Fern Nast, 83, Granger area resident
Fern Nast, 83, of Cresco, died Friday, June 1, 2001, at Cresco Care Center.
Fern Weinkauf was born July 21, 1917, in Cresco. On Oct. 19, 1944, she married Charles G. Nast, and they made their home on the Weinkauf family farm south of Granger. She was a legal secretary for the Anderson Law Firm in Cresco for many years prior to her retirement.
Survivors include her husband, two daughters, Sharla (Vic) Fencl of Protivin, Iowa, and Charlene (Wayne) Wilkins of Ottawa, Ill; three grandchildren; and a sister, Gertrude Bunge of Minneapolis. She was preceded in death by a brother.
The funeral was Tuesday at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Granger, with burial in the church cemetery.
Lindstrom Funeral Home, Cresco, was in charge of arrangements.
Bertha Nelson, 91, Ostrander resident
Bertha Nelson, 91, of Ostrander, died Saturday, May 5, 2001, at the Ostrander Nursing Home, where she had resided for about four years.
She was born June 19, 1909, in Winneshiek County, Iowa. She was the daughter of Nickolai Nelson and Kristine Skogen Nelson. She was baptized in the Lutheran faith and confirmed at Saetersdal Lutheran Church.
She was employed in Minneapolis while attending Lutheran Bible Institute, later moving to Seattle and was employed in the church office at Denny Park Lutheran. After returning to Ostrander, she was employed at Ostrander State Bank from 1948 to 1976 when she retired. She loved music and sang in the church choir and accompanied the Bloomfield male quartet for many years. She was active in the church, teaching Sunday school and the Women of Trinity. She also enjoyed traveling, taking trips to Hawaii, Alaska, and Norway, and many bus trips. Her family was special to her and they have many happy memories of gatherings in her home.
She is survived by one brother, Richard (Leona) of Ostrander; one sister, Myrtle Bellingham of Stewartville; two sisters-in-law, Marian Nelson of Harmony and Charlotte Nelson of Ostrander; three nieces and seven nephews. She was preceded in death by one sister, Nora Johnson, and four brothers, Oscar, her twin brother, George, Herman and Albert, and five infant brothers and sisters.
Funeral services will be held today (Wednesday) at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church at 1 p.m. with the Rev. Norman Bauer officiating. Burial in the Saetersdal Lutheran Cemetery, York Township, Fillmore County.
Hindt-Hutchins Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
D. Nelson Sr., 62, brother of GM woman
Dennis Waldo Nelson Sr., 62, of St. Cloud, Fla., formerly of Chatfield, died Thursday, March 30, 2001, in St. Cloud.
He was born Feb. 8, 1939, in Chatfield. He moved to central Florida in 1971. He worked as a mechanic.
Survivors include six children, Denise (Mike) Morris, Deanna Nelson, Doreen Nelson, Darcy (Chuck) Leone, Dennis Nelson and David Nelson, all of Rochester; 17 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; two sisters, Joan Knutson of Grand Meadow and Gloria Vandal of Rochester; and four brothers, Kenneth Nelson of Rochester, Willard Nelson of Rochester, John Nelson of Hoyt Lakes, Minn., and Glenn Nelson of Virginia, Minn.
The funeral was Monday at Macken Funeral Home in Rochester with the Rev. Allan Vrieze officiating.
Paul 'PJ' James Nelson, 75, of Wykoff
Paul "PJ" James Nelson, 75, of rural Wykoff, died Tuesday evening, March 13, 2001, at Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester following a long illness.
He was born Jan. 23, 1926, in Austin, the son of Lars Christian Nikolai and Engeborg (Pedersen) Nielsen. He was raised in Austin and was a 1944 graduate of Austin High School. He served in the U.S. Marine Corp during WW II. He married Solveig M. Bjerke July 8, 1945, in Grand Meadow. The couple made their home in Austin where he was employed by the Austin Police Department from 1946 to 1966. The couple then moved to the Twin Cities area where he worked as a supervisor at Silent Knight, a security manufacturer. He retired in 1988 due to ill health. In 1992 they moved to rural Wykoff.
He was a member of the Wykoff American Legion and area pigeon clubs. He was a former member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church and Westminister Presbyterian Church, both of Austin.
He is survived by his wife; four children, Stephen (Mary Lou) of Preston, James (Dorothy) of Blaine, Minn., Kenneth (Rose) of Minneapolis, and Karen (Dan) Clarin of Wykoff; 10 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; five stepgrandchildren; 12 stepgreat-grandchildren; three sisters, Lorraine LaPorte of Rochester, Joyce Anderson of Austin and Betty (Joe) Smith of Austin; and one brother, John (Doreene) Evenson of Woodbine, Ga.
He was preceded in death by one son, Thomas Owen; seven brothers and five sisters.
The funeral was Friday, March 16 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wykoff with the Rev. Bernard Daiker of Christ Lutheran Church in Preston officiating. Burial following cremation will take place at a later date in Carimona Cemetery in rural Preston.
Thauwald Funeral Home in Preston was in charge of arrangements.
Arden M. Nepstad, 85, of Lanesboro
Arden M. Nepstad, 85, a retired farmer and fish hatchery worker, died of Parkinson's disease on Thursday, July 19, 2001, at Harmony Health Care Center where he resided since 1996.
He was born Oct. 24, 1915, in Lanesboro and graduated from Lanesboro High School in 1933. He married Esther Quarstad on June 29, 1952, in Pilot Mound Lutheran Church. He farmed for 30 years and then worked at the Lanesboro fish hatchery for 15 years. He was also a school bus driver for seven years and for 20 years he and wife were custodians for Bethlehem Lutheran Church, retiring in 1995. He enjoyed gardening and fishing.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Richard (Jennifer) of Lanesboro and two grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a sister.
The funeral was held Monday in Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Lanesboro with the Rev. Kerry Eversole officiating. Burial was in the Lanesboro Cemetery.
Johnson-Riley Funeral Home in Lanesboro was in charge of arrangements.
Bernice Nielsen, 81, of Ostrander
Bernice Nielsen, 81, of Ostrander, died Saturday, June 9, 2001, at the Ostrander Nursing Home where she had resided for a short time.
She was born Nov. 20, 1919, in Lincoln Township near Albert City, Iowa, to Herman Braesch and Lena Peterson Braesch. Aug. 18, 1945, she was united in marriage to Rudolph Nielsen in Storm Lake, Iowa, and together they farmed in the Cherry Grove area for many years. She enjoyed gardening and growing flowers.
She was a member of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ostrander and was an honorary member of the Anna Circle. She was also a volunteer at the Ostrander Nursing Home.
She is survived by one daughter, Shirley (Darrell) Berg of Spring Valley; three sons, Jerry (Pixie) Nielsen, Larry (Jeani) Nielsen and Gary (Bev) Nielsen, all of the Cherry Grove area; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Kenneth (Phyllis) Braesch of Marathon, Iowa, and Arvid (Elvira) Braesch of Albert City, Iowa; also two sisters-in-law, Gladys Nielsen and Gladys Nielsen, both of Audubon, Iowa.
She was preceded in death by her her husband in 1972 and a granddaughter, Carol.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ostrander with the Rev. Norman Bauer officiating. Burial will be in the Bloomfield Cemetery, Bloomfield Township, Fillmore County.
Friends may call at the Hindt-Hutchins Funeral Home in LeRoy from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday and one hour prior at the church on Saturday.
Gage Riley Niemeyer, 3, Spring Valley
Gage Riley Niemeyer, 3, of Spring Valley, died Monday, Jan. 29, 2001, at University of Omaha Hospitals, Omaha, Neb., where he had undergone a multiple organ transplant.
He was born Nov. 17, 1997, in Rochester, the son of Dustin Niemeyer and Jackie Irish of Spring Valley, and had recently been named the local ambassador for the Rochester March of Dimes. He enjoyed Harley-Davidson motorcycles, John Deere tractors and four-wheel drive trucks.
In addition to his parents, survivors include three brothers, Cody, Hunter and Collin Irish, all of Spring Valley; maternal grandparents, Phillip and Elaine Miller of Rochester; paternal grandparents, Jeanette Niemeyer and Larry (Marlene) Niemeyer of Spring Valley; and paternal great-grandmothers, Sylvia Hebig of Spring Valley and Ella Niemeyer of Chatfield.
The funeral was Saturday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Spring Valley with the Rev. Kevin Woestehoff officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Hindt-Hutchins Funeral Home in Spring Valley was in charge of arrangements.
Frances Norby, 80, of Ostrander
Frances Hamlin Norby, 80, a retired school teacher, died Saturday, Aug. 11, 2001, at the Ostrander Nursing Home.
She was born Dec. 8, 1920, near Spring Valley. She graduated from LeRoy High School and went on to college at Winona State. She returned to Winona State in 1960 and received her four-year degree. She taught 29 years in Adams, LeRoy and Ostrander. She married Floyd Norby Sept. 2, 1942, and lived on a farm near Ostrander in Bennington Township for 60 years. She was a member of the Retired Teachers Association, Friends of Forestville and Ladies Aid. She also taught Sunday school and was superintendent for several years. She was also interested in sports.
Survivors include her children, Gary (Gwen) Norby of LeRoy, Doug Norby of Ostrander, Gayle (Gene) Reiland of Spring Valley, and Janet (Jerry) Rathbun of Spring Valley; nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; brothers Dean Hamlin of LeRoy and Wendell Hamlin of Ostrander. She was preceded in death by her husband.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, Aug. 14, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Ostrander with the Rev. Norman Bauer officiating. Burial in Bennington Lutheran Cemetery, Bennington Township.
Hindt-Hutchins Funeral Home in LeRoy was in charge of arrangements.
Walter J. Ode, 85, of Lanesboro
Walter Ode, 85, of Lanesboro, former co-owner of the Lanesboro Sales Commission, died of complications of a stroke Monday, Feb. 26, 2001, at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in LaCrosse, where he had been a patient five days.
He was born March 14, 1915, in rural Decorah, and lived there until moving to Lanesboro in 1947. On June 11, 1937, he married Marvel Mundt in Castalia, Iowa.
Mr. Ode was a farmer and auctioneer in the Decorah area, and after moving to Lanesboro started the Lanesboro Sales Commission, which he owned and operated with his cousin, Paul Evenson. He was a former member of the Lanesboro School Board, held several offices in Bethlehem Lutheran Church and was an officer in the Regional Sales Barn Operators Association. He was an avid bowler and baseball fan and enjoyed fishing.
Survivors include his wife; three sons, Carson (Constance) of Des Moines, Gerald (Patricia) of Roseville, Minn., and Wayne (Trudy) of St. Charles; a daughter, Diane (Gary) Roddy of Lanesboro; 14 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Two daughters, four brothers and a sister preceded him in death.
Funeral services were Friday at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Lanesboro, with the Rev. Kerry Eversole officiating. Spring burial will be in Lanesboro Cemetery.
Johnson-Riley Funeral Home in Lanesboro was in charge of arrangements.
Myrtle Odegaarden, 79, once of Mabel
Myrtle A. Odegaarden, 79, formerly of Mabel, died Tuesday, May 15, 2001, at Valley View Nursing Home in Houston.
Myrtle Alice Gorham was born July 8, 1921, in Warba, Minn., to Lester and Fanny (Watkins) Gorham. On June 11, 1940, she married Tollef Odegaarden. He died July 19, 1969. She had been a cook at Valley View Nursing Home for over 20 years. She was a member of Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Houston.
Survivors include three sisters, Neva (Clinton) Opsahl and Nelda (Cap) Sagdahlen, of Mabel, and Priscilla Thompson of Decorah; two brothers, Marvin Sherburne of Mabel and Milton Sherburne of St. Paul; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a brother, Francis Gorham.
Dale Oeltjen, 56, brother of 3 SV men
Dale Oeltjen, 56, of Rochester, died early Friday, July 13, 2001, at the Bear Creek Care Center in Rochester where he had resided for a short time.
He was born Dec. 24, 1944, in Bloomfield Township, rural Spring Valley to William and Anna (Pantze) Oeltjen. He moved with his parents in 1950 to Lamar, Mo., and graduated from Lamar High School. He joined the Army on Sept. 15, 1965, and served until Sept. 14, 1967. After his discharge, he lived in Alpena, Mich., for 15 years and returned to Rochester in 1999. He worked as a self-employed laborer and auto body repairman. He was never married.
He is survived by nine brothers, Ernest (Marjorie) Oeltjen and Albert (Karen) Oeltjen of Rochester, Rhienhart (Arlene) Oeltjen, William (Delories) Oeltjen, and Richard (Joya) Oeltjen, all of Spring Valley, Melvin (Barb) Oeltjen of Alpena, Mich., Donald Oeltjen of Trimble, Mo., LaVern (Hannah) Oeltjen and Marvin (Debbie) Oeltjen of Lamar, Mo.; four sisters, Mary Lou (Ralph) Rathbun of Rochester, Hilda (Russ) Haase of Watertown, S. D., Ruth (Les) Vrieze of Nipona, Calif., and Darla (Gerald) Reno of Lamar, Mo., and a sister-in-law, Eilene Oeltjen of Stewartville. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Edwin and Raymond, and a sister, Anna.
Services were held Monday at Hindt-Hutchins Funeral Home in Spring Valley with the Rev. Greg Heidorn of Grace Lutheran Church in Rochester officiating. Burial was in the Grand Meadow Cemetery.
Jacqueline C. Olson, 64, former SV resident
Jacqueline Collette Olson, 64, a retired Mayo Clinic employee, died Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2000, at Rochester Methodist Hospital.
Jacqueline Collette Nicholson was born March 6, 1936, in Spring Valley. She retired from the Mayo Clinic in May 1998. She was a member of Meadow Park Church of Christ and was a Sunday school teacher.
Survivors include three daughters, Ann Marie LePage of Cypress, Calif., Susanne Therese Hanley of Lee's Summit, Mo., and Andrea Jacqueline Nargan of St. Charles, Ill.; a son, Thomas N. of Stewartville; nine grandchildren; two sisters, Shirley Riley of Rochester and Kathy Oeltjen of Clinton, Mich.; and a brother, Robert Larson of Rochester.
The funeral was held Dec. 27 at Meadow Park Church of Christ in Rochester with the Rev. Arron Wager officiating. Private burial in Calvary Cemetery in Austin.
Ranfranz Funeral Home in Rochester was in charge of arrangements.
Robert K. Olson, 78, former area resident
Robert K. Olson, 78, died Jan. 16, 2001 in Minneapolis.
He was born May 5, 1922, at Grand Rapids, Minn. He grew up and attended school in the Ostrander-Spring Valley area. He was in the Navy for six years serving in the South Pacific as a medic during World War II. He married Juanita "Mickey" Clark on Aug. 12, 1948. They were later divorced. After the war he, along with his parents, operated the Spring Valley Chick Hatchery. He built and operated the Parkview Motel in Spring Valley. He later worked for Donaldson's Department Store in the Twin Cities.
He is survived by a son, James (Mary Jo) of 1191 Virginia Ave., St. Paul MN 55117; a sister, Jean Malizia of Loveland, Colo.; three nieces and three nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Grace (Hill) Olson.
A memorial service was held in Minneapolis on Jan. 19, 2001. Cremation Society of Minnesota was in charge of arrangements. Memorials are suggested to: State Services for the Blind Communication Center, 2200 University Ave. W. #240, St. Paul, Minn. 55114.
