NRHEG Star Eagle

137 Years Serving the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Area
Newspaper of Record for NRHEG School District
Newspaper of Record for Waseca County, MN
PO Box 248 • New Richland, MN 56072

507-463-8112
email: steagle@hickorytech.net
Published every Thursday
Yearly Subscription: Waseca, Steele, and Freeborn counties: $52
Minnesota $57 • Out of state $64

Mary Ann (Tondl) Smith, age 103, formerly of Sycamore, IL, died peacefully July 22, 2020, at Oak Crest – DeKalb Area Retirement Center in DeKalb, IL.

Mary was born Marie Anna Tondl on July 8, 1917, to Joseph and Emilie (Docekal) Tondl in New Richland, Minnesota. She married Everell Adrian Smith Sept. 1, 1941, in New Richland, settling in Sycamore, Illinois to raise their family.

Mary’s father died in a farm accident before she was born. Her widowed mother, an immigrant, raised her children with strong values of education and work ethic. Her mother died of tuberculosis when Mary was a teenager. Despite these early tragedies and coming of age during the Great Depression, Mary had a happy upbringing. She delighted in sports, music and clubs: playing guard on the high school basketball team, clarinet in the school band and winning declamatory contests. She remained lifelong friends with girls from her hometown.

Mary graduated from New Richland High School in 1935 and entered Mankato State Teachers’ College in Mankato, Minnesota. As Mary delivered a speech “X Marks the Spot” for entry into the Newman Club, a northern farm boy seated in the back row turned to his friend and declared that this was the girl he would marry.

Remembering Jeanne E. Boyd….

Jeanne E. Boyd was born on December 9, 1950, in Waseca, Minnesota, the daughter of Carl and Edna (Roeker) Tesch.

She was baptized and confirmed at the First Lutheran Church in Waldorf and also graduated from Waldorf High School.

Jeanne had currently been living at Ecumen Pathstone  Living in Mankato.

Jeanne died on Monday, July 13, 2020 at Mayo Clinic in Mankato. She was 69.

She is survived by her daughter Carla (John) Reysack of Waterville, grandchildren Gavin and Lacey; brothers: Alfred (Connie) Tesch of Mesa, AZ, Russell (Marie) Tesch of Waseca, MN, Paul (Judy) Tesch of McKinney, TX; nieces and nephews Curtis (Patti) Tesch, Waseca, MN, Lisa (Bob) Nordman of Rochester, MN, Kathleen (Roger) Blake of Centerville, SD., Tammy (Rod) Schmidt of Delano, MN, Torrey (Becky) Tesch of Highlands Ranch, CO, Tony Tesch of Brooklyn Park, MN, and numerous other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents Carl and Edna, three brothers, Ronald, and two in infancy.

Private family services will be held with interment at First Lutheran Cemetery, Waldorf.

 

Lois Marie Byrne, age 90 of Waseca, died on Sunday, July 5, 2020 at her residence in Waseca.

Born on April 1, 1930 in Waseca, Minnesota, she was the daughter of Ludwig and Elsie (Tetzloff) Schlaak. She attended rural Waseca County school. Lois married Earl Byrne on November 24, 1956 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in New Richland. Lois was a homemaker and was active in her church serving on the Altar Guild. She also loved caring for children and enjoyed playing cards. Lois was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Waseca.

Lois is survived by special family members, Dan & Joy Schlaak, Lori & Eric Baertsch, Tara & Jacob Hill, and David & Loretta Schlaak; sisters-in-law, Janette Byrne and Grace Byrne. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and several brothers and sisters-in-law.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 2 p.m. at the Third Street Chapel of Dennis Funeral & Cremation Services in Waseca.  Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Woodville Cemetery in Waseca.  dennisfuneralhomes.com

 

Solveig was born April 3, 1920 on the family farm north of Hayward, MN, the second of four children born to  Pedar J. and Elsie E. (Lunde) Skaar. She died July 1, 2020 at the New Richland Care Center, New Richland, MN.

Solveig was baptized (May, 1920) and confirmed (1934) at the Hayward Lutheran Church. She attended Elementary country school in rural Hayward and High School in Albert Lea

On August 9, 1942, she and Warren Sorenson were married at Central Lutheran Church, rural Albert Lea.   Shortly after they were married, Warren left for Army Basic Training. Solveig decided to join in the World War II effort by working in a munitions factory in Winona, MN and later at Miller Hospital, St. Paul, MN. 

Solveig was a member of Community Lutheran Church, Geneva, where she was active in the life of the church by serving on the Altar Guild, taught Sunday School, was a member of a Circle/Bible Study and sewed many quilt tops for the WELCA quilters. She was also an active member of ARC (Association of Retarded Children), Albert Lea. In the mid 1950’s she represented Freeborn County ARC on an advisory panel, at the University of MN, which was seeking input from families who have children with Down Syndrome.

Odean Berg, 89, of Albert Lea passed away on July 2nd with family by his side after complications following emergency back surgery at Mayo Clinic Hospital, St. Mary’s Campus in Rochester.

Memorial Mass will be Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 11 a.m. at St. Theodore Catholic Church in Albert Lea, with public visitation from 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. at the church.  Masks will be required while in the church and social distancing guidelines will be followed.  Burial will be private.  Military Honors will be performed by the Albert Lea American Legion.  Bonnerup Funeral Service is assisting the family.  To use the online guestbook please visit www.BonnerupFuneralService.com.

Odean was born July 24, 1930 to George and Eleanor (Johnson) Berg in Albert Lea, Minnesota.  He grew up in New Richland and graduated from New Richland High School with the class of 1948.  After graduation, Odean enlisted in the United States Army and, after three years of service to his country, he attended Mankato State Teacher’s College (Minnesota State University, Mankato), the first of his family to attend college and Mankato State’s first student to utilize G.I. Bill education benefits for schooling.

He began his teaching career in Comfrey, Minnesota, where he spent five years as a teacher and Luther League advisor.  Comfrey is where he met and married Geraldine Sellner.  They were wed on July 29, 1961.