September 2009 Death Notices - Paynesville Press, Paynesville, Minnesota
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Complete obituaries can be found in the Paynesville Press each week.

September 2009

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Obituary Archives

Jerome Hiltner, 60, Wadena
Jerome Hiltner, 60, of Wadena died on Sunday, Sept. 27, in Wadena.

Funeral services were held on Thursday, Oct. 1, at St. John Lutheran Church in Wadena.

Jerome Joseph Hiltner was born on Sept. 6, 1949, to Edwin and Clara (Wolbeck) in St. Rose, Minn.

He married Anna VanderBeek on Jan. 11, 1969, in the Church of God in Eden Valley.

Jerome is survived by his wife, Anna; children, Jerry Joe (Missy) of Brainerd, Darrell (Becky) of Richmond, Sherri Hiltner of Big Lake, and Anna (Mike) Almer of Big Lake; six grandchildren; brothers, Sylvester of Belgrade, David of Hawick, Jim of Eden Valley, and Gary of Eden Valley; sisters, Marlene Burg of New York Mills and Bernice VanDorsten of Hawick; a sister-in-law; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edwin and Clara; an infant son; an infant daughter; and brother, Linus.


Armella Spanier, 79, Lake Henry
Armella Spanier, 79, of Lake Henry died unexpectedly on Wednesday, Sept. 30, after recovering from heart surgery at the St. Cloud Hospital.

Funeral services were held on Monday, Oct. 5, at St. Margaret's Catholic Church in Lake Henry. Burial was in the parish cemetery.

Armella Spanier was born on Sept. 22, 1930, to John C. and Monica (Ahmann) Braegelmann in Richmond.

She married John A. Spanier on May 12, 1959, at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Richmond. They farmed near Lake Henry until retirement in 1993. They shared 50 years of marriage.

Armella is survived by her husband, John; children, Jonelle (Roger) Heinen of New London, Julie (Dale) Schlangen of Lake Henry, Jane (Robert) Bertram of Spring Hill, James (Cindy) Spanier of Lake Henry, Joyce (Wayne) Borash of Sobieski, and Jeri Ann (Steve) Mathison of Willmar; 21 grandchildren; one great- grandchild; and sisters, Lydia Willenbring of Cold Spring and Sr. Burkard Braegelmann, OSB, of St. Cloud.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a granddaughter; and sister, Valeria Hettwer.


Ralph Boldt, 83, Paynesville
Ralph L. Boldt, 83, of Paynesville died on Saturday, Sept. 26, at his home.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 12 p.m., at Immaculate Conception Traditional Catholic Church in St. Cloud. Burial will be in the St. Louis Parish Cemetery in Paynesville.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 30, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Daniel Funeral Home in St. Cloud and after 11 a.m. on Thursday at the church.

Ralph Boldt was born on Nov. 14, 1925, to Louis and Aurelia (Hennen) Boldt in South St. Paul. He grew up on the family farm southwest of Paynesville.

Ralph was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII, who served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.

He married Irene M. Dickinson on Oct. 22, 1955, at St. Louis Catholic Church in Paynesville. Three sons and two daughters were born to this union.

At this time, Ralph found work at a reserve Mining Company in Silver Bay, which became their home for 33 years.

In 1988, they returned to Paynesville, where Ralph was employed at a local garden center for ten years.

Their union lasted until Irene's death on Jan. 4, 2003.

Ralph is survived by his children, Laura (Ken) Gellerman of Brooklyn Park, Ron (Tom Michels) Boldt of New Richmond, Wis., Wayne Boldt of El Paso, Texas, and Diane Boldt of St. Michael; three grandchildren; and two brothers, Leroy Boldt of Bloomington and Louis "Ben" Boldt of Cross Lake.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Irene; an infant son; and brothers, Earl and David.


Donald Johnson, 78, Litchfield
Donald Johnson, 78, of Litchfield died on Friday, Sept. 18, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at Zion Lutheran Church in Litchfield. Burial was in the Lake Ripley Cemetery in Litchfield, with military honors provided by the Litchfield Military Honor Guard. 

Donald LaVern Johnson was born on June 4, 1931, to Myron and Cora (Hanson) Johnson on the family farm in rural Benson.

He received his education from Benson schools, graduating from Augustana Academy in Canton, S.D. He continued his education at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D., and graduated from the University of Minnesota school of Mortuary Science in 1952.

Don served in the U.S. Army from 1952 until 1954. 

On Oct. 30, 1954, he was united in marriage to Alice Gosselin in Minneapolis. Three children - Timothy, Thomas, and Tanja - were born to this union.

Don worked as a funeral director for Thorsel Funeral Home in St. Paul. In October of 1960, he and Alice purchased the Hagglund Funeral Home in Litchfield. In 1964, he changed the name to Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home.

In 1994, he sold the funeral home to his son, Tim.

Don and Alice were able to spend time together with family and friends in Litchfield, at Lake Koronis, and in Florida.

Don is survived by his wife, Alice Johnson of Litchfield; children, Tim (Karen) Johnson of Little Falls, Tom (Kari) Johnson of Parker, Colo., and Tanja (Todd) Slack of Colorado Springs, Colo.; six grandchildren; sisters, Marcia Braaten of Minneapolis and Janice Joul of Jackson; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents.


Veronica Kotschevar, 102, Belgrade
Veronica Kotschevar, 102, of Belgrade died on Monday, Sept. 7, at the Belgrade Nursing Home.

Funeral services were held on Friday, Sept. 11, at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Belgrade. Burial was in the St. Agnes Catholic Cemetery in Roscoe.

Veronica Elizabeth Kotschevar was born on Sept. 22, 1906, to Lucas and Bernadine (Braeglman) Flint in Eden Lake Township.

She was baptized on Sept. 23, 1906, at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Richmond. She attended a small country school close to their family farm.

She married Christian Kotschevar on Oct. 2, 1928, at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. A son and a daughter were born to this union. The family made their home in the Roscoe area, where they farmed until Christian's death in 1966.

After Christian's death, Veronica moved to Paynesville, where she worked for the Paynesville Area Hospital, retiring in 1981.

After her retirement, she moved to the Oakridge Manor in Melrose.

In 2004, she moved to the Belgrade Nursing Home.

Veronica is survived by her daughter, Eileen Lieser of Belgrade; 10 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Christian; son, LeVern; siblings, Katherine Theilen, Mary Mackendanz, Leo Flint, and Theresa De Morrett; a grandson; and two great-grandchildren.


Brian Olson, 52, Eden Valley
Brian Olson, 57, of Eden Valley died on Monday, Sept. 7, at the Paynesville Area Hospital.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Svea Evangelical Lutheran Church in Svea, Minn. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Brian Olson was born on April 17, 1957, to Donald and Doris (Beske) Olson in Willmar. He was raised in Blomkest and has lived in Eden Valley since 1997.

Brian married Donna Lynn Nelson on Feb. 20, 1998, at Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas.

He was self-employed as a truck driver and was proud of purchasing his own truck in 1994.

Brian is survived by his wife, Donna, of Eden Valley; children, Chad (Angie) Olson of Pennock, Candy (Bob) Skaro of Willmar, Daniel Wright of Appleton, Wis., Denise (Russell) Wolf of Paynesville, Jennifer (Dennis) Kleinsasser of Sioux Falls, S.D., Caylee Kannich (fiancé, Leif Stinson) of St. Cloud, and Donald "D.J." Olson of Litchfield; mother, Doris Olson of Blomkest; brothers and sisters, Kevin Olson of Monticello, Brad Olson of Willmar, Doreen Cox of Wabasha, Jan Peterson of Lake Lillian, and Rod Olson of Crystal; and 15 grandchildren.

Brian was preceded in death by his father, Donald.


Lorraine Schreifels, 85, St. Cloud
Lorraine Schreifels, 85, of St. Cloud died on Friday, Sept. 4, at St. Benedict's Center.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in St. Cloud. Burial was in the family plot at St. Anthony's Parish Cemetery in Watkins.

Lorraine Schreifels was born on April 21, 1924, to Joseph and Wilhelmina (Ertl) Hierlmaier in Watkins.

She married Raymond C. Hartneck on April 10, 1945, in Watkins. She and Raymond lived in Watkins and farmed near St. Nicholas.

After Raymond's death in 1956, she moved to St. Cloud.

Lorraine married Francis G. Schreifels on June 27, 1959, in St. Peter's Catholic Church in St. Cloud.

Lorraine was employed in food service at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in St. Cloud from 1969 to 1980. She was later employed as a part- time bailiff with the Stearns County Courthouse.

Lorraine is survived by her children, Marvin (Carol) Hartneck, Carol (David) Ulring, and Jeanne (Michael) Woods, all of St. Cloud, Maynard Hartneck of Clearwater, Doris (Patrick) Pick-Gillespie of Hutchinson, and Bryan (Glory) Schreifels of Brooten; 22 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and brother, Andrew Hierlmaier of Watkins.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Raymond and Francis; two grandchildren; one sister; and two brothers.

Memorials are preferred.


Lawrence Gertken, 82, Cold Spring
Lawrence Gertken, 82, of Cold Spring died on Thursday, Sept. 3, at Assumption Nursing Home.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, Sept. 5, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Cold Spring. Burial was in the St. Boniface Parish Cemetery.

Lawrence Gertken was born on June 27, 1927, to John and Katherine (Athmann) Gertken in Richmond.

He married Isabel Wessels on May 30, 1951, in St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Farming. Their union lasted until Isabel's death in 2003.

Lawrence married Alicia (Steffens) Kohnen on Feb. 7, 2004, in Mesa, Ariz.

He farmed near Cold Spring and owned and operated Gertken Marl Service.

Lawrence is survived by his wife, Alicia; children, John (Mary) of Cold Spring, Ann (Mike) Scherer of St. Joseph, Duane (Shirley) of Richmond, Steve (Judy) of Cold Spring, Shirley (John) Zieglmeier of Cold Spring, Tim (Anne) of Cold Spring, Michael (Linda) of Cold Spring, June (Al) Ricke of Richmond, Lenny of Madison, Wis., and Larry Jr. (Brenda) of Richmond; step-children, Mary Ellen Bechtold, Debra Novacek, Robert Kohnen, Terri Fleischhacker, and Donald Kohnen; sisters-in-law; 26 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; 26 step-grandchildren; and 25 step-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Isabel; parents; siblings, Mary Ludwig, Henry Gertken, Norbert Gertken, Veronica Brinkman, Wendelin Gertken, Cyril Gertken, Benedict Gertken, Alice Moonen, Sylvester Gertken, and Clarence "Sonny" Gertken; a grandson; and stepson, James Kohnen.


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