Helen L. Winslow, 56, Spring Valley native
Helen L. Winslow, 56, of Preston, died from cancer Friday, Feb. 12, 1999, at the Preston Good Samaritan Care Center.
She was born Helen Linaman to Fred and Agnes (Megears) Linaman on Jan. 20, 1943, in Spring Valley. She was raised there and graduated from Spring Valley High School in 1961. She worked at Saint Marys Hospital and for Libby's before she married Elmore Winslow on Feb. 19, 1966, in Fountain. They made their home on a rural Preston farm, and when they retired from farming in 1989, they moved into Preston. She was a member of the Preston VFW Auxiliary and enjoyed crocheting and needlework.
Survivors include her husband; a son, Glenn of Rochester; two daughters, Ruth (Mrs. Darrin) Browning of Baraboo, Wis., and Rita (Mrs. L.C.) Smith of Rochester; a stepson, Boyd Winslow of Claremont; nine grandchildren; her mother, Agnes Linaman of Preston; a sister, Donna (Mrs. Paul) Merkel of Spring Valley; and four brothers, Bernard of Kenyon, Frank of Rochester, Jim of Arizona and Donald of Nevada. She was preceded in death by her father and two brothers.
The funeral Mass was Tuesday at St. Columban Catholic Church in Preston, with the Rev. Thomas Loomis and the Rev. Anthony Fink officiating. Spring burial will be in the Fillmore Cemetery in rural Wykoff.
Thauwald Funeral Home in Preston was in charge of arrangements.
Andrew 'Jim' Winter, 73, father of SV man
Andrew James "Jim" Winter, 73, of Eyota, a lifelong area farmer, died Thursday, June 17, 1999, at his home from complications of emphysema.
He was born May 9, 1926, in Eyota Township and graduated from Eyota High School in 1944. He served in the U. S. Marine Corps for a year and a half in southern California. On Dec. 11, 1951, he married Betty Tremper in California. The couple lived in Minneapolis from 1952 to 1957, when they moved to the family farm near Eyota. He also worked as operations manager for Arnold's Supply Company in Rochester. He was a member of Faith United Methodist Church of Eyota and enjoyed gardening.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Stephanie Winter of Shorewood, Minn., and Melanie Winter of Oak Park, Ill.; two sons, Brett of Spring Valley and Todd of Eyota; two grandchildren; two sisters, Nita Parker of Chisholm, Minn., and Esther Stuard of Tucson, Ariz.; and a brother, Ernest of Green Valley, Ariz. He was preceded in death by two sisters and two brothers.
The funeral was Monday at Faith United Methodist Church in Eyota, the Rev. Kate Pettersen officiating. Burial was in Oakgrove Cemetery in Eyota.
The family suggests memorials to Faith United Methodist Church or the Mayo Hospice program.
Vine Funeral Home in Eyota was in charge of arrangements.
Marjorie Wissing, 84, of Preston
Marjorie Wissing, 84, of Preston, died Wednesday, Dec. 8, 1999, at the Harmony Health Care Center in Harmony.
Marjorie Tammel was born on May 20, 1915, in Bristol Township, Fillmore County, the daughter of Jacob and Jessie (Broadwater) Tammel. She attended Prairie Queen school and graduated from Preston High School in 1934. After graduation from normal school, she taught at Empire, Willow Creek and Big Springs schools. On May 3, 1941, she married Merlin Wissing at her parents’ home. They farmed on the Wissing homestead for 40 years. She was a member of Greenleafton Reformed Church as was active in circle and taught Sunday school and catechism.
She is survived by one daughter, Dianne (Mrs. Rich) Ongna of Eden Prairie, Minn.; two sons and daughters-in-law, Dave and Joan, and Dean and Sharon Wissing all of Preston; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two sisters, Vyla Blough and Gayle Hodgson, both of Waterloo, Iowa; two brothers, Donne Tammel of Preston and Juan Tammel of Harmony. She was preceded in death by her husband and one infant brother.
Funeral services were Sunday at the Greenleafton Reformed Church in rural Preston with Rev. Jonathon Loper officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Thauwald Funeral Home in Preston was in charge of arrangements.
Ernest Woellert, 86, of Preston
Ernest "Ernie" Woellert, 86, of Preston, died Friday, Jan. 1, 1999, at the Preston Good Samaritan Center in Preston.
He was born May 21, 1912, in Earlville, Iowa, the son of Frederick and Wilhelmina (Dettbarn) Woellert. He attended school and lived in Earlville until 1935 when he moved to the Preston area.
On Nov. 30, 1936, he married Edith Erickson of Harmony and the couple made their home on a farm near Harmony. They moved to Preston in 1946.
He was a Preston school bus driver for a number of years and then drove truck for livestock buyer Targe Christianson and later for John Turck Trucking. He was in charge of opening and closing the graves in local cemeteries for many years, and also owned a scrap metal business. His hobbies included gardening, fishing, playing pinochle and travel.
He is survived by his wife, Edith, of Preston, two daughters, Kathryn Johnson of Robbinsdale, Minn., and Patricia Warrington of Red Wing; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mathilda Romig of Cedar Rapids and Irma Haugen of Estacada, Ore. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and five sisters.
Funeral services were held Tuesday at Christ Lutheran Church with the Rev. James Rushton and the Rev. Joe Schularick co-officiating. Burial was in St. Paul Norwegian Lutheran Cemetery in rural Preston.
Thauwald Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Phyllis Woellert, 67, of Preston
Phyllis Woellert, 67, of Preston, a home decorator and waitress, died Wednesday, Jan. 20, 1999, at Gundersen-Lutheran Hospital in LaCrosse, Wis.
Phyllis Mulhern was born Dec. 6, 1931, in Wykoff, and graduated from Wykoff High School in 1949. In 1950 she married Loren Woellert at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Preston and they farmed in the Preston area before moving into town in 1957. She did wallpapering and painting and was a waitress at a number of restaurants. She and her husband owned and operated the Rebound Inn in Preston. She was a member of the Sewing Club, was an active member of Christ Lutheran Church and was an election judge for many years.
Survivors include her husband; two sons, Jeffrey and Michael, both of Preston; a daughter, Sharon (Mrs. Jerry) Hampel of Preston; seven grandchildren; her mother, Emma (Eickhoff) Mulhern of Spring Valley; and a brother, Eugene Mulhern of Spring Valley. She was preceded in death by her father and a sister.
The funeral was Saturday at Christ Lutheran Church in Preston with the Rev. Joe Schularick officiating. Burial will be in the spring.
Thauwald Funeral Home in Preston was in charge of arrangements.
Zetta M. Wojtkiewicz, 79, Wykoff
Zetta M. Wojtkiewicz, 79, of Wykoff, died Monday evening, Nov. 1, 1999, at Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester following a lengthy illness.
Zetta Margarette Burns was born May 28, 1920, in Bathgate, N. D., the daughter of Royal and Eva (McConakey) Burns. She was a 1939 graduate of Bathgate High School. She attended nurses training in Grand Forks, N. D., graduating in 1942 with a RN degree. She married Joe Wojtkiewicz March 27, 1945, in St. Paul. The couple made their home in St. Paul where she worked as a nurse at Midway Hospital. They moved to Wykoff in 1949 where she worked with her husband in their plumbing business and was a homemaker. She worked at the Preston Nursing Home from its beginning and retired as director of nursing in 1985.
She was a member of St. Kilian Catholic Church in Wykoff where she had been active in its altar society. She was also a member of the American Legion and VFW Auxiliaries. She had also been a volunteer coordinator for the American Red Cross Bloodmobiles.
She is survived by her husband, Joe; one daughter and son-in-law, Patricia and Harlan Hostager of Zumbrota; four sons and daughters-in-law, Michael of Preston, William and Diane of Preston, James and Marilyn of Wykoff and John and D-Anna of LeRoy, Minn.; daughter-in-law, Cindy (Mrs. Robert) of Stewartville; eight grandchildren; eleven step-grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; and one sister, Helen Elliot of LosAltos, Calif.
She was preceded in death by one son, Robert.
The funeral Mass was held Friday, Nov. 5, 1999, at St. Kilian Catholic Church in Wykoff with Rev. Russell Scepaniak officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Thauwald Funeral Home in Wykoff was in charge of arrangements.
Mahla C. Wondrasch, 95, Spring Valley
Mahla C. Wondrasch, 95, of Spring Valley, died Sunday morning, Jan. 24, 1999, at Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester.
Mahla Grabau was born Jan. 24, 1904, in Forestville Township, Fillmore County, the daughter of Albert and Bertha (Winter) Grabau. She married Louis Wondrasch Sept. 24, 1924, in Wykoff, Minn., where the couple made their home on several farms. He died March 15, 1950. She moved to Rochester in 1953 where she worked at Methodist Hospital until her retirement in 1966. She moved to Spring Valley in 1964 and became a resident of the Spring Valley Care Center in December 1991.
She was a member of First English Lutheran Church in Spring Valley and was active in its Ladies Aid. She was also a member of the Spring Valley Senior Citizens.
She is survived by one daughter, Elaine Sanford of Spokane, Wash.; one son, Dale, of Spring Valley; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; one brother, Roy Grabau of Wykoff; one sister, Lenora Hintze of Spring Valley, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by one daughter and three brothers.
The funeral will be at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 27, 1999, at First English Lutheran Church with the Rev. Robert Burmeister officiating. Burial will be in the St. John's Lutheran Cemetery in Wykoff.
Thauwald Funeral Home in Spring Valley is in charge of arrangements.
Mabel Wurtzler, mother of Fountain woman
Mabel F. Wurtzler, 89, of Chatfield, a former cook and care giver, died Tuesday, June 15, 1999, at Chosen Valley Care Center in Chatfield where she had resided two months.
Mabel F. Krueger was born April 7, 1910, in Jesup, Iowa, and lived there until moving to rural Chatfield with her family when she was six years old. She later lived in Rochester before returning to the Chatfield area. She had resided in Chatfield since her marriage to Paul C. Wurtzler on Aug. 28, 1935, in Winona. Her husband died April 8, 1992. Mrs. Wurtzler was a cook at the hotel in Chatfield and care giver for Mr. and Mrs. George Haven. She was a member of Pioneer Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include three daughters, Paula (Mrs. Morris) Kolstad and Sandra (Mrs. Jerry) Asleson, both of Stewartville, and Kay (Mrs. Thomas) Starken of Fountain; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and three sisters, Alice Stehlik of Austin, Berniece Spitzer of St. Charles and Cecelia Lane of Rochester. Two brothers and a sister preceded her in death.
A memorial service was held on Friday at Pioneer Presbyterian Church in Chatfield with the Rev. Richard G. Jones officiating. Burial was in the Chatfield Cemetery.
Riley Funeral Home in Chatfield was in charge of arrangements.
Donald Yarwood, 80, formerly of Burr Oak
Donald R. Yarwood, 80, of the Stewartvilla Apartments in Stewartville, died of an apparent heart attack on Friday, Dec. 10, 1999, at his home.
He was born Aug. 11, 1919, in Winneshiek County and grew up on the family farm in rural Decorah. He married Rosalie Kneeskern on Sept. 9, 1945, in Burr Oak and they farmed in the Decorah area and later in Fillmore County. They were later divorced.
He moved to Rochester in 1963 and worked at the Kahler Hotel until his retirement. He lived in Stewartville for the past four years. He belonged to the First Pentecostal Church.
Survivors include two sons, Raymond of Eagan, Minn., and James of Durham, N.C.; two daughters, Shirley Pittman of Silver Springs, Fla., and Rose Marie Weets of Rochester and 10 grandchildren. A son preceded him in death.
A memorial service was held on Monday at the First Pentecostal Church in Rochester. There was no visitation. His remains were donated to Mayo Medical Center.
Griffin-Gray Funeral Home, Stewartville, was in charge of arrangements.
Ernest F. Yonkovich, 77, formerly of G.M.
Ernest F. Yonkovich, 77, of Onalaska, formerly of Grand Meadow, died Saturday, Dec. 4, 1999, at his home.
Born Nov. 5, 1922, in Granada, Minn., he attended school in Wells, Minn., and later moved to Grand Meadow with his family. On Nov. 26, 1943, he married DeVera Johnson in Grand Meadow. From 1944 to 1946 he served in the Navy. He began a 31-year career with Ruan Transport as a transport driver in Spring Valley in 1948, transferred to La Crosse, Wis., in 1965 and continued there until his retirement. He was a member of Onalaska American Legion Post 336.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Sharon Flies of Windsor, Wis., and Shirlee Yonkovich of Menlo Park, Calif.; two sons, Steve of Onalaska and Scott of La Crosse; six grandchildren; and three sisters, Mary (Mrs. Bernard) Warmka of Spring Valley, Helen Laycsak of Chicago and Irene Bates of Austin. He was preceded in death by a grandson and a brother.
The funeral will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Lutheran church in Onalaska, Wis., with the Rev. Ryan Aarestad officiating. Burial will be in Onalaska Cemetery with military graveside rites by American Legion Post 336.
Dickinson Family Funeral Home in Onalaska was in charge of arrangements.
Neil Ryan Yost, 33, Kingsland coach
Neil Ryan Yost, 33, of Rochester, an IBM employee, died unexpectedly Monday evening, July 12, 1999, in Spring Valley.
He was born Nov. 11, 1965, in Mankato, Minn., and graduated from LeRoy-Ostrander High School in 1984. On Dec. 26, 1992, he married Julie Miller at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ostrander. He was a teacher for seven years before beginning his employment at IBM two years ago. He had been senior high school basketball coach at Kingsland High School in Spring Valley.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Ethan, of Rochester; his parents, Darold and Marlene Yost of LeRoy; two brothers, Douglas of Eyota and Roger of Eden Prairie, Minn.; and a sister, Jolene (Mrs. Alan) Hansen, of Rochester.
The funeral was Friday at LeRoy Lutheran Church with the Rev. Tom Kolden officiating. Burial was in LeRoy Lutheran Cemetery.
Hindt-Hutchins Funeral Home in LeRoy was in charge of arrangements.
Shirley Zanotti, 68, sister of Mabel woman
Shirley Zanotti, 68, of California, died Sept. 23, 1998. She was born on Dec. 11, 1929, in Brookings, S. D., to Lester and Alma Sinclair. She was a sister of Donna (Mrs. Buddy) Johnson of Mabel.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 19, at 2 p.m. at the Mabel First Lutheran Church in Mabel with the Rev. Percy Larson officiating.
