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Margaret V. Mielke
Margaret V. (Sowers) Mielke, 78, Sleepy Eye, died Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2004, at Franklin Health Care Center in Franklin. Funeral services were Saturday, Feb. 7, at Sturm Funeral Home in Sleepy Eye, with interment in Home Cemetery, Sleepy Eye. E-mail condolences may be sent to the family via www.sturmfh.com.
Margaret was born Oct. 7, 1925, in Groton, S.D., the daughter of Hiram and Lydia (Kruger) Sowers. In 1940, she moved with her family to the Sleepy Eye area. Margaret married Harry Mielke, and from Groton, S.D. in 1955 and she and her husband raised a family of four boys. Margaret regularly attended Christian Center Assembly of God in New Ulm until her illness.
Margaret is survived by her sons, Rev. Marlon and wife Joy Mielke of Milltown, Wis., Brent and wife Jan Mielke of Adrian, Bradd and wife Cheryl Mielke of Sleepy Eye and Myron and wife Rosemarie Mielke of Lancaster, Calif.; grandchildren, Timothy, Daniel, Luke, Jared, MeLinda Sue, MiRanda Lea, Montana Lee, Marshall Lee, Joshua and Alyssa; and sister, Maybelle Sowers of Sleepy Eye. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Harry; brothers, Mike Sowers and Marvin Sowers; and sister, May Wellnitz.
Arline Harder
Arline Harder, 86, Sleepy Eye, died Monday, Feb. 16, 2004, at Sleepy Eye Care Center. Visitation is Thursday, Feb. 19, at Faith United Methodist Church in Sleepy Eye from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Funeral services are immediately following visitation, at 1:30 p.m., with interment in Home Cemetery, Sleepy Eye. Arrangements are with Sturm Funeral Home of Sleepy Eye. E-mail condolences may be sent to the family via www.sturmfh.com.
Arline was born Dec. 26, 1917, the daughter of Herman and Erma (Gieseke) Speckman. On March 12, 1940, Arline married Ernest E. Harder at the Evangelical Church in Sleepy Eye. The couple lived on a farm in Stark Township, Brown County, where Arline enjoyed gardening, baking and helping on the farm. Arline was a member of the EUB Church in Sleepy Eye before the church merged and became the Faith United Methodist Church. She moved into the Sleepy Eye Care Center in 1992.
Arline is survived by her children, Marvel and wife Brenda Harder of Sleepy Eye and Shirley and husband Gary Wendinger of New Ulm; son-in-law, Dean Fenske of Lafayette; nine grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Melva Speckman of Sleepy Eye and Velma Schweiss of New Ulm; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ernie in 1988; daughter, Mavis Fenske and brother, Delton Speckman.
Mildred Haala
Mildred Ida (Braulick) Haala, 80, Sleepy Eye, died Friday, Feb. 20, 2004, at Divine Providence Community Home in Sleepy Eye. Funeral services were Tuesday, Feb. 24, at The Church of the Japanese Martyrs in Leavenworth, with interment in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Sleepy Eye. Arrangements were with the Sturm Funeral Home in Sleepy Eye. E-mail condolences may be sent to the family via www.sturmfh.com.
Mildred was born Nov. 11, 1923, in Stark Township, Brown County, the daughter of Leo and Clara (Wurtzberger) Braulick. She married Walter Haala on June 2, 1941, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye. The couple lived and farmed in Mulligan Township until retiring and moving to Sleepy Eye in 1993. Mildred was a member of The Church of the Japanese Martyrs in Leavenworth, the Holy Family Society, the Christian Mothers and the CCW. She was active in volunteering at Divine Providence Community Home with bingo and monthly birthday parties. Mildred enjoyed old time music, playing cards and making quilts for her family. She enjoyed going to any event that involved her grandchildren. Mildred mainly loved family events and gatherings where she could cook or bake for them.
Mildred is survived by her children, Lois and husband Tim Tauer of Sleepy Eye, Linda Schwerzler of Le Sueur, LeAnn and husband Tom Hale of Sleepy Eye, Gary and wife Judy Haala of Sleepy Eye, LaVonn and husband Larry Braun of Sleepy Eye and Lori and husband Leon Braun of Sleepy Eye; 23 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; brother, James and wife Elaine Braulick of New Ulm; sister, Phyllis and husband James Wendinger of Fairfax; and aunt and good friend, Irene Schiller of Sleepy Eye. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Walter in 1997; two daughters in infancy; brothers, Elmer Leo, Jr. and Walter and wife Dorrine Braulick.
Dolores Merkel
Dolores Catherine Merkel, 82, formerly of Sleepy Eye, died Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2004, at St. John Lutheran Home, Springfield, where she was a resident for the past two years. Funeral services were held Saturday, Feb. 21, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Sleepy Eye, with interment in the church cemetery. Sturm Funeral Home handled the arrangements.
Dolores was born April 14, 1921, in Ridgely Township, Nicollet County, the daughter of Guy and Anna (Dummer) Merkel. She attended country school and later schools in New Ulm and Mankato before receiving a three-year nursing diploma from St. Mary's Hospital School of Nursing in Minneapolis and later a B.S. degree in Public Health nursing from the University of Minnesota. Her nursing career included work at St. Cloud Veteran's Hospital, St. Cloud; Union Hospital, New Ulm; St. Michael's Hospital, Sauk Centre; Doernbecher Hospital, Portland, Ore.; City Bureau of Health, Portland; and the Sleepy Eye Care Center, Sleepy Eye. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye. Dolores enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles and bird watching. She loved music and collecting music boxes, listening carefully to their tunes. Delores loved her family, especially the children and enjoyed animals, telling stories with much detail. She always dressed well, taking great pride in looking sharp. In visiting with Chaplain Mary at St. John's who was with her when she died, she called Lori (Dolores) a pioneer of her time, especially in psychiatric nursing. She also voluntarily corrected school papers for several years at St. Mary's School, taking great pride in her work.
Dolores is survived by her brother, George Merkel of Fairfax; sisters, Erna Kokesch of Willmar and Pat and husband Ted Rubischko of New Ulm; nephews and nieces, Greg and wife Dianne Merkel of Fairfax, Joan and husband Wayne Fournier of Fairfax, Allan Merkel of Sleepy Eye, Anthony and wife Karen Strauss of Falcon Heights, Guy Strauss of Minneapolis, Karen and husband Don Hanson of Rice, Mary and husband Tom Wiese of Richmond, Paul Kokesch of Willmar, Barb Stoner of Buffalo, Helen and husband Richard Herschman of Waseca, Jean and husband Gary Strauch and Tom and wife Nancy Rubischko of Lafayette. She was preceded in death by her parents; and sister, Aurelia Strauss.
Theresa Neudecker
Theresa Rose Neudecker, 105, Sleepy Eye, died Sunday, Feb. 22, 2004, at Divine Providence Community Home in Sleepy Eye. Funeral services were Wednesday, Feb. 25, at the Divine Providence Community Home chapel, with interment in St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery. Arrangements were with the Sturm Funeral Home of Sleepy Eye. E-mail condolences may be sent to the family via www.sturmfh.com.
Theresa, daughter of Michael and Anna (Sellner) Neudecker, was born Jan. 21, 1899 in Sundown Township, Redwood County. She was baptized Feb. 10, 1899 at St. Raphael's Catholic Church in Springfield by a missionary priest. She was the ninth child of a family of 13 children. Theresa received her First Holy Communion on June 25, 1911, and was confirmed on Oct. 17, 1916. She attended country grade school in Sundown Township. Theresa spent 40 years as a priest's housekeeper, seven years for her brother, Rev. William Neudecker who died in 1944 and then 33 years for Rev. Henry Thissen, who served various parishes in the area. Rev. Thissen moved to Sleepy Eye about 1970, when he retired with Theresa still his housekeeper. Rev. Thissen passed away on Oct. 21, 1977. Theresa remained in Sleepy Eye. She entered Divine Providence Community Home in March of 1999 and remained there until her death. She enjoyed visiting with relatives and friends, gardening, crocheting and embroidering.
Theresa is survived by her nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Katie, Catherine, Anna, Mary, Clara, Ida and Frances and brothers, John, Joseph, Rev. William, George and Alphonsus.
Ruth E. Cannon Mathiowetz
Ruth Elizabeth Cannon Mathiowetz of West Richland, Wash., died at the age of 78 in Kennewick, Wash. Graveside services were held Thursday, Oct. 27 at Sunset Memorial Gardens, in Richland.
Ruth was born Dec. 26, 1925, in Adams, Neb., the daughter of Westlake and Hazel Cannon. She grew up in Hood River, Ore. Ruth met Lawrence P. Mathiowetz while working in California. They were married May 7, 1948, at St. Rose Catholic Church in Portland, Ore. Ruth attended beauty school and eventually opened her own shop in Beaverton, Ore. where she and Lawrence lived. They moved to the Tri-Cities in 1960, and have made West Richland their home since 1975.
Ruth is survived by her husband, Lawrence; brothers, Clarence Cannon, Billy Cannon and Rich Cannon, all of Hood River, Ore.
Samuel J. Hammond
Samuel J. Hammond, 89, Sleepy Eye, died Monday, Dec. 8, 2003, at Sleepy Eye Medical Center. Funeral services will be Thursday, Dec. 11, 11 a.m., at Faith United Methodist Church, Sleepy Eye, with interment in Home Cemetery. E-mail condolences may be sent to www.sturmfh.com.
Samuel was born Aug. 15, 1914, in Minneapolis, the son of Joseph J. and Inez M. Hammond. He married Inez M. Tretbar on Aug. 30, 1966. The couple made their home in Minneapolis and later in the Southern Minnesota area where Sam worked for Tony Down's Foods in Butterfield and St. James. They later moved to Sleepy Eye, where he worked for Pietrus Produce and Del Monte. Sam enjoyed working on clocks and hand crafting items like trains.
Sam is survived by his wife, Inez of Sleepy Eye; step-daughter, Kathleen and husband James Tresemer of Mankato and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Francis Hammond; and sisters, Gladys Haas and Lillian Ludewig.
