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Irene I. Kruchten
Irene I. Kruchten, age 81, of Catherine Square, Foley, MN, formerly of the Ramey, MN area died September 28, 1997 at the Foley Nursing Center.
Funeral services were October 2 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Foley with the Rev. Michael Dagel officiating. Burial was in the Lone Pine Cemetery, Morrill, MN.
Irene Kruchten was born May 25, 1916 in Bellingham, MN, to Carl and Ida (Grube) Zahn. She married Edgar Struck in 1933, John Kommer on February 25, 1947 in Minneapolis, and Wilfred Kruchten on November 23, 1969 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Ramey. She had lived in the Ramey area from 1947 to 1985, in Little Falls for four years, and for the past nine years, has lived in Foley at the Catherine Square. She was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Ramey. Irene was a member of the Gilman VFW Auxiliary Post 1558, a member of the Hillman and Gilman Senior Citizens.
Survivors include sons and daughters, Meryln and Nancy Struck, Reseda, CA; Marlin and Helen Struck, Foley; Ardyce and Roman Lance, Foley; Sandra and Leroy Thurber, Brooklyn Park, MN; Lucille and Jerry Purdy, Minneapolis; Betty Erickson, Minneapolis; Donna Salisbury, Lexington, MN; 22 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by husbands, Edgar Struck, John Kommer, and Wilfred Kruchten, infant son, Kenny, sisters and brothers, Evelyn Unzen, Erna Kommer, Mildred Micholski, William, Ervin, Gerhardt and Clarence Zahn, and great-granddaughter, Robyn Theisen.
Pallbearers were Bruce Lance, Craig Lance, Nelson Lance, Randy Struck, Kevin Purdy, Richard Struck, John Thurber and Gary Salisbury.
Elsie A. Reinhardt
Elsie A. Reinhardt, age 83, a resident of Little Falls, MN, died October 1, 1997 in Eden Prairie, MN.
Funeral services were held October 4 at Zion Lutheran Church in Little Falls, with the Rev. Martin Langemo officiating. Interment was in Riverside Cemetery in Royalton, MN.
Elsie Anna Reinhardt was born on December 21, 1913 in Milbank, S.D. to the late Thomas and Emma (Lindercamp) Hansen. The family lived in Ortonville and Anoka, MN before moving to Royalton in 1926 where Elsie attended school. On October 5, 1939, Elsie was united in marriage to Harold Henry Reinhardt at the Zion Lutheran Church in Little Falls. Following their marriage, the couple made their home in Little Falls on South Lindbergh Drive where Elsie resided since 1941 and where she was a homemaker and mother to their family. Elsie also worked for a number of years at the former Munsingwear Plant, Crestliner Boats and Larson Boat Works. She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Little Falls where she was active in the Ladies Aide Society.
Survivors include her sons, Jerry A. Reinhardt and wife, Barbara of Eden Prairie, MN and Roy R. Reinhardt and wife, Dolores of Hinckley, MN; sister, Meta Hagen of Little Falls; grandchildren, Michael, Nathan and Melissa Reinhardt and Steven and Douglas Driver and great-grandchildren, Jason, Amy and Kasie Driver.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold (April 27, 1983); parents, brothers, Albert and Emil Hansen; sister, Mabel Fisher and grandson, Kenneth Driver.
Pallbearers were Michael, Nathan and Melissa Reinhardt.
Memorials are preferred to Zion Lutheran Church.
Sister Mary Francis (Olivia) Winter
Sister Mary Francis (Olivia) Winter, age 90, died at St. Francis Convent, Little Falls, MN on Wednesday, October 1, 1997.
Funeral services and burial services were held at St. Francis Convent on October 4.
Sister Mary Francis was born on January 5, 1907, near Greenwald, MN. She was the fifth of 15 children born to the late Michael and Elizabeth (Hansen) Winter. She was accepted as a Franciscan Sister of Little Falls, MN on August 12, 1929. She made her first profession of vows on August 12, 1931, and final vows, August 10, 1934. She celebrated 60 years as a Franciscan Sister in 1989. She earned her diploma as a registered nurse from St. Gabriel’s School of Nursing, Little Falls, MN, and later attended St. Gabriel’s School of X-Ray and became a certified technician. Sister Francis spent her entire ministry in health care at St. Gabriel’s Hospital, Little Falls. She was a night supervisor, 1934-1937. She ministered in the x-ray department from 1938-1971—serving as head of the department for 25 of those years. From 1971-1980 Sister Francis continued at St. Gabriel’s as a patient visitor. In 1981, she semi-retired to St. Francis Convent where she assisted with some chapel work and worked in activities where she continued her life-long skills of knitting, crocheting and tatting. In 1990, for health reasons, she futher retired to a more contemplative manner of living.
Survivors include her brother, Edwin, Holdingford; sister, Sister Jeanne, OSF, Little Falls; many nieces and nephews, and her Sisters in religious life.
Clarence Nelson
Clarence A. Nelson, age 90, a resident of Little Falls, MN, died October 1, 1997, at the Lutheran Senior Citizens Home in Little Falls.
Funeral services were held October 3 at the Shelley Funeral Chapel in Little Falls with Rev. Harold J. Kost officiating. Burial was in Holy Family Catholic Cemetery in Belle Prairie, MN.
Clarence was born August 31, 1907, in Chicago, IL, to the late Charles and Ella (Johnson) Nelson. The family came to live in the Freedhem, MN, area when Clarence was a young boy. He grew up and attended country school in the Freedhem area. Clarence was united in marriage to Laura Mae LeBlanc on November 7, 1939, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Belle Prairie. The couple resided in Little Falls Township. In 1948 they moved to Belle Prairie Township and farmed until retiring in 1992. In 1995, Clarence became a resident of the Lutheran Home in Little Falls. He loved all his animals.
Survivors include his son, Robert “Bob” Nelson and wife Maureen of Little Falls; daughter, Marilyn Novotny and husband Jack of Little Falls; brother, Leonard Nelson of Little Falls; sisters, Viola Nelson of Little Falls and Frances Nelson of Little Falls; grandchildren, Karel Fleck, Kurt Novotny and Nicole Erpelding; great-grandchildren, Jonathan, Abby and David Fleck and Jake Novotny.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Laura Mae in 1992; sister, Lillian Nelson; brothers, Frank, Lester and Raymond Nelson.
Pallbearers were John, Roger, Chip, Gale and Eldon LeBlanc and Ron Walkviak.
Geneva Johnson
Geneva “Gen” Johnson, age 93, a resident of Upsala, MN, died October 13, 1997, at St. Otto’s Care Center in Little Falls, MN.
Funeral services were October 18, at Community Covenant Church in Upsala with Pastor Craig Johnson officiating. Burial was in the Riverside Cemetery in Royalton, MN.
Geneva was born in Royalton on May 6, 1904, to William C. and Louise (Thompson) Chapman. She graduated from St. Cloud Teachers College. Her first teaching job was in Elmdale. She also taught at Staples, Sauk Centre and Upsala. She was united in marriage with Vernon Johnson on August 23, 1941, in Seattle, WA. They returned and resided in Upsala, where she taught elementary school for many years. Geneva taught Sunday School at Community Covenant for many years, and was also active with the Bible Study Group. She was a member of the local sewing group and was always very active in her church.
Survivors include two brothers, William Chapman of Freeport, Ill., and Delbert Chapman of Faribault, MN; and eight nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Vernon; and two sisters, Helen Jones and Mitzi Rolf.
Casketbearers were Col. Rick Erlandson, Philip Johnson, Tim Johnson, Bill Osberg and Dean Peterson.
Verna M. Colbeck
Verna M. Colbeck, age 77, died of cancer on October 22, 1997, at the home of her daughter in Olympia, WA.
A memorial service and interment took place at the Veterans Cemetery of Kent, WA.
Verna was born on October 1, 1920, in Superior, WI, to the late Chester and Lula (Yates) Carpenter. In 1928 the family moved to Little Falls, MN. Verna attended grade school in Little Falls and graduated from the Little Falls High School in 1938. She attended the Normal Training Department in Little Falls, and the St. Cloud State Teachers College. She taught in rural schools in Morrison County, namely at Twin Lakes, Ft. Ripley, and Little Elk, and at the Washington Elementary School in Alexandria, MN. After taking a business course, she went to work for Cargill in Minneapolis. During World War II she moved to California where she was employed at an Army Discharge Center in Oakland. On July 25, 1948, she was united in marriage to Paul Frederic Colbeck at Santa Ana, CA. They lived in Columbia, CA for many years before moving to Kent, WA in 1988.
Survivors include her husband, Paul of Kent; daughters, Connie Colbeck of Olympia, WA, Barbara Muzzey and husband Bruce of Kent; grandchildren, Rebekah, Elspeth, Breanne, and Benjamin Muzzey; sister, Doris L. Kazeck of Elk River, MN; brother, Donald Y. Carpenter and wife Donna of London, OH, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Augusta Kuehne
Augusta A. “Schlenz” Kuehne, age 82, a resident of St. Otto’s Care Center and formerly of Swanville, MN, died of leukemia October 25, 1997, at St. Otto’s Care Center in Little Falls, MN.
Mass of Christian Burial was held October 28, 1997, at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church in Swanville, MN, with the Rev. Thomas Meyer officiating. Burial was in the Springbrook Cemetery in Swanville.
Augusta Agnes Schlenz Kuehne was born June 28, 1915, in South Dakota, to the late Peter and Emma (Wilker) Bollino. She grew up in the Swanville area and attended school in the Swanville school system. After her schooling she moved to the Randall and Cushing area for a few years. She then returned to the Swanville area and worked as a housekeeper and waitress for the Swanville Cafe. She was united in marriage to Ervin Schlenz in the mid 1940s, and they resided in the Swanville area. Ervin passed away February 2, 1982. Augusta was then united in marriage to Edwin Kuehne June 6, 1985, at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church in Swanville. Augusta was a member of St. John The Baptist Catholic Church at the time of her death. The couple was still residing in Swanville at the time of her death. Hobbies included sewing, traveling, fishing, visiting with friends and spending time with her family.
Survivors include her husband, Edwin Kuehne of Swanville; son, Gary Schlenz and wife Kathy of Little Falls; sisters, Edith Quick of Kankakee, IL, Evelyn Marzza and husband Bartho of Carbon Hill, IL., Edna Mahannah of Dwight, IL; brother, Peter Bollino of Phoenix, AZ; three step-children and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her first husband Ervin in 1982; sisters, Theresa Gregerson, Emma Hartley, Geneive Unger, Anna Garner and Martha Paulson; and brother, John Bollino.
Pallbearers were Phil Cichon, Joe Koenig, Jerry Jambor, Melvin Van Bokel, Richard Gregersen and Peter Gregersen.
