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Esther Fast
Esther A. (Mrs. John) Fast, 89, of Rochester, formerly of Mt. Lake, died Friday, May 12, 2006 at Madonna Towers Nursing Home in Rochester.
Services were held at Bethel Mennonite Church in Mt. Lake on Tuesday with Pastor George O’Reilly and Pastor Amy Nissley officiating.
Interment was at the Mt. Lake Cemetery in Mt. Lake.
Arrangements were with Bjerum Funeral Home of Mt. Lake.
Esther Anna Kliewer, the daughter of Peter G. and Anna (Lohrenz) Kliewer was born on September 25, 1916, in Mt. Lake. She received her education at District #62 Country School near Mt. Lake. On May 28, 1933, Esther was baptized upon confession of her faith and received as a member of Bethel Mennonite Church in Mt. Lake, where she remained a lifelong member.
On April 6, 1946, Esther married John F. Fast, at the Bethel Mennonite Church. They made their home in Mt. Lake, where Esther worked at Worthmore and the Drug Store for a few years each and for 26 years as a dietician at the Eventide Nursing Home.
John died on October 4, 1995. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, sewing and cooking, and she was a member of the Mt. Lake American Legion Auxillary.
In March 2002, Esther moved to Rochester to be near her family, and in July 2004, she moved into the Madonna Towers in Rochester.
Survivors include her three children, Norman (Barbara) Fast of Rochester, Karen (Larry) Thornhill of Waseca, and Dawn Salzwedel of North Mankato; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; a sister, Marilyn (Donald) Harrold of Newton, Kan.,; and a brother, Marvin Kliewer of Fairmont.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John F. Fast; a daughter, Diana Fast; and a brother, Elmer Kliewer.
Albert J. Wiens
Memorial services for Albert “Al” J. Wiens or Rochester will be held today (Wednesday, May 17, 2006), at 1 p.m. at Autumn Ridge in Rochester, with the Rev. C. John Steer officiating.
Burial will be at Pleasant Prairie Cemetery, Cascade Township, Rochester, prior to the service.
Albert died on Saturday, May 13, 2006 at Rochester Healthcare and Rehabilitation West in Rochester.
Albert J. Wiens was born September 7, 1924 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, to parents. He later moved to Mt. Lake with his family where he graduated from Mt. Lake High School.
He married Olga Fast on June 5, 1946 in Mt. Lake, and the couple moved to Rochester in 1952. Olga died in 1993.
He married Jean Turner in 1994 and they were later divorced.
Albert was the owner/operator of Wiens Construction and enjoyed farming as a hobby. He enjoyed raising sheep, bird-watching, music and Bible study. He served as supervisor on the Cascade Township Board for many years and was a member of Autumn Ridge Church. He was as an elder and deacon and served on many church boards.
Albert is survived by two daughters, Margaret (Tim) Andersen of East Lansing, Mich. and Susan (Bernie) McNamara of Zumbrota; three sons, Paul (Lela) Wiens of Pine Island, Dale (Kris) Wiens of Oronoco and Philip Wiens of Rochester; 10 grandchildren; two great- grandchildren; and two sisters, Viola (Anton) Dick of Mt. Lake and Martha (Ally) Funk of Lakewood, Colo.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, one son, and one sister.
Abram Baerg
Abram P. Baerg, 91, of Delft, died Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at Good Samaritan Village in Mt. Lake.
Services were held Monda, at Immanuel Mennonite Church in Delft with Pastor Merwin Dick officiating.
Interment was at the Delft Cemetery.
Arrangements were handled by Bjerum Funeral Home in Mountain Lake.
Abram P. Baerg, the son of Peter G. and Anna (Olfert) Baerg was born May 2, 1915, in Carson Township, Cottonwood County, near Delft. He received his education at District #16 North country school and the Mt. Lake German School. In 1935, Abram was baptized upon confession of his faith.
On September 7, 1939, he married Susan A. Harder at the Immanuel Mennonite Church in Delft. They made their home and farmed together south of Delft. On October 21, 1959, Abram was involved in a farm accident, losing his right eye when he tipped a tractor.
Abram and Susan were charter members of the Immanuel Mennonite Church, where he was active as a deacon, trustee and Sunday School teacher. He also served as secretary/treasurer of the Delft Co-op Creamery, was on the board of Open Door Mission, and a member of Minnesota Valley Breeders Association. Abram enjoyed reading and traveling when Susan made him go. Susan died on March 18, 2001.
On December 31, 2003, Abram entered the Good Samaritan Village in Mt. Lake.
Survivors include three sons, William A. Baerg of Delft, Allen J. (Tina) Baerg of Delft, and Robert L. (Coreen) Baerg of Williamsburg, Ia.; eight grandchildren, Arlyn Baerg, Rebecca (Eric) Lundberg, Angela (Nick) Kelly, Cami (Bryce) Post, Andy (Laura) Baerg, Danielle Baerg, Tom Baerg and Josh Baerg; six great-grandchildren; two brothers, Isaac Baerg of Gaylord and Peter Baerg of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and a sister, Martha (Russell) Goertzen of Windom.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Susan Baerg; a brother, Alvin P. Baerg; and a sister, Lillian Bennett.
Vivian Eitzen
Vivian (Clark) Eitzen, 100, of Mt. Lake, died Thursday, August 31, 2006 at Good Samaritan Village in Mt. Lake.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. today (Wednesday) at Bethel Mennonite Church in Mt. Lake.
Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service at the church.
Interment will be at the Mt. Lake Cemetery in Mt. Lake.
Arrangements are with Bjerum Funeral Home in Mt. Lake.
Vivian Duretta Clark, the daughter of Fred and Anna (Olson) Clark was born on February 5, 1906, in Lamberton. She received her early education in Lamberton, and attended high school in Mankato, where she and her family moved in 1920. Vivian received an elementary education degree from Mankato State Teachers College.
Vivian moved to Lake Bluff, Ill., employed as a housemother and first grade teacher at the Methodist Deaconess Orphanage. She later moved to Storden, teaching both first and second grades, and then to Mt. Lake, teaching first grade.
On December 2, 1933, she married Jacob Eitzen. They made their home in Waconia until 1943, when they returned to Mt. Lake, working in the telephone business. Jake went home to the Lord on January 3, 1975.
Vivian was a member of the Bethel Mennonite Church in Mt.Lake and was active in the church serving as kindergarten superintendent, teacher of release time and Wednesday night classes. She also had a great interest in the Mission Society. She was baptized in the Lutheran Church at Storden, and was a member of the following churches, Methodist Church in Lamberton, Century Methodist of Mankato, Methodist Church of Lake Bluff, Ill., and the Moravian Church at Waconia. Vivian was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She spent much of her time in prayer for church leaders, missionaries and friends, and writing letters of encouragement to many.
After living for several years at the Eventide Nursing Home in Mt. Lake, Vivian moved to the Good Samaritan Village in Mt. Lake on February 27, 2003.
Survivors include two sons, William (Judy) Eitzen of Boulder, Colo., and Allan Eitzen of Morrison, Colo.; a daughter-in-law, Louise Eitzen of Fairmont; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a brother, Robert V. (Barbara) Clark of Fairmont.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a son, Donald Eitzen; two great-granddaughters; and two sisters, Blanche Beckman and Charlotte Cantine.
Memorials are preferred to missions.
Merle Christensen
Merle E. Christensen, 83, died Saturday, August 12, 2006 in San Jose, Calif.
Merle was born August 26, 1922, to Waldie and Myrtle Christensen in Thief River Falls. At the age of three, his mother passed away.
When he was four, his father married Milda Shefveland. His growing up years were spent working on his father’s farm in Thief River Falls, where he continued to work after graduating from Thief River Falls High School in 1939.
In 1943, he married Violet Solmonsen. They had two sons, Lorne and Daniel Christensen.
In 1948, Merle purchased his own farm. In 1949, he entered into full-time ministry. In the fall of 1950, he and his wife and two sons packed their belongings and set out for Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta, Canada. He sold his farm, in 1951 and in the fall of that year purchased a travel trailer in which the family lived for two winters in Alberta.
Merle graduated from Prairie Bible Institute in 1953. In May of 1953, he and his family moved to Windom, where he became a rural missionary in southwestern Minnesota with the American Sunday School Union. He was ordained with the Evangelical Free Church of America in 1956. The family moved to Rochester in 1959. During this time, Merle started Sunday Schools and Vacation Bible Schools in communities that had no established evangelical churches. He also ran summer camps and served as a camp speaker and counselor.
In the fall of 1961 he accepted a call to pastor the Brooklyn Center Free Church in Brooklyn Center, which he served for 13 years. He also took courses at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul. In 1974 he accepted a call to the Bethel Evangelical Free Church in Fargo, N.D., where he ministered for nearly eight years and had a successful radio ministry.
While serving in Fargo in 1982, Merle’s wife, Violet, fought a courageous battle with cancer. Merle resigned from Bethel Church to care for his wife, who passed away on September 5, 1982. Merle then returned to Minneapolis to live near his oldest son.
In 1983 he accepted a call to plant an Evangelical Free Church in Williston, N.D. While in Williston, he pursued a lifelong dream of learning how to fly, and received his pilot’s license in 1984.
Shortly thereafter, he became the pastor at Evangelical Free Church in Morris.
In 1985, he met Laura Ross of Kingsburg, Calif. Laura was a widow with two grown sons, Brian and Ron Ross. Merle and Laura married on March 23, 1986, after which they moved to California. Laura (Wall) was born and raised in Mt. Lake and is the sister of Eleanor (Hiebner) Adrian of Mt. Lake.
Merle worked for a short time in the Mission Covenant Church in Kingsburg, Calif., as the pastor to senior adults. He then received a call from the Evanglical Free Church in Fresno, Calif., to pastor senior adults. He was in this position from 1988 until his death.
Bessie L. DeVries
Bessie L. DeVries, 82, Red Wing, died Tuesday, Sept. 15, 1998 at Fairview University Medical Center.
She was born April 22, 1916 in Floyd County, Iowa the daughter of Bert and Electa (Parker) Friend.
She was schooled and lived in Iowa. She was married to Harry Anway. They later divorced. She moved to Red Wing in 1958. She then married Jacob DeVries on June 19, 1959 in Nashua, IA. She worked at Red Wing Shoe, Buchanan Grocery, Ben Franklin and Allyn's Bakery. She enjoyed playing cards, doing crossword puzzles and reading.
She is survived by 3 sons, Wendell (Norma) Anway of Red Wing, Kenneth (Carrie) Anway of Cannon Falls and Dale (Janice) DeVries of Red Wing; 1 stepdaughter, Lorraine (Dale) Carter of McIntire, IA; 2 stepsons, Edwin (Betty) DeVries of Denver, CO, and Richard (Shirley) DeVries of Atlanta, GA; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; daughter-in-law, Evelyn Klousia of Hampton, IA; special friend, Lisa Whipple of Bay City, WI; 4 brothers, Bert Friend of Phoenix, AZ, Don (Bernice) Friend and Bob (Gail) Friend, both of Kansas City, KS, and Earl (LaVonne) Varner of Rock Falls, IA. She was preceded by husband Jacob DeVries; son, Vern Anway; 5 brothers.
Funeral services were held Thursday, Sept. 17 at 1:30 p.m. at the Hauser Funeral Home, Charles City, IA, with Rev. Dennis Niezwaag officiating. Burial was in the Sunnyside Memory Gardens in Charles City.
Local arrangements being handled by Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel.
Pallbearers were Scott Anway, Tim Anway, Mike Broze, Jerry Carter, Ryan Prescott and Mitch Varner.
Honorary pallbearers were Tom Mariette and Dave Phillips.
Jason M. Feidt
Jason M. Feidt, 20, Cannon Falls, died Friday, Sept. 18, 1998, at his home.
He was born Aug. 9, 1978 in St. Paul, the son of George and Rita Feidt. He graduated from Cannon Falls High School. His hobbies included singing and collecting old movies. He was a member of 4-H. He was presently a student at Dakota County Technical College, where he was enrolled in the medical assistant program.
Survivors include his parents, George and Rita; sister Michelle Feidt, and maternal grandmother, Dorothy Schabert, all of Cannon Falls.
Funeral services were held Monday, Sept. 21, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, New Trier. Officiating was Rev. Fr. Marvin Klaers. Interment was in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery. Pallbearers were Mitch Banks, Michael Banks, Daniel Banks, Scott Swanson, Andrew Swanson, Jesse Braafladt, Theodore Braafladt, Jared Thyen, Russel Thyen and Joseph Feidt. Caturia-Smidt Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
William Sachs
William Randi Sachs, 55, Farmington, died Friday, Sept. 18, 1998, at his home.
He was born Feb. 11, 1943, in Northfield, the son of Gerald and Dorothy Sachs. He attended Farmington Schools, and was married to Marie Penfield, formerly of Cannon Falls, on June 15, 1973. After his marriage they lived at Sachs Empire Farms, Farmington.
He served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1964 to 1970. He was a part-time school bus driver in addition to being a farmer, and was a supervisor on the Empire Town Board from 1976 to the time of his death. He had been a member and then leader of the Empire 4-H Club. Other interests included Farmington FFA and the extension service. His hobbies included reading and listening to the radio. He was a lifelong member of Farmington Lutheran Church.
Bill was a people person; thoroughly enjoying making new acquaintances and cultivating old friendships. He was a member of 12 wedding parties besides his own and many friends and relatives attended hog roast celebrations at his farm.
He will be remembered for his smile and laughter. His parting message to all was "be good" and "be kind to each other."
He is survived by his wife, Marie; daughter Ann Sachs; son Jared, all of Farmington; brother, Gerald (Jerry) Sacks and his wife Arlene, Farmington; uncles, Wallace Keller, W. St. Paul, Charlie (Lillian) Sachs, California; aunt, Hazel Sachs, Farmington; nieces, nephews, cousins, friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; infant sister, Sharon; niece Carri Jo Fischer and grand nephew, Alex Fischer.
Funeral services were held Monday, Sept. 21, at Farmington Lutheran Church. Interment was in Corinthian Cemetery, Farmington. Casket bearers were Hugh, Ed, Geoff, Joe and Ben Fischer, Jerod and John Waltman, Jared Sachs. Honorary bearers were Floyd Henry, G. E. Stelzel, Terry Holmes, Matt Waltman, Dick Kohler, Tom Ryan, Chuck and Don Sachs, Chuck Fischer and Chuck Wegner.
White Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
