- Details
- Hits: 628
Having lived a full and rich 97 years, Fern Ratigan passed away at home on February 2nd, 2021, with family present. Born March 12, 1923, to Hilbert and Francesca (Kain) Malzahn, near Minnesota Lake, Fern enjoyed a carefree childhood, helping on the family farm, riding horse, playing cards with her siblings, and attending country school just down the road.
After completing school, she worked as a nanny and mother’s helper, as well as a waitress, before marrying the love of her life, David Ratigan. Together, they worked hard establishing a grain and dairy farm operation, as well as raising hogs and chickens. Hired help always loved working on their farms because they could enjoy Fern’s wonderful cooking; from steak and fried chicken to her fabulous homemade pies, no one ever left hungry! Their lives were blessed and centered around their two children, Robert and Karen.
On April 30, 1967, a tornado (Black Sunday) destroyed everything Fern and David had worked so hard for. Despite David’s life-threatening injuries, they rebuilt their farm and continued to live life to the fullest. Fern started her career in Avon as a way to be with people and combat the depression she felt following the tornado. She went on to win many sales and leadership awards during her 40-year Avon career.
- Details
- Hits: 647
Funeral services for Wilferd D. Thostenson, age 79, of Ellendale, will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday Feb. 1, 2021 at Cross of Glory Lutheran Church, Hartland, with Rev. Steven Schwartz officiating. Interment will be held at Hartland Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1-3 p.m. Sunday January 31,2021 at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday.
Wilferd died Wednesday January 27, 2021 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, MN.
Wilferd D. Thostenson was born February 15th, 1941 in Bath Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, the son of Willie and Elsie (Albertson) Thostenson. He was confirmed at Cross of Glory Lutheran Church. He attended school in Freeborn before attending and graduating from Ellendale High School.
He married Mary Johnson on April 28, 1962. Together they made their home on a farm and raised five kids. He was skilled in carpentry, building houses or furnishings. He knew a lot about concrete work, making patios, driveways and garages.
Whenever possible, he enjoyed going to tractor pulls. He mostly loved farming with his sons and grandchildren.
- Details
- Hits: 561
Marie Joyce Tesch, age 91, of Janesville, died peacefully on Friday morning, January 22, 2021 at Bridgewater at Janesville.
Born on October 19, 1929 in Minneapolis to James and Marion (Hansen) Brown, she was baptized on April 18, 1930 in Litchfield. When Marie was two years, old her family moved to Janesville, where she was confirmed on April 18, 1943 at Trinity Lutheran Church. She attended Trinity Lutheran School and Janesville High School, graduating with the class of 1947. On October 5, 1947, Marie was united in marriage to Harold Tesch at Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville. Marie and Harold lived their entire married life in the Waldorf area and shared 71 years of marriage before Harold passed away on February 15, 2019.
Marie worked at the EF Johnson Company for eight years before staying home to raise her family. Later in life she furthered her education at the University of Minnesota in Waseca, where she studied Horticulture. Marie owned and operated Marie’s Floral out of her home before opening Grass Roots Floral in Janesville, which she operated from 1985 – 1993 and later worked at Dick’s Floral in Wells. Marie was very active in her community, having served as president of the Janesville Chamber of Commerce and Waldorf American Legion Auxiliary. She was also a member of the Janesville Rotary Club, Calamity Jane Extension Club of Waldorf, Waldorf and Waseca Area Senior Citizens, Waldorf Red Hats, and was a 4H leader for the Waldorf Peppy Peppers for many years. Marie had been an active member of First Lutheran Church in Waldorf, where she taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School and was active with the Ladies Aid. She enjoyed bowling, square and line dancing and participated in the choir and bell choir at Colony Court.
- Details
- Hits: 988
Lidia Marie Rieck, age 92 of New Hope, formerly of Waseca and New Richland, died on Thursday, January 28, 2021 at the Saint Therese Home in New Hope.
Lidia was born in Bologna, Italy on January 27, 1929. As a young woman, she attended school there before taking on an important role as a caretaker in the many active bomb shelters around her communty. She met her future husband, Jesse Rieck, while he was stationed in Italy. Although they spent their early relationship speaking through an interpreter, each fell for the other and they were married in Italy on November 4, 1957. Upon Jesse’s honorable discharge from the military, the pair moved back to the United States. Over their years together Lidia worked as a homemaker, at Land-O-Lakes in New Richland, at E.F. Johnson in Waseca, and at Itron in Waseca. Lidia was raised in the Catholic church and enjoyed her involvement in both area Catholic churches and the Lutheran Church in Otisco. She and her husband enjoyed their many friends at the Waseca Senior Citizen’s Center, and she enjoyed cooking, gardening, flowers, and caring for her many animals.
Lidia is survived by two sons, Greg (Patty) Rieck of Ramsey, and Jesse Rieck of Minneapolis; several grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; a half-sister, Rita, still living in Italy; and other cousins and relatives in Italy. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a daughter, Louise America; and a grandson, Nathan America.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at the State Street Chapel of Dennis Funeral & Cremation Services in Waseca, with Rev. The Hoang officiating. Visitation will be held for one hour before the service at the funeral home on Tuesday.
Private family interment will take place at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis. Dennis Funeral & Cremation Services in Waseca is handling the arrangements.
www.dennisfuneralhomes.com
- Details
- Hits: 706
Margaret "Mugsy" Helen Swearingen, 91, passed away December 15, 2020 in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.
Mugsy was born December 18, 1928 in St. Paul, Minnesota to Arndt and Helen Johnson. She graduated high school in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota where she graduated Valedictorian and she was a member of the Cheer Squad.
Mugsy married the love of her life, Lowell "Pete" Swearingen, February 27, 1949 at Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota. Together they shared 58 years of marriage and were blessed with four children, eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
She loved to cook and bake. She enjoyed camping and meeting different people. She loved her children and grandchildren. She was active in her church in Ellendale, Minnesota.
Mugsy was preceded in death by her husband Lowell "Pete" Swearingen, her parents, Arndt and Helen Johnson, her brother Norman Johnson and her sister Marion Peterson.