- Details
- Hits: 582
Remembering the life of Sharon “Sheree” Utpadel..
Private family services for Sharon A. (Wayne) Utpadel will be held at the Community Lutheran Church in Geneva on Friday, December 18. You may view the service livestreamed/recorded at www.bonnerupfuneralservice.com. A Celebration of Life/Interment Service will be held at Geneva Cemetery at a later time when all can gather.
Sharon died on Monday, December 7, 2020 at the New Richland Care Center. She was 82.
“Sheree” as she was affectionately known, was born on September 13, 1938 in rural Freeborn County the daughter of Arnold J. and Edith C. (Jensen) Wayne. Sheree graduated from Ellendale High School and attended MN Business College of Minneapolis.
Sheree was united in marriage to LaVerne C. Utpadel on April 20, 1958 at the Community Lutheran Church in Geneva where she remained active throughout her life. They made Geneva their home where they raised their family and contributed in many ways to the community. Sheree, alongside LaVerne, owned and operated Sheree’s Shoppe, Geneva Foods, Vern’s Trucking, and Geneva Amoco.
- Details
- Hits: 710
Thomas Eugene ‘Tom’ Benson passed away peacefully December 7, 2020, with his wife, Pat, by his side and surrounded by the love of his family and friends. He was 85 years old.
A private family funeral was already held. A recording of the service will be on his obituary page. Pastor Jeff Phelps of Crossroads Church officiated.
Tom was born in Albert Lea, MN, on June 17, 1935, to Harold and Phyllis (Hanson) Benson. He grew up in Geneva until the 8th grade, when the family settled in Clarks Grove. In 1953, Tom graduated from Albert Lea High School and went on to barber school in Minneapolis. After graduation, Tom worked as a barber alongside his dad in Clarks Grove before joining the Navy in 1956, where he served on the repair ship USS Tutuila (ARG-4) and sailed to several ports in the Caribbean. In December 1958, he was united in marriage to the love of his life and wife of nearly 62 years, Patricia Petersen. Together Tom and Pat raised three children, Jay, Lyn, and Pete.
For over 20 years, Tom barbered in Hartland. He was proud to be a small business owner and an active part of community life. Folks sat in his shop for hours just to chat and hear his jokes. In 1984, Tom stepped away from barbering and became a rural mail carrier for the New Richland area.
- Details
- Hits: 982
David Russ passed away peacefully on October 5, 2020 due to complications from Parkinson’s Disease, in Del Rio, Texas.
David was born March 18, 1936 in Albert Lea, Minnesota. He graduated from High School in New Richland, Minnesota in 1954. David enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1955 and was stationed in Korea. He joined the U.S. Border Patrol in 1960 and was stationed in Rio Grande City and Falfurrias, Texas. In 1967 David transferred to the Immigration and Naturalization Service and was stationed in Detroit, Michigan and finally Del Rio, Texas, where he lived for 51 years.
David enjoyed vegetable gardening, golf and watching sports.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years Nancy S. Russ, by his son Michael Russ, daughter-in-law Nancy M. Russ, son Brian Russ, niece Hillary Smith and great-nephew Sean Meehan.
He is preceded in death by his parents Sidney and Geneva Russ, brothers Ronnie and Stanley Russ and brother-in-law Hugh Smith.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to: The Val Verde County Library, The First United Methodist Church of Del Rio, or the charity of your choice.
- Details
- Hits: 591
Ruth Alice (Tande) Dronen of Bella Vista, Arkansas died Thursday, December 3, 2020 at Circle of Life Hopsice in Bentonville. She was born April 12, 1926 in Scobey, Montana to B.O. Tande and Marie (Swenson) Tande.
Ruth was raised in Scobey and in Aneta, North Dakota. She graduated from the University of North Dakota (Grand Forks) in 1957. Ruth married Maurice Carter Dronen June 11, 1950 in Aneta. After Maurice graduated from Lutheran Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, they moved to Ellendale, Minnesota, where he was pastor of First Lutheran Church until she retired in 1980. Ruth earned her master’s degree from Mankato State University and worked in occupational home economics. Ruth and Maurice moved to their retirement home in Bella Vista in 1990.
Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Maurice, parents, brother Iver Tande, and sisters Luella Lee Burros, Eunice Langhaug and Rachel Tande.
Ruth is survived by one son, Christopher Dronen and wife, Kathy Jursik of Plymouth, Minnesota; daughter Elyce Santerre and husband, Philip, of Chugiak, Alaska; four grand children: Eric Dronen, Peter Dronen, Kristi Santerre Nyquist and Beth Santerre Brotherton; seven great-grand children: Jackson Nyquist, Cora Nyquest, Cora Nyquist, Mallie Nyquist, Oswin Nyquist, Eleanor Brotherton, Josephine Brotherton, and Samuel Dronen.
- Details
- Hits: 539
Lyle Phelps, age 81, died Friday, November 13, 2020 in Mankato, MN.
A memorial service celebrating his life will be scheduled at a later date. Mankato Mortuary assisted the family with arrangements.
Lyle was born February 20, 1939 to Stafford and Marion (Johnson) Phelps in rural Lemond Township, MN. He graduated from Waseca’s Southern School of Agriculture in 1957 and received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Minnesota. Early in his career, Lyle taught high school vocational agriculture and FFA in Montgomery and Farmington. He met his wife, Ilene, while teaching in Montgomery, and they were united in marriage on June 15, 1963. Lyle also taught Agribusiness and Farm Business Management at Mankato Technical College for 25 years. Upon retirement, he became a private farm consultant, serving farmers across southern Minnesota until 2016.
Lyle is survived by his daughter, Christine (Mark Martinez) of St. Paul, MN; son, David (Phil Mueller) of Milwaukee, WI; brother, Dale (Ruth Sanford) of Bloomington, MN; and sister, Lois Jaime of Winslow, AZ.