, faithful husband, loving caring father and grandfather, a frien to everyone and a genuine joy to be around.

Jim passed away suddenly on Friday, May 9, 2015 at the Sanford Medical Center in Sioux Falls, SD, at the age of 79. He is survived by his wife Nancy of 57 years; two daughters: Linda McDaniel of Des Moines, IA, and her children Amanda (Marcus) Frerk and Jonathon; Susan (Terry) Nelson of Tracy, MN, and their children Thomas, Asa, Jessica and Tony; two brothers: Ric (Marta) of Punta Gorda, FL; Ken (Linda) of Boyceville, WI and numerous relatives and friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Karen

John VanScharrel, 93

John VanScharrel age 93 of Pipestone, MN, died Friday, May 8, 2015 at the Pipestone County Hospice House. Funeral services were held Tuesday, May 12, at 11:00 a.m. at Christ the King Free Lutheran Church in Pipestone. Burial will take place at a later date. Hartquist Funeral Home, Pipestone handled the arrangements.

John Volrath VanScharrel was born on January 28, 1922 to Johann and Henrietta (Dringenberg) VanScharrel in Critzum, Germany and baptized on April 9, 1922.  In 1929, he immigrated with his family to the United States where they stayed for a brief time with relatives in Argonne, South Dakota and purchased an old bank where they resided until moving to Minnesota.  The family lived on and rented farms near Woodstock and Lake Wilson where John attended country school in Murray County District 56, graduating from the eighth grade on July 10, 1935. He was confirmed on June 14, 1936 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Lake Wilson.  Following his education, he helped his family on the farm they purchased northeast of Woodstock, Minnesota and worked as a farm hand for other farmers in the area. 

On February 22, 1947, John was united in marriage with Mae Rosella Gramstad at First Lutheran Church, Pipestone. Their union was blessed with four children.  John and Mae farmed for ten years on the family farm northeast of Woodstock.  He began building houses on the farmyard and in 1957 they built a house and moved to Ruthton, Minnesota.  During this time, John went into the building business full-time and Mae opened a beauty salon in their home.  In 1962, they bought the lumber yard at Holland, Minnesota, which he operated until his retirement.  In 1975, they moved to Pipestone.  In 1977, John and Mae built a home in Florida where they spent their winters enjoying the company of friends, golfing, and going on many cruises. That year they also bought a home on Lake Shetek where they spent many happy times together and with family.   John retired from the building business in 1986, having built more than 100 homes and many outbuildings in his years as a contractor. On November 11, 2009, Mae preceded him in death.  John moved to Ridgeview Estates in Pipestone, Minnesota in 2012. On April 15, 2015, he was transferred to the Pipestone County Hospice House where he passed away on Friday, May 8, 2015 at the age of 93 years, three months, and 10 days.

John was a member of Christ the King Lutheran Church, Pipestone.  John was a lifelong church member in congregations in Ruthton and Pipestone, Minnesota as well as Lehigh Acres, Florida.  While in Ruthton, he served on the church council and taught eighth grade Sunday School for many years.  He also served as the Mayor, Chief of Police, and on the town council in Ruthton.  He enjoyed traveling, spending time with family and friends, and woodworking.  He was a letter writer and a story teller and, in his later years, he spent many hours writing his life story because as he said “I’ve had an interesting life”.  His face was familiar at Lange’s Café where he enjoyed spending time visiting with friends and acquaintances.

He is lovingly remembered by his four children,  Joan (James) Powell of Lakeville, MN, Diana (Leon) Uilk of Pipestone, MN,  Gerald of Graham, WA and Patricia of Lake Stevens, WA.;  three grandchildren,  Forrest McKennett, Jarrod (Heidi) Uilk, and Janelle (Scott) Hampton; seven great-grandchildren; three sisters, Wilma Friedlund of Bloomington, MN,  Gerda Koopman of Litchfield, MN and Greta McDaniel of Pipestone, MN; and his dear friend, Doloris Pedersen of Pipestone, MN.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mae; his parents; one brother, George; one son-in-law, Rodger Dale McKennett; and other relatives.