October 2026
Complete obituaries can be found in the Paynesville Press each week.
October 2026
Complete obituaries can be found in the Paynesville Press each week.
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Janette Torborg, 89, Kansas
Janette Ann (Ridler) Torborg, 89, of Tonganoxie, Kan., formerly of Paynesville, Minn., Roseville, Minn., New Brighton, Minn., Colorado Springs, Colo., Shoreview, Minn., Burlington, Kan., and Perry, Kan., passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, at Vintage Park/Homestead of Tonganoxie, Kan. Janette was born Sept. 14, 1937, in Osakis, Minn., the daughter of Joseph and Louise (Housen) Ridler. She was a 1955 graduate of Paynesville High School in Paynesville, Minn. A homemaker and mother, Janette also worked as a bookkeeper for many years while living in Colorado Springs and Shoreview before retiring. She was a current member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Tonganoxie, Kan. Janette married Robert "Bob" Bernard Torborg on Jan.19, 1957, in Paynesville, Minn. He preceded her in death on Sept. 10, 2023. Survivors include a son, Michael (Kim) Torborg of Clarksville, Tenn.; two daughters, Carey (Scott) Henry of Oskaloosa, Kan., and Mary Jo Brunhaver of Gilbert, Ariz.; two sisters, Mary Beth Hyland of St. Bonifacius, Minn., and Kathy (Jim) Vigliaturo, Kansas City, Mo.; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by a brother, Daniel Ridler; and a son-in-law, Steve Brunhaver. A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Tonganoxie, Kan. The rosary will be recited at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday before Mass at the church. Memorials are suggested to the Sacred Heart Church Building Fund. Barnett Family Funeral Home of Oskaloosa, Kan., is assisting the family.
Sean Arthur Meagher, 57, of Medina, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. He was surrounded by his wife and three daughters. Sean was born April 5, 1969, to Arthur and Ethel (Kuebelbeck) Meagher, in Avon, Minn. He grew up in Paynesville, Minn., as the 13th of 15 children and graduated from Paynesville High School in 1987. Sean then studied at Hutchinson Technical College and performed non-destructive testing at nuclear power plants in the U.S. and abroad. An avid learner, he subsequently earned a degree from St. Cloud State University and worked in computer information systems before pursuing his true calling in law enforcement. Sean proudly served for 26 years with the Minnesota State Patrol, retiring as a Major in April 2024. During his career, he also earned a Master of Science in Criminal Justice, and served as an Intelligence Officer in the United States Navy Reserve. Beyond his career, Sean found his greatest joy in his family. He met his wife, Angela, while attending St. Cloud State University in 1992. They married in 1995 and welcomed their daughters Meg in 2000, Kate in 2003, and Elizabeth in 2007. Sean and his family cherished their years living near relatives in Paynesville and on the lake in Brainerd before settling in Medina in 2016. He treasured time with his family, especially watching movies, going on walks, and traveling together. He is survived by loving wife, Angela; daughters, Meg, Kate, and Elizabeth; siblings, Elaine Miller, Jane (Steve) Frieler, Jacklyn (John) Braun, Michael (Debbie) Meagher, Kelly (Andy) Mueller, Patrick (Lorie) Meagher, Mary (Elmer, Jr) Stommes, Shannon (Ron) Kuhl, Erin (Lanni) Meagher, Kerry (Ron) Jude, Margaret Meagher, Susan (Mike) Bougie, Peter Meagher, and Cory (Tammy) Meagher; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by parents, Arthur and Ethel Meagher, brother-in-law Larry Miller, sister-in-law Christine Meagher, and nephew Jacob Meagher. Visitation will take place on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, 5 to 7 p.m. at Gearty-Delmore Plymouth Chapel, 15800 37th Ave. N, and Friday at 10 a.m. preceding Mass at the church. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, October 16, 2026, 11 a.m. at The Church of the Holy Name of Jesus, 155 Cty. Rd. 24, Medina, with luncheon to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to American Cancer Society Hope Lodge (https://donate.cancer.org/?campaign=hopelodgeprogramdonate).
A celebration of life for Carol Mary (Bagley) Hedtke Jones, 82, of Regal, Minn., will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, at the Green Roof Area Center in Paynesville, Minn., located near Kwik Trip. Family and friends are invited to gather, share memories, and celebrate Carol's life. Carol was born on July 14, 1944, in Paynesville, Minn., to Lawrence and Margaret (Farnsworth) Bagley. She married Robert Hedtke in Regal in 1961. Later that year, Carol and Robert moved to Lake Placid, Fla., where they lived until 1966. They then returned to Regal for several years to be closer to family. Carol was a homemaker until 1978, when she moved her family back to Florida, where she remained to raise her children. While living in Florida, Carol worked at the orange packing house and cleaned houses for many years. She later divorced Robert. Carol remained in Lake Placid and enjoyed watching her family grow, especially as her grandchildren and great-grandchildren became part of her life. She was also a member of the Catholic Church. Carol met Larry in 1988, and in 1997, they moved back to Regal to care for her parents. Carol began working as a CNA at Paynesville Health Care, and she and Larry were married in 1999. Carol retired in 2008 and enjoyed a wonderful life on the Bagley family farm, which had been in the family for more than 100 years. Carol enjoyed many things throughout her life, including gardening, planting flowers, fishing, raising chickens, the winter season's first snowfall, and especially Christmas. She treasured her time with family and the many memories they created together. Carol entered Glen Oaks Nursing Home in March 2026, where she remained until her peaceful passing on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026. Her children, grandchildren, and family were by her side at the end of her life. Carol passed away at 1:50 a.m., receiving her angel wings and going home. Carol is survived by her husband, Larry of Regal; her daughters, Kathy (Ed) Mullen of Goshen, Va., and Kristal (Carlos) Russell of Regal; her sons, John (Denise) Hedtke of Regal and Jason (Angela) Hedtke of Indianapolis, Ind.; her grandchildren, Elijah Hedtke, Jason Hedtke Jr., Shelby Hicks, Ebony Hicks, Carlos Russell Jr., Acacia Russell, Carsyieona Russell, Cody Hedtke, Courtney Graber, Leven Russell, Ty-niyah Flowers, Erin Kleve, Jacob, Tia, and Luke Stafford, Keiiontay Brown, Moniq Hedtke, Strickher, Jesse, and Skylar Hedtke, Clarence (Julie) Mullens Jr., Melissa (David) Krene, Lisa (Jeff) Hamilton, Chrissy (Michael) Knaggs, and William (Laura) Bauer; along with 39 great-grandchildren; and 38 great great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence and Margaret Bagley; her sister, Pauline Bower; her former husband, Robert Hedtke; and three grandchildren, Eric Hedtke, Alexus Hicks, and Faith Russell.
Steven M. McCloud, 70, of Paynesville died on Sunday, Sept. 20, at his home. A visitation, sharing of stories, and social hour will be held at Johnson Funeral Home in Paynesville on Friday, Oct. 16, from 4 to 8 p.m. Steven Michael McCloud was born Jan. 5, 1956, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Judith (Oxley) Christensen and Robert McCloud Sr. At the age of five, he moved to Paynesville, where he would make his home for the rest of his life. He graduated from Paynesville High School in 1974. Following high school, Steve joined the United States Air Force, where he cultivated a discipline that he carried throughout his life. Afterwards, he worked long hours over his careers in construction, heavy machinery, and semi-truck driving. In 1993, Steve married Virginia Schmidt in Paynesville. In his free time, Steve loved to restore classic cars, work on engines and other repairs in his shop, maintain his yard, and talk to his friends and neighbors. He also enjoyed a good cup of coffee, motorcycle rides, grilling, welding, playing pool, prime rib, the Minnesota Vikings, and tending to a bonfire. Steve was a man who always spoke his mind and was quick with a witty remark. He loved to laugh and make others laugh. Steve is survived by his wife, Virginia McCloud; daughters, Rachel (Wren) Jorgensen and Sara Peterson; beloved dog, Autumn; and his siblings, Bob (Sharon) McCloud, Susan (Lief) King, Deb Christensen, Dana (Tammy) Christensen, and Amie Christensen. He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents. Donations to veterans organizations are preferred in lieu of flowers. Arrangements are with Harvey Anderson and Johnson Funeral Home in Paynesville: www.hafh.org.
John Edward Speldrich, 92 of Elrosa, Minn., passed away peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, at the Paynesville Health Care Center in Paynesville, Minn. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Elrosa with Rev. Kevin Soenneker presiding. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday at the church. Military honors will be provided by the Lake Henry American Legion. A meal will be served in the church basement by the Christian Mothers following the cemetery service. John was born Oct. 21, 1933, in Sauk Centre, Minn., to the late John "Hans" and Anna (Weinmann) Speldrich. In 1954, John married Alma Petermeier, and together they were blessed with a beautiful family and seven children. John achieved success across many distinct careers throughout his life. He proudly enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1954 and was stationed at Camp Irwin in California. Following his service, he returned to Minnesota to run the family farm. Recognizing that farming wasn't his final calling, he returned to school and became one of the leading auctioneers in the region, working for many years at the Belgrade Livestock Auction. Around the same time, John built and owned a thriving feeder pig business. Eventually, the allure of the California desert they fell in love with during his military service called them back, prompting John and Alma to relocate to Southern California. There, John started a new chapter as a car rental agent before returning to school once more to become a real estate agent, and eventually a real estate broker. He received numerous industry awards before retiring at the proud age of 90. Over his lifetime, John enjoyed bowling, snowmobiling, hunting, golfing, traveling, and - above all - lots of fishing. He was also a loyal, long-standing member of the Knights of Columbus and an active member of the Ameri-can Legion for over 50 years. John is survived by his loving wife of 72 years, Alma (Petermeier) Speldrich; his children, Bernadette (Keith) Morrison, Joe (Kelly) Speldrich, Marie (John) Illies, John (Mary) Speldrich, and Mark Speldrich; as well as 17 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Anna; his son, Gerald Speldrich; and his daughter, Alma Speldrich. In lieu of flowers and standard donations, the family kindly asks that you contribute to the Eagle's Healing Nest (310 Highway 71, Sauk Centre, MN 56378, 320-351-6200, or EagleHealingNest.org), in loving memory of John Edward Speldrich. Arrangements were made with Patton-Schad Funeral and Cremation Services of Sauk Centre. |