Geneautry L. 'Gene' Wayne, 60, SV
Geneautry Leland "Gene" Wayne, 60, of Spring Valley, died Wednesday, Dec. 15, 1999, at Olmsted Community Hospital where he had been a patient a short time.
He was born Dec. 8, 1939, in Prairie du Chien, Wis., and attended schools there. He served in the Army and Navy. His first wife, the former Bonnie Severson, died in 1971. On May 24, 1997, he married Katie Bonnell in Elma, Iowa, and she survives.
In addition to his wife, survivors include two daughters, Penny Wayne and Candy (Mrs. Tim) Verdick, both of Rochester; a stepson, David Bonnell of Spring Valley; two stepdaughters, Rebeca (Mrs. Heath) Byrnes and Vicky (Mrs. Doug) Gossnell, both of Waukon, Iowa; three grandchildren; and a brother, Elgy of Greene, Iowa. Two brothers also preceded him in death.
The funeral was Sunday at Hindt-Hutchins Funeral Home in Spring Valley with Spring Valley VFW Chaplain Kelly Simpson officiating. Burial was in Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.
Hindt-Hutchins Funeral Home in Spring Valley was in charge of arrangements.
Alfred Herbert Wendel, Sr., 90, of Mabel
Alfred Herbert Wendel, Sr., 90, of Mabel and formerly of Spring Grove, died Tuesday, Oct. 5, 1999, at his son's home in Mabel.
He was born Jan. 1, 1909, in Churchtown, Iowa, to John W. and Bertha (Engelhorn) Wendel. He attended rural school in Churchtown and lived in Churchtown until moving to the Spring Grove area in 1930. He was a self-employed Oliver implement dealer in Spring Grove for over thirty years.
On Jan. 1, 1940, he married Ruth M. Lien in Trinity Parsonage in Spring Grove. She died Dec. 21, 1998. Mr. Wendel was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Spring Grove. He also belonged to the Spring Grove Baseball Association where he was a board member.
Survivors include two sons, Alfred Jr. (Laurie) of Mabel and Donald (Michele) of New Ulm, Minn.; three step-grandchildren, Quintin, Brook and Bryan Wilhelmson; two brothers, Harry Wendel of Lansing, Iowa and Bobbie (Maureen) Wendel of Fairmont, Minn. He was preceded in death by his wife, one sister Lillie, and three brothers, Howard, Clarence and Kermit.
Funeral services were Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Spring Grove. Burial was in the Trinity Church Cemetery. The Rev. Zane Anderson officiated.
Roble Funeral Home in Spring Grove was in charge of arrangements.
Carl John Wendt, 89, brother of GM woman
Carl John Wendt, 89, of rural Stewartville died Saturday, June 19, 1999, at Meadow Manor Care Center in Grand Meadow where he had resided for 3 1/2 years.
He was born Aug. 27, 1909, in High Forest Township, Olmsted County.
On Jan. 28, 1940, he married Bulah L. Reich at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. She died in October of 1987.
He grew up on the family farm and attended rural school and parochial school at Immanuel Lutheran Church. After their marriage the couple farmed the farm on which he was born, raised, and lived all his life.
He was a lifelong member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and served as an elder and held various church offices. He was a past member of the church cemetery board and served on the School District No. 69 Joint Board.
Survivors include two daughters, Cheralyn (Mrs. Dennis) Runkle of Rochester and Jean (Mrs. Glenn) McClellan of West Salem, Wis.; three sons, David, Dennis and Charles Wendt, all of Stewartville; 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; two sisters, Adeline Brandt of Rochester and Hattie Himmer of Grand Meadow.
He was preceded in death by four brothers and three sisters.
Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Pleasant Valley with the Rev. Rodel Eberle officiating and burial will be in Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery.
Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and until 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Griffin-Gray Funeral Home in Stewartville, and at the church for an hour prior to the service.
Carl Westphal, 83, Spring Valley
Carl Westphal, 83, of Spring Valley, died Friday, Dec. 10, 1999, at the Ostrander Nursing Home where he had been a resident a short time.
He was born Dec. 10, 1916, in rural Howard County near Riceville, Iowa, to Theodore and Katherine Westphal. On Aug. 3, 1940, he was united in marriage to Olive Tienter and to this union one son was born. Carl farmed in the Spring Valley area and later worked for McCarthy Brothers out of St. Louis, Missouri, and then Larson Construction in Rochester. For the past number of years he had been in partnership with his son, Jon, in the concrete finishing business.
He is survived by his wife, Olive, of Spring Valley; his son, Jon and wife Nadine, also of Spring Valley; two grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and one step-great-granddaughter; two foster children, Mary and Nancy; one brother, August Westphal of Choice, Minn.; and three sisters, Margaret Thompson of Spring Valley; Francis Link of Spring Valley; and Mabel Hamersma of Cherry Grove. He was preceded in death by his parents, five brothers and one sister.
Services were held Monday, Dec. 13 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Spring Valley with the Rev. David Wall officiating. Burial was be in the Spring Valley Cemetery.
Hindt-Hutchins Funeral Home in Spring Valley was in charge of arrangements.
Helen L. Westphal, 81, of Wykoff
Helen L. Westphal, 81, of Wykoff, died Thursday morning, Jan. 28, 1999, at Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester.
Helen Goldsmith was born Oct. 6, 1917, in Chatfield, Minn., the daughter of John and Dora (Oviatt) Goldsmith. She was raised in the Chatfield area and was a 1936 graduate of Chatfield High School. She married Lawrence Westphal Sept. 23, 1939, in Wykoff where the couple made their home. She worked as a telephone operator in Wykoff and then as a postal clerk at the Wykoff Post Office for 23 years until her retirement. Mr. Westphal died March 30, 1983. She became a resident of the Spring Valley Care Center in November 1996.
She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Wykoff and the Wykoff American Legion Auxiliary.
She is survived by two daughters, Cheryl Westphal of Rochester and Karen (Mrs. Dennis) Rosen of Perham, Minn.; four grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; one sister, Constance Kellogg of Wykoff; and one brother, Charles Goldsmith of Cortez, Colo.
She was preceded to death by her husband, four sisters and four brothers.
The funeral will be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1999, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Wykoff with the Rev. Karl Hollibaugh officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Thauwald Funeral Home in Wykoff was in charge of arrangements.
Gen Whalen, 80, formerly of Harmony
Gen (Mary Genevieve) Whalen, 80, of 5418 Woodland, Stevens Point, Wis., and formerly of Harmony, died Friday, Nov. 5, at home.
She was born on June 18, 1919, in Bluffton, Iowa, the daughter of George and Olive (Pidcock) Whalen. She graduated from Harmony High School and attended the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing at Dubuque. She married John Whalen on August 14, 1939, at Nativity Catholic Church in Harmony.
She was co-publisher with her husband of weekly newspapers in Tyndall, S.D., Nora Springs, Iowa, Poplar Bluff, Mo., and Madelia, Minn.
In addition to being a housewife and newspaper woman, she was active in church and civic organizations, and was a Cub Scout den mother and a 4-H leader. Since moving to Stevens Point in 1997, she was a member of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. She enjoyed playing bridge, crocheting, reading, theater, music, ceramics and traveling.
Surviving are her husband; two daughters, Mary Whalen of Stevens Point and Kay (Pat) Boeckenstedt of Dyersville, Iowa; two sons, John (Peggy) of Brookings, S.D., and Mike (Jane) of Mankato; 10 grandchildren, Cathy Juran, Kris Lawrence, Michelle Burditt, Kim, Carla and Kelly Boeckenstedt, and Shawn, Brennan, Brian and John Whalen; seven great-grandchildren; and a sister, Lorraine McCabe of Farmington. She was preceded in death by a sister, Ann Banet, and an infant granddaughter, Christine Genevieve Whalen.
Funeral services were held Monday, Nov. 8, at Nativity Catholic Church in Dubuque with the Rev. Wayne Ressler and the Rev. Charles W. Whalen concelebrating the Mass. Burial was in Mount Olive Cemetery in suburban Key West.
Edna A. Wiemerslage, 74, of Spring Grove
Edna Augusta Wiemerslage, 74, of Spring Grove, a former longtime Eitzen resident, died Saturday, Nov. 27, 1999, at Tweeten/Lutheran Health Services in Spring Grove.
She was born Feb. 9, 1925, and attended rural school in Allamakee County, Iowa. On May 19, 1949, she married Fremont F. Wiemerslage in Eitzen. He died in 1982. She lived in the Eitzen area all her life until entering the nursing home. She was a member of St. Luke's United Church of Christ in Eitzen and its women's groups.
Survivors include one son, Dick of Eitzen; one daughter, Susan Wiemerslage of Rochester, and one sister, Mabel Nosbisch of New Hampton, Iowa. She was preceded in death by her husband, three brothers and three sisters.
The funeral was Tuesday at St. Luke's United Church of Christ in Eitzen. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Roble Funeral Home in Spring Grove was in charge of arrangements.
Walter Wilbright, 100, of Preston
Walter Martin August Wilbright, 100, of Preston, died Saturday, May 15, 1999, at Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester.
A retired farmer and laborer, he was born May 18, 1898, in Tomahawk, Wis., the son of Oscar and Alvina (Pfiefer) Wilbright. He moved with his family to rural Fountain in 1910 and later to rural Preston. On Aug. 1, 1929, he married Helen Pfremmer and the couple made their home on a farm in rural Preston. His wife died Jan. 26, 1960. In February of 1964 he married Clara Hanson and she died Aug. 18, 1964.
He retired and moved from the farm to Preston in 1970 and entered the Preston Good Samaritan Care Center on July 15, 1994.
He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Preston and enjoyed fishing, dancing, visiting with people, playing cards and woodworking.
He is survived by a son, Harvey, of Titusville, Florida; a daughter, Doris Leeseberg, of Preston; one grandson, Wayne Wilbright, of New Orleans, La.; a granddaughter, Kathy Leeseberg, of Harmony and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by four sisters, one brother and a granddaughter.
The funeral service was Tuesday at Christ Lutheran Church, with the Rev. James Rushton and the Rev. Karen Grandall co-officiating. Burial was in Crown Hill Cemetery in Preston.
Thauwald Funeral Home in Preston was in charge of arrangements.
Mabel M. Wilke, 70, former SV teacher
Mabel M. Wilke, 70, of Rochester, a retired teacher, died of cancer Friday, July 16, 1999, at her home.
Born July 6, 1929, in Rochester, she lived there all her life. She taught elementary school and special ed students in Rochester School District 535, Spring Valley and Albert Lea for more than 30 years. She was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Survivors include three sisters, Alice (Mrs. Ellsworth) Hall of Worthington, Minn., Clarrene (Mrs. Robert) Ballard of Hayfield and Patricia (Mrs. James) Zitzmann of Indianola, Iowa. A sister preceded her in death.
A memorial service was held Thursday at Redeemer Lutheran Church with the Revs. John Schleicher and James Haining co-officiating. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery in Stewartville.
Macken Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to Orphan Grain Train, sponsored by Lutheran Layman's League.
Hugh Fryer Willmarth, 95, formerly of SV
Hugh Fryer Willmarth, 95, of Rochester, a retired Spring Valley farmer and school custodian, died Monday, Jan. 25, 1999, at Fairview Nursing Home in Dodge Center where he had resided since Feb. 1996.
He was born Nov. 21, 1903, in Racine and married Dorothy Denny on Nov. 19, 1933, in Spring Valley. A farm laborer in Spring Valley for many years, he lived here from 1942 until 1992 when he and his wife moved to Rochester. He was also a supervisor for the former Reed-Murdock canning company in Rochester and was a custodian at Spring Valley High School at the time of his retirement in 1971. He was a member of Homestead United Methodist Church and had belonged to the Spring Valley Kiwanis Club and Odd Fellows.
Survivors include his wife; three sons, David of Cottage Grove, Minn., Robert of Rochester and Donald of Huntsville, Ala.; two daughters, Darla (Mrs. Frank) Moore of Keewatin, Minn., and Rita (Mrs. Howard) Kane of Minneapolis; 13 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Donna Chaddick of Hemet, Calif. He was preceded in death by two brothers, a sister, one grandchild and one great-grandchild.
A memorial service will be held at a later date at Homestead United Methodist Church with the Rev. Duane Gebhardt officiating. The body will be cremated. Burial will be in Frankford Cemetery near Spring Valley.
Macken Funeral home was in charge of arrangements.
Donna W. Wilson, 87, formerly of SV
Donna W. Wilson, 87, of Austin, formerly of Spring Valley, died Monday, June 14, 1999, at Burr Oak Care Center in Austin.
Donna W. Vansickle was born March 20, 1912, in Maynard, Iowa, graduated from high school in Randalia, Iowa, and attended nurses training in Postville, Iowa, for two years. On Nov. 11, 1936, she married Henry Cheney; he died Aug. 2, 1957. She married Alford Wilson Jan. 14, 1961, in Nashua, Iowa; he preceded her in death on Feb 18, 1996. She was business manager of Spring Valley Hospital and also worked in the mail order department of the Spring Valley Sears store. She was a member of Faith United Methodist Church, a 45-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Up-to-Date Club, and the Arts and Crafts Club of Spring Valley. She enjoyed traveling.
Survivors include two daughters, Janice (Mrs. Freeman) Welch of Chatfield and Ann (Mrs. Jack) Durst of Champlin, Minn.; three sons, Henry B. Cheney of Austin, Russell Wilson of Birmingham, Ala., and A. G. Wilson of Gillette, Wyo.; 15 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Edna Wilter of Sarasota, Fla., and Hattie (Mrs. Kenneth) Watson of Protem, Mo. Four brothers and three sisters preceded her in death.
The funeral was Wednesday, June 16, at Faith United Methodist Church in Spring Valley with the Rev. James Ross officiating. Burial was in Hamilton Cemetery in Sumner Township, Fillmore County.
Hindt-Hutchins Funeral Home in Spring Valley was in charge of arrangements.
Gerald Wilson, 68, of Mabel
Gerald Wilson, 68, a longtime Mabel area farmer died suddenly Wednesday, May 19, 1999, at the Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital in Decorah.
He was born on April 12, 1931, in Cresco, Iowa, to Gilbert and Eleanore (Leferink) Wilson. He attended Cresco area schools and graduated from the Cresco High School. He served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean Conflict. After returning from Korea, he began farming in the Cresco area. In 1952 he married Evelyn Creger. In 1964 the couple moved to the Mabel area where they continued farming. She died in 1986. In 1987 he married Betty Ford. They have remained on the farm since. He was a member of the Burr Oak Lutheran Church in Burr Oak, the American Legion for 37 years, and was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
He is survived by his wife of Mabel; three sons, Larry (Myrna) of Mabel, Michael (Connie) of Cresco, and Randy (Pam) of St. Cloud, Minn.; two daughters, Diane (Mrs. Steve) Eiken and Connie (Mrs. Murrel) Mathison, both of Mabel; two stepdaughters, Michelle (Mrs. Steve) Nesteby of Decorah and Lyra (Mrs. Tedd) Peterson of St. Paul, Minn.; his mother of Cresco; two sisters, Maureen Hunt of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Margaret Bronner of Cresco; two brothers, Gordon of Cedar Rapids and Norbert of California. He was preceded in death by his father, his first wife, and a brother, Donald.
Funeral services were Saturday at the Burr Oak Lutheran Church in Burr Oak with Rev. Hans Floan officiating. Burial was in the Burr Oak Cemetery with military rites by the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Mengis Funeral Home in Mabel was in charge of arrangements.
Leon A. Winch, 76, formerly of Canton
Leon A. Winch, 76, of Rochester, died of cancer Wednesday, Aug. 18, 1999, at his home.
He was born Nov. 16, 1922, in Canton Township, Fillmore County, grew up on a farm there, attended Canton schools and graduated from Mabel High School in 1940. He then moved to Rockford, Ill., and was employed at Ingersoll Machine Co. In 1956 he moved to Rochester and was a machinist at IBM until his retirement in 1985. He and his first wife, the former Doris Gardner, were divorced. On Nov. 20, 1971, he married Lois Arneson in Henrytown. She is a retired nursing instructor. He was a member of Zumbro Lutheran Church, charter member of the IBM Quarter Century Club, a life member of the IBM Retirement Club and a member of the Rochester Senior Citizen's Center and Rochester Woodcarvers. He was a Boy Scout leader and adviser for Explorer Post 150, Police Explorers, and received the Order of the Arrow. He enjoyed fishing and woodworking.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Robert of Stewartville; two grandchildren; a sister, Clara Erickson of Mabel; and two brothers, Aulden of Stewartville and Charles of Rockford, Ill. A son, three sisters and a brother preceded him in death.
Funeral services were Saturday at Zumbro Lutheran Church with the Revs. Lester J. Horntvedt and Carol Solovitz co-officiating. Burial was in Oakwood Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to cancer research or Zumbro Lutheran Church.
Vine Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
