Elementary wrestlers will begin practice next week in both New Richland and Ellendale.

Practice in New Richland will be on Monday nights beginning at 6:15 p.m. Practice will be in the high school wrestling room and wrestlers should enter through the NW doors (#13).

Practice in Ellendale will be on Tuesday night beginning at 6:30.  Practice will take place in the east gym.

There is no cost for elementary wrestling. Wrestlers should have shorts, a t-shirt and tennis or wrestling shoes.

A short parent meeting will take place at both sites at the beginning of practice. Schedules for the season will be distributed at that time.

Please make plans to attend with your child on the first night of practice. If you have any questions, contact Paul Cyr (417-2603), Shawn Larson (417-2636), or Andy Peterson (417-2617).

I love America.

I love the people who live here. 

However, our country is often criticized for one dumb thing or another, and there are those who seem to do their best to take her down. 

I have often wondered if they ever take into consideration what would happen if they succeeded in anyway. Where would they go then for all the help they need, as we, the “good old US of A", do help in­­ every direction. 

No, not all people are kind or good or thoughtful, but there are many who will share what little or much they have to help others here as well as in places far away. They do it because they are kind and care about the welfare of others, and many of them start young.

Examples may be a little or a lot. Recently, Troy Utpadel loaded bales on a hayrack and took young people on a hayride to collect funds for UNICEF. 

He didn't have to give up his day, but he did. Little Emma Esplan, only naive in mind, was able to cover the bare feet of the people of Haiti, and helped get them shoes to wear. She also helped alleviate them of some of the poverty they must suffer on a daily basis.

There are countless people in our communities who have turned their tragedy into triumph by fostering benefits and raising funds for things like cancer and other illnesses that have raised havoc. There are those who did so-called “mundane” things because the ill or incapacitated couldn't do them for themselves: raking leaves leaves, fixing leaky roofs or broken steps as well as other repairs; the list goes on. 

I can think of many more like the ladies who get together and sew quilts for warmth or spend days sewing garments, bringing their own sewing machines along with their time and energy.

Who you are is what you do!

You can be a valuable asset to your family and your community. You are a person who can make a difference because you're not ordinary. You are capable of being remarkable and outstanding.

When you're tempted to think of the thoughtless, the greedy, and the cruel things some people are capable of, remember that only the Lord knows why. Think of all the good people in America that make this a place where even those who don't really like us will do anything to come here and be a part of this country.

Abraham Lincoln said, "I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis." Freedom was founded on ideals from people who believed they could make a difference and they did.

Somehow it seems our nation does the best when facing adversity, and that is what is happening today. You find remarkable innovations in the place you least expect.

Hard times, killer storms — we need people who will stand up and make our nation stronger; people with compassion for this country who will work for the country before themselves.

There are countries who will work to become the world’s superpower by whatever means, absorbing our factories and jobs at a price because they have no quam about using materials and methods to their economic advantage. Spiraling price competition from China and India and Internet is driving prices down to their lowest levels.

It is time we wake up and know our country did not become what it is by apathetic people who think someone else will make it all go away while they sit back and expect the government to pay the tab. It is time to look at overspending: politically and individually.

Buy American and increase employment and prove to the world that we have competent, willing workers who value their jobs, work habits, less waste, fewer government programs, limited spending and breaking the chain of expecting a hand out.

Our people care and share and enrich their communities with their kindness. “God Bless America” isn't just words, it has real meaning. 

If I had one wish, it would be that everyone love one another and care; feeding the hungry, clothing the needy, and warming the world with acts of kindness. I am proud of our community and the people who live here. 

I am proud of our churches and church families. I am proud of our country.

Free. You were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

God Bless America!

Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements. 

In order to read about these important things, we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us. If you have news, please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P. O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.

Birthdays and Anniversaries:

• Thursday, November 15th: Sydney Ann Collins, Greg Riley, John Flor Jr., Daniel Mucha, Lee Waage, Cynthia Callahan, Jacob Douglas Bell.

• Friday, November 16th: Ross Sletten, Asa Daniel Russell Johnson, Matthew Marcus, Betty Brandt, Ronald Johnson, Fred Schmidt, Miranda Dubois.

• Saturday, November 17th: Presley Ann Broskoff, Mikayla Sue Brouwers, Stuart Kubat, Nathan Larson, Milton Wayne, Gloria Jensen, Nathan Schmidt, Elvern Holland, David Kasper, Jim Olson, Daniel Ingvaldson, John Nelson, Trisha Cyr, Brad & Donna Borchert.

• Sunday, November 18th: Edrea Marae Kubista, Toni Wayne Smith, Stella Langlie, LeRoy Peterson, Kim Lehmberg, Ernest Anderson, Paul Groth, Allen Schewe, Gordy & Karol Carroll.

• Monday, November 19th: Sidney Ellen Schultz, Kolby Dale Boverhuis, Deb Schmidt, Ruth Dunn, Roger Dulas, Jennifer Kycek, Chanelle McCamish, Darrin Peterson, Mandi Wobschall, William Conley, LaShawn & Gretchen Ray, Jeff & Julie Cornelius.

• Tuesday, November 20th: Chuck Pence, Howard Pence, Eric Simon, David A. Hanson, Angie Blouin Sikel, Dennis Blouin, Scott Brekke, Malinda Fennert, Alisha Waalkens, Heather Crabtree Krenke, Kristine Kelly, Rachel Nelson, Holly Mattson.

• Wednesday, November 21st: Paul Wallace, Angie Johnson, Paul Kasper, Desirae Farr, Cheryl Harpel, Greg Schimek, Leah Leak, Leah Maddox Larson, Abby Underland, Dustin Burshem, Robin & Jan Jepson.

May God bless you with a beautiful year to enjoy!

After the loss to Kansas City in Super Bowl IV, the Minnesota Vikings did not fade into the woodwork. The team led by Bud Grant, Fran Tarkington and the "Purple People Eaters" played in three more Super Bowls, losing to the Miami Dolphins with Larry Csonka, the Pittsburgh Steelers with Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris and "Mean" Joe Green and the Oakland Raiders with Gene Upshaw, Fred Biletnikoff and Kenny, "The Snake" Stabler.

It’s hard to remember now, but the Vikings were a fine ballclub and Fran Tarkington was considered one of the premier quarterbacks of all time. He forged many records before he retired including most completions, most touchdowns, etc. during his time with the Vikes and a couple seasons with the Giants.

Bud Grant and assistant coach Jerry Burns initiated the short passing game, later known as the West Coast Offense under San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh and quarterback Joe Montana. There was one big difference. Joe Montana could throw the long pass well. Fran Tarkington could not.

Tarkington was perhaps more respected during his playing days than he is now. When you lose three Super Bowls in a row and fail to lead your team to victory in the big game, your reputation suffers.

Tarkington retired and the Vikings fell from yearly contention. Although, they were still a team to be reckoned with. 

Playboy Tommy Kramer, he of the Bloomington night spots, took over and provided both good and bad moments. He took the Vikings into the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome and fans were comfortable, although the team lost its cold-weather mystique.

Running back Rickey Young and backup quarterback Wade Wilson visited the hospital I worked at in Sioux Falls and while Wilson was very friendly, Young just went through the motions. I once rode a few miles with Gayle Sayers, the great Chicago Bear running back, and while I didn’t get the negative vibes from Sayers that I did from Young, he too, had very little to say.

Bud Grant retired and ex-marine Les Steckel was named Viking coach. He ran training camp like a Paris Island boot camp and lost the team’s respect early on. 

Grant came out of retirement, but the magic was gone. Burns took over and during the strike-shortened season, led the Vikings to a couple of upset victories in the playoffs before eventually losing to the Washington Redskins in the NFC Championship Game.

The Vikings then made what may have been the worst trade in NFL history, trading key players and their top draft choices for three years to Dallas for Herschel Walker. The Cowboys, with the Viking draft choices that included one Emmitt Smith, went on to win three Super Bowls.

Burns retired and Dennis Green was named coach. Green immediately earned the enmity of the Twins Cities sports writers by announcing he was the new sheriff in town. 

Then no matter what kind of success Green had, and he had a lot, winning the Central Division four times and going to the NFC finals twice, he was disparaged and eventually forced to resign. Green didn’t handle the press well and came across arrogant and a know-it-all. 

He indicated only he and his staff knew anything about football. Judge Alan Page said that at the time of Green’s resignation, Green was the only head coach to come to inner-city youth meetings and praised him for doing so. It’s too bad he couldn’t have shown that side of himself to the public.

The Vikings came close to the Super Bowl twice during the next couple of decades. Close but no cigar. 

We’ll conclude next week by examining the close misses of the Randy Moss and Brett Favre teams.

This is the time of year when I start feeling guilty about not taking advantage of the still open water on the area lakes. I always think that I am going to take “one more cast,” but it usually doesn’t happen so I have to settle for remembering the one I did take a few weeks previous.

Growing up, the idea of fishing was usually gone once school started; it would be replaced by football. And, as I grew a little older, cars came into the mix along with some pheasant hunting in the fall. 

After I returned from the service, the fall fishing thing really appealed to me and it’s been in my plans each year since.

There were a few of us kids in the old neighborhood that would play football right up to and including the winter months. Football in late fall was fun, but once the ground froze, the chance of hurting yourself escalated. 

There were many football games played in my Aunt Ruby’s front yard because it was open. We only had one tree to contend with. 

If the ground was hard and the weather was dry, she left us alone. But if it was wet and rainy, she would come out and shoo us off so we wouldn’t tear up her yard. 

I always thought that the muddier you were the more you looked like a “real” football player; although my Mother probably didn’t see it quite that way. Looking back, I’d have to say that any kid who ever played a backyard football game was a “real” player.

Playing football in a snow storm was the best. I can remember playing in the mud and snow and pretending that I was one of the big time running backs of the time. 

One year, we were invited to some family friend’s house for pheasant dinner and to watch football. I will always remember that game because Jim Brown of the Cleveland Browns ran over and through folks, showing the world that he was the absolute best running back of the time and maybe of all time.

I’m not so sure that the kids of today have heroes like we did in those days. When we played a neighborhood football game, we’d all claim to be some great football player of the times. 

I had a Tobin Rote football that I was really proud of. I doubt that there are too many folks around today that even know who he was. 

Some of my favorite football players were Harlan Hill a tight end, Rick Caseras, a fullback, and Bill George, a middle linebacker. All played for the Chicago Bears. 

The Bears were my favorite team growing up. I can still hear the unmistakable voice of Lindsay Nelson calling those Bears games on TV. It was kind of the same with the Chicago Blackhawks; they were my favorite hockey team until the North Stars came along.

Heroes weren’t just sports stars, there were also the cowboys that you’d get to see at the Saturday Matinee in the old Rivoli Theater. I always liked Roy Rogers and Gene Autry.

Another of my favorites was Randolph Scott. And, I can’t forget Hoppy. 

I had a few of the Red Ryder comic books and went to see most of the movies at the matinees inside the old Rivoli. Red Ryder’s sidekick was named Little Beaver who was played by Robert Blake. The Daisy Red Ryder BB gun was actually named after the Red Ryder character. 

I spent a lot of Saturday afternoons at the movies and it didn’t cost an arm and a leg back then. Twenty Cents would get you in and sometimes that was for a double feature. 

I can still remember the excitement I’d feel when one of my favorite heroes would be featured on the posters in the theater lobby. Yes, we had our heroes back then. Whether it was on the football field or on the screen, we loved ‘em.

Over the years, I have listened to many Gopher football games on the radio on a Saturday afternoon. I can’t really remember anything that I enjoyed more. 

Although I was pretty young, I remember listening to Gunsmoke on Saturday nights with my grandpa sitting in his chair by the radio. Roy Rogers was another Saturday radio favorite and there was Gangbusters, which would come roaring into the living room later at night with the machine guns blasting away. 

Until next time, take a little time to enjoy the outdoors experience and the world of nature that surrounds us.

Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.

Echoes from the Loafers' Club Meeting

"It’s a good thing that I have a good memory for faces."

"Why is that?"

"Because I broke my shaving mirror this morning.”

Driving by the Bruces

I have two wonderful neighbors — both named Bruce — who live across the road from each other. Whenever I pass their driveways, thoughts occur to me, such as: Money is like underwear. There’s no need for everyone else to know you have it.

The news from Hartland

Ole’s Margarine Company announces that business has never been butter.

A duck flew up the elephant’s trunk at Bob’s Zoo and Windshield Repair. The elephant was arrested for snorting quack.

Non-resident deer hunters are allowed to shoot only non-resident deer.

Did you know?

A survey cited in The Wall Street Journal found that 59% of women admitted to having frequent problems in relocating their vehicles in parking lots. This same problem afflicts 42% of men.

Doctor, doctor, give me the news

Marci Fuller of San Benito, Texas, told me her doctor/husband tells many patients to go on "itos-free" diets. That means no Doritos, Fritos, burritos, Cheetos (qualifies on sound alone), or taquitos.

Restroom reflections

I was about to speak at a thing in Harlingen, Texas. I visited the bathroom first. Always a good idea. No one needs any extra stress. As I entered the necessary room, I met a man carrying one of those giant mugs. I reckon it held about five gallons of his favorite soft drink. That might be a slight exaggeration, but it was huge.

"You must have to make a lot of stops in rooms like this," I said.

He raised his mug as a salute in my direction and replied, "Endless."

Maybe he should drink the contents of his enormous mug only in restrooms.

Echoes from a church basement

We were talking of many things as we enjoyed good food in the church basement. Food always tastes better outside and in church basements. Anyway, we talked of many things. I thought of Lewis Carroll, who wrote in Through the Looking-Glass, "'The time has come,' the Walrus said, 'To talk of many things: Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax — of cabbages — and kings — And why the sea is boiling hot — And whether pigs have wings.'"

We didn’t actually talk about any of those things, but Pastor Ron Brey, a friend of long-standing, did say that it was hard to find funny sympathy cards. I had to agree.

Brain cramp

I got up from my office chair and walked into the living room. For no apparent reason. Or at least not for any reason that I could remember.

The cat that had been sleeping on the sofa, suddenly awakened, jumped to the floor, and walked resolutely down into the basement.

I hoped it remembered why it had gone there.

Customer comments

Arlene Bryson of Alden told me she has been experiencing some hearing loss that is most noticeable in rooms crowded with people. She said when talking to people in such situations, she has learned to smile a lot and to refrain from nodding.

Nature notes

A caller asked what ants do during the winter? Smart ones crawl to Arizona. Some ants can adjust the structure of their nests to help regulate the internal temperature. Anthills act as solar-collectors, increasing the temperature inside. When it becomes too cold, the ants retreat deeper underground, below the frost line. Carpenter ants live in nests in wood. Wood is a good insulator, but freezes in winter. The ants enter a state of slowed metabolism called “diapause.” Generally, the queen stops laying eggs. The workers begin to mass more than before. Cold weather doesn’t stop some ants from being active in buildings. A common indoor winter ant is the pavement ant. The reddish-brown pavement ant is 1/8-inch long. Pavement ants typically nest in the soil under stones, bricks, sidewalks, or driveways. When the nest is kept warm from a building’s heat, the ants stay active, move through the cracks in concrete, and actively forage for food and water. Pavement ants prefer to feed on greasy food such as meat, dry pet food, and peanut butter. Not all ants seen during winter are pavement ants. You may also see carpenter ants, Pharaoh ants, yellow ants, and thief ants.

Meeting adjourned

Dr. A. J. Cronin prescribed an unusual treatment for some of his patients who were feeling blue. He insisted that for six weeks a patient say, "Thank you" for every kindness and keep a record of this gratitude. According to Dr. Cronin, he had a remarkable cure rate.

It was Wednesday, November 7th. The sun hadn’t even started to peek through the sky as I woke up at 6:30, and the first thought on my mind was, “I wonder who our President is?”

This year was the first I was legally allowed to vote, and I almost didn’t. I wasn’t registered, the address on my license isn’t current, and I almost let my laziness take over and skipped the polling booth. Thankfully, I didn’t. 

It’s nice to know the changes that have already occurred and have yet to happen were in part, even if it was just one very tiny part, because of my effort.

I don’t really remember previous elections very well; I wasn’t allowed to vote yet, so it didn’t seem important enough to spend time looking into for me. All I know about previous presidents is what I’ve heard from other people — for example, I know George Bush royally screwed up, but I’m not exactly sure why, even today.

It’s times like these when I like to take a step back and observe what I’m doing in my life today. After all, it’s the only one that I have complete control over. 

Every day I’m learning more and more about who I actually am, and it’s quite an experience for me. I’m learning what my actual opinions are on things, what my morals are, and I’m exploring the realms of my intelligence, and hopefully making progress all the while.

To answer the question that wouldn’t stop nagging my sleepy mind, I looked at Facebook, the fastest way (for me) to get information on important current events. In less than 30 seconds, I learned that Obama won, the marriage amendment lost, the voter ID amendment lost, and Colorado and Washington legalized marijuana for recreational use.

I was ecstatic about the marriage amendment and about Obama’s victory. There were many outraged people about both. It’s going to take a while for many people to accept it, and some never will — that’s just the way the world works.

I saw a promotional photo about Obama the other day. On it was a picture of George Bush with a caption that read, “It took this guy eight years to mess up our country,” and then a picture of Obama that read, “I’m giving this guy eight years to clean it up.” Of course he isn’t perfect, but he’s done a lot for our country, and he’s going to do a lot more before he leaves the White House. I see hope in our future, which is all I can ask for.

The scurs were on their game once again, unfortunately. After Saturday, one wished they hadn’t been. Will they be in sync this week? Starting Wednesday and Thursday, partly cloudy with highs near 50 and lows around 30. Friday, slightly cooler under mostly sunny skies with highs of 45 and lows of 35. Back to the 50’s for highs Saturday through Tuesday under partly cloudy skies.. High of 50 and lows of 30 - 35. The normal high for November 15th is 42 and the normal low is 25. On the 19th we will see 9 hours and 30 minutes of daylight, roughly the same as we experience on January 22nd. The scurs are glad they’ll have November 22nd to look forward to first. 

Still some anhydrous ammonia going on as of the weekend but not much else going on in the fields. Rainfall totals from the weekend rains were generally light with only 0.2” tallied at the ranch. For the month of November thus far there has only been about a half inch. It’s still dry alright but aside from the drying day of last Saturday, most of the precip that is falling is adding to the available soil moisture. With soils remaining in a thawed state, that will continue to be true. Some have asked where we were on rainfall last year for the fall months and for the most part we’ve actually had more rain this fall than last locally. Last year at the ranch we recorded only .99” in September, .37” in October and .35” in November. This year those totals are 1.95”, 1.47” and .55” so far in November. 

This past weekend was truly a demonstration of one of Mother Nature’s mood swings. Saturday was an absolute gem despite the wind. It was a marked improvement over the disappointment of Friday where the wind made it feel a lot colder than it was. How warm was it Saturday? It was 77 degrees at the Waseca airport, 74 at the SROC and about 75 on the official Edna thermometer on our granary. The wind had been southeast making me think about burning the brush piles. However the forecast predicted (correctly) that it was soon to switch to straight south, putting the buildings directly in the line of fire. I thought better of it and opted instead to grind the leaves that had remained damp much of the week. It was so warm I ditched my sweatshirt and mowed in my T-shirt. I smiled when a bumblebee appeared as I wheeled the mower around the well. It was likely the last one before winter sets in for good. Completing the mowing, it was time to tackle the winter radish crop. It was definitely T-shirt weather for that job. By the time they were all dug, it was chore time. 

One could sense the weather was starting to turn by late evening when lightning lit up the skies and the hose was shut off on the last of the trees being watered. By Sunday morning, the temperature had fallen into the low 30’s. Climbing into the soccer mom van to go to church, the sliding door was frozen shut. That afternoon staying inside and putzing with various small projects was not difficult to do. Chore time came again, though, and at the kindly neighbors’ the electric fence was grounded out. Around the pasture Ruby and I walked to find the short. The northwest wind tore through my hooded sweatshirt like it was a window screen, making me envious of Ruby’s fur coat. After locating the problem it was time to get back in the van and warm up a bit before heading for home. It was time to find the chore coat to go over my hooded sweatshirt before feeding the group there. I’d officially become a wimp, but at least I was a warm wimp. By Monday morning, at 18 degrees Jack Frost had left his etchings on the glass in the storm door. The swirling winds drove the forenoon flurries, forming miniature drifts on the roof, a foretaste of things to come.

Looks like we should have plenty of food put away for the winter. The winter radish harvest turned out to be one of the big surprises for the season. A couple rows were actually spring types that could be planted in either season. The six rows total yielded a couple two-bushel baskets, two washtubs and another bushel basket full of plants. The sheep were most happy to see another batch of garden refuse make its way over the fence as the tops were removed. When washed and bagged, there were 11 one-gallon bags of radishes as well as two Fleet Farm bags about half full. Good, bad or otherwise, that’s a bunch of radishes. Only fitting that the gardening season should start the season with radishes and end with them I reckon.

While Ruby has been busy shedding for much of the fall it appears that may be to slowing to a halt. There were days I’d peer in the wastebasket and judging by the hair she’d brushed out and swept up, it looked as if Mrs. Cheviot had thrown away another dog. Ruby’s new winter coat is shiny and she looks as sleek as a seal. Parting the fur however reveals a dense undercoat that works like a layer of Thinsulate to keep her toasty when she isn’t on the move which isn’t all that often. When checking the fence the other day she was scouting the opposition, namely the ewes that will need to come home soon. This of course only after the barns are cleaned first. A Border Collie’s work is never done.

See you next week…real good then.

Basketball season has begun! It’s an exciting time for everyone in our communities as we hope to see the same brand of exciting basketball that took the girls’ team to the state tournament last year.

How do players get to be so good? What makes a team a state contender?

 The answer begins at the elementary level of any sport. All sports begin a feeder program at a young age to teach kids the basics and encourage a love of that sport. 

I’ve had the privilege to be a coach in our elementary basketball program for my daughter’s team, now starting my third year.

I coached junior high basketball for 13 years and had a lot of knowledge about the game from my years playing. However, moving from 8th grade to 3rd grade was a stark awakening. 

The variety of skill sets is enormous; some kids have never picked up a basketball before, while others have been dribbling and shooting for some time. The goal of an elementary coach is to teach the basics while encouraging those that already have some of those skills  to keep getting better and find ways to expand their abilities.

Some kids make tremendous progress, usually due to developing a love of the sport and wanting to play it as much as they can. Others decide that a particular sport is not for them, another vital function of an elementary program. 

Most programs are a little more relaxed at an elementary level, but the expectations ramp up once the players reach junior high. It’s better to find out that a specific sport is not for you before that point in time.

I’ve helped oversee coaches for our youth baseball program for many years, but I didn’t fully appreciate how much these coaches did as volunteers until I started as a volunteer coach myself. 

Some people always forget is that these coaches are volunteers; they don’t get paid and they put in plenty of hours. Many don’t have formal training in coaching, but do the best they can so the players can get better.

The best payment for a volunteer coach is to see improvement from beginning to end. I give the coaches of my daughter’s volleyball team a lot of credit this year. 

They took a large group of girls who could barely get the ball over the net or do anything close to receiving a serve and really moved them along. By the last game of their tournament, they showed some good signs of actual volleyball being played.

Over the years, I’ve fielded plenty of phone calls from parents complaining about various things in our baseball program, including problems with coaches. Part of my conversation tends to lead back to asking these people why they didn’t volunteer since they have all the answers. 

While there are certainly situations where a coach has done something wrong, like mistreating a player, most often the complaints revolve around playing time or chances to play a certain position.

My questions to these complaints? Has the player been at every practice? Has the player worked hard at every practice? Just being part of a team does not give you an automatic right to equal playing time or equal opportunities. 

If a player shows up only when it’s convenient and/or spends practice time messing around, they should not get the same chances as those who are always there and working hard.

Not everyone is cut out to be a coach. I’m not perfect by any means. 

All I ever ask is to be patient and look at the big picture instead of reacting quickly to an isolated incident. Sometimes the best thing to do is go home, sleep on it, wake up, and realize it wasn’t that big a deal after all.

Word of the Week: This week’s word is pell-mell, which means things are in tangled confusion, as in, “The young basketball players ran pell-mell down the court, and the coach wondered if they even remembered the play.”

Memorial services for Michael L. Reese age 53 of Albert Lea were held on Monday, Nov. 12, 2012 at 2 p.m. at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home. Pastor Jim Rushton officiated. Visitation was Sunday from 4–6 p.m. at the funeral home. Online condolences are welcome at www.bayviewfuneral.com

Michael went to be with the love of his life, Susy Hydeen, on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 at his home.

Donald J. “Don” Madison, age 73, of Wabasha, died Monday, November 12, 2012 at St. Elizabeth’s Nursing Home in Wabasha. He was the owner/operator of Don’s Power and Equipment in Wabasha. He was born April 28, 1939 in Minneapolis, the son of James and Margaret (Discher) Madison.

He grew up in New Richland, MN and graduated from high school there. He married Clara Johnson January 26, 1958 at Pontoppidan Lutheran Church in Lemond, MN, near Owatonna. They moved to Wabasha in 1960. He owned and operated Don’s Surge, a milking machine equipment business from 1960 until 1970. He also worked for Jim Elliott at Wabasha Marina during this time. In 1970 he started Don’s Lawn and Sport, owning and operating the business until selling it to his son, David, in 2000. Currently he owned and operated Don’s Power and Equipment located in David’s business.