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On February 13, 2021 Mary Ellen (Crabtree) Lerberg of Ellendale passed away surrounded by family at Homestead Hospice House in Owatonna. She was 76 years old.
A memorial service for Mary was held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 20 at First Lutheran Church, Ellendale. Pastor Arne Halbakken officiated. Family and friends had visitation two hours before the service at the church. Due to Covid-19, masks were required and social distancing was observed. Seating for the service was limited, but a livestream is available on her obituary page at www.bonnerupfuneralservice.com.
Mary was born on August 16, 1944 to Henry A. and Ella Mae (Knight) Crabtree. She grew up in rural Ellendale and graduated from Ellendale High School in 1962. While in school, Mary was active in many organizations, played in the band and was a majorette. After graduation, she worked at Federated Insurance in Owatonna. On August 9, 1964 she married the love of her life, Andrew (Andy) Lerberg, at the United Methodist Church in Ellendale. Several years after Mary joined Andy in managing the Lerberg businesses. Mary became a familiar face on Ellendale’s main street. Her artistic skills in decorating were on display at Lerberg’s Dry Goods and Gifts until 2004 when she was instrumental in opening Lerberg’s Fitness Center, from which she retired in 2017.
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Velma Welch Ring, 90, of Sergeant Bluff, IA, died at 4:58 a.m. February 10, 2021.
She was born August 13, 1930 in Fremont, Iowa to Ray and Marjorie Irene Harkins Welch.
Velma received her B.A. degree from Iowa Wesleyan College. She started teaching at age 17 in a one room country school. Her career included teaching in Iowa grade schools and high schools in Fremont, Danville, Burlington, Wilton, and West Branch, retiring in 1995. After retirement she substitute taught and conducted Bible studies in various nursing homes and assisted living centers. She received her lay ministry license through the Nazarene Church in Iowa City, which gave her the ability to serve communion.
Surviving are two daughters, Sandra (Ken) Oberman of Seargeant Bluff, IA and Sherry Rae Bell of Waldorf, MN; three grandchildren, Amanda M. Oberman, Sunni (Chad) Neegaard and Mindy (Marcus) McDonough; four great- grandchildren, Elsie and Peyton Neegaard and Sierra and A.J. Allen; a nephew, Bruce Welch and a niece, Becky Mills.
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Boyd William Demmer, 94, passed away peacefully on February 1, 2021 at Prairie Senior Cottages in New Richland, MN surrounded by family.
Boyd was born on a farm near Hartland, MN on October 21, 1926, the son of William and Lillian (Preiss) Demmer, who raised him on the farm milking cows and growing corn and soybeans. He was drafted by the United States Army in 1944 reporting first to Fort Snelling, MN followed by bases in Missouri, Texas, Oregon and Washington from where he traveled by boat to Japan. He remained in Japan until Fall 1946 serving his last eight months as an M.P. Boyd returned to the United States through San Francisco, CA before coming home to live in Albert Lea, MN. He was discharged from the Army on December 10, 1946. He joined the American Legion and the Army National Guard, where he served until 1952.
Boyd married Dorothy Johnson in August 1947. They lived in Waseca, MN for several years, where he worked as a mechanic in a Ford car dealership. After a serious automobile accident, he began selling Ford and Oliver farm machinery. Subsequently, he relocated the family to Hartland to sell John Deere farm machinery. In 1957 Boyd, in partnership with his brother Lyle Demmer, bought the John Deere dealership in Hayfield, MN and moved the family there.
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Lyle Loken, age 82, died Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls, SD. Funeral services will begin at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, February 14, 2021 at Redeemer Free Lutheran Church, Canton, SD. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Masks are required. A link to a livestream of the service can be found at www.andersonandsonsfh.com
Lyle was born on July 5, 1938 in rural Fairview, SD to Melvin and Alma (Larsgaard) Loken. He graduated from Augustana Academy in 1956. He attended Augustana College, Lutheran Bible Institute, and DeVrey Tech for Radio Technology. He married Joann Simonson on May 22, 1965 in New Richland, MN. They spent several years as missionaries in Bolivia before returning to Canton, SD. In addition to helping his father farm, Lyle worked in production at Behr for many years. The couple moved into Canton in 1997.
Lyle loved woodworking, spending time with his family, and mission work. He also spoke spanish and was a Gideon.
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Mildred Juanita Ferguson Flugum went to meet her Lord and Savior face to face on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at 3:05 p.m. at Centennial Villa, Annandale, Minnesota.
Millie was born on April 28, 1929 to Harold and Nelsena (Skow) Ferguson of rural Ellendale, MN. She grew up on the family farm learning and doing everything a dairy farm girl did. She taught herself to drive by practicing in the hayfield. She did get in trouble with Pop because the hay hadn't yet been harvested.
Millie and her six sisters would sing while hand milking the cows. Pop would walk in, stop the singing and say, "closer harmonies girls, closer". They became known through the area as the Ferguson Sisters, and sang together for the rest of their lives. Their repertoire included nearly every hymn in the Methodist Hymnal as well as many folk songs. Their favorite became "The Milkmaid".
Millie graduated from Ellendale High School where she was a cheerleader and played drums in the high school band. Following graduation she started working for Bell Telephone in Albert Lea as a telephone operator and enjoyed talking to people all over the world. She always said she could find anyone in the United States if she knew a general location. She proved this several times. She loved technology all her life and was in the process of writing down her memories on her laptop at the time of her death.