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

Yvonne Lucille Evenson, age 86, of Waseca, died peacefully on February 1, 2019, at Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Mankato. 

Funeral Service will be 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 17, at Starkson & Steffel Funeral & Cremation Service-McRaith Chapel of Waseca. Interment will be on a later date in Woodville Cemetery. Visitation will be for two hours prior to the service at the funeral home on Sunday. 

Memorials are preferred to the Waseca American Legion Post 228. 

Yvonne Lucille was born on April 2, 1932, on the family farm in rural Waldorf. The oldest of ten children born to Walter and Marie (Wallace) Stiernagle. Yvonne attended country school through 8th grade, then staying home  to help her parents with daily chores and raising her siblings. In 1952, Yvonne met Roger Evenson while he was on leave from the military. They were later united in marriage on September 6, 1952 in San Diego, CA. They lived in San Diego for a short time before making their forever home in Waseca. Together they raised three children and shared 31 year of marriage before Roger passed away on June 3, 1984. 

Jeanne Marguerite Ellingson, 87, recently of Huntertown, , died January 29, 2019.

Jeanne was born October 27, 1931 in Albert Lea, MN to Anton Peter and Minna J. (Schatterer) Axelson. Jeanne was retired as a Bank Officer and Vice President of Marketing for Western State Bank in Sioux Falls, SD.  Throughout her life she was active in her community, theater and her church. She often said her marriage on November 25, 1951 to Clair C. “Mick” Ellingson in Ellendale, MN, began a 67-year love affair with the love of her life.

Jeanne is survived by her loving husband, Clair “Mick” Ellingson, children, Eric (Patrice) Ellingson, Kristi (George) Hamilton, Juli (Randy) Huber, grandchildren, Rebekah (Gunnar) Vagenius, Rachelle Huber, Rae Anne (Steven) Hebnes, Kathrein Huber, Claire, Sarah, Kathleen, Elizabeth, and Erick John Ellingson, great-grandchildren, Laura (Chris) Vagenius Mills, Tobe Rey Carias, Minna Vagenius, Theodor and Fritz Hebnes, great-great-grandchild, Harrison Mills, siblings Shirley Jenson and Jimmy , and numerous nieces and 

She was proceeded in death by her parents and grandson Caleb Huber.

There are no services or visitation planned at this time.  Memorial gifts may be directed to Alzheimer’s Disease Research C/O Bright Focus Foundation 22512 Gateway Center Dr. Clarksburg, MD 20871. To sign the online guest book or share a memory or story with the family go to www.mccombandsons.com.

Mary E. Burns, age 97, of Janesville, died peacefully on Monday afternoon, January 28, 2019, at the New Richland Care Center. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. on Monday, February 4, at Church of St. Ann in Janesville with Fr. Michael Cronin, celebrant. Interment will be in the Church Cemetery. 

Visitation will be from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday, February 3, at Church of St. Ann in Janesville and will continue from 9:15 – 10:15 a.m. on Monday in the Divine Mercy Chapel of St. Ann Catholic Church. 

Memorials are preferred to the St. Ann Project Renew or donor’s choice.

Arrangements are with Starkson & Steffel Funeral & Cremation Service ~ Arnoldt Chapel of Janesville.

Mary Evelyn was born on May 13, 1921 in Byron Township, Waseca County, Minnesota to Henry and Sarah (Norton) Linnihan. She was baptized as an infant and later confirmed in her Catholic faith in her youth all at All Saints Catholic Church in New Richland. Mary grew up on the Linnihan family farm in Byron Township. Mary attended country school and later graduated from Freeborn High School with the class of 1939. Following high school, Mary helped on the farm for one year before attending Normal School in Wells where she received her teachers certificate and taught at a country school. 

LeRoy H. “Bud” Miller, 96, of Richfield passed away peacefully on Jan. 2, 2019.

He was preceded in death by his first wife of 38 years, Elaine; second wife of 25 years, Catherine; great-grandchildren Dillon and Bennett Coggins; siblings Manfred, Emery “Spike” and Allen Hiller, Lou Severson, and Gen Murdock. He is survived by sons Steve (Val) and Craig (Connie) Miller; grandchildren Stephanie (Matt) Miller, Jill (Scott) Coggins, Carissa and Courtney Miller; great-grandchildren Karesen, Annika, Gannon and Brielle.

Bud was a WWII Army veteran. He stormed the beach of Normandy on D Day and was injured on the 4th of July. He was a member of the 83rd Thunderbolt Division and a recipient of the Purple Heart and Silver Star. He owned and operated Miller Brothers Plumbing and Heating, a family business in Ellendale, Minn. Bud was a former mayor of Ellendale and also a retired member of the Ellendale Fire Dept. He had an amazing sense of humor, was always happy with whatever he had, and music made his heart sing. He will be deeply missed.

Funeral service 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6 with visitation beginning at 1 p.m. at United Methodist Church of Peace, 6345 Xerxes Ave. S., Richfield. Private internment at First Lutheran Cemetery, Ellendale. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred.

Mary Xavier of rural Ellendale, MN died January 28, 2019 at home under the care of her family and Hospice of Albert Lea five months after a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Mary was born April 28, 1952 in La Crosse, Wisconsin to Archibald Emmanuel Sokolik Jr. and Katherine Rebecca (Fauver) Sokolik. She and Joel Xavier were married on May 26, 1979.

Education, music, family, church, plants, collecting, and accounting all gave Mary joy in life. She attended country school in Long Coulee School rural Holmen, WI; graduated from Logan High School in La Crosse; from University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, Bachelor of Music; from Southwest Minnesota University, bachelor’s degrees in accounting and a teaching degree in band, orchestra, and vocal music. Mary taught in different schools K-12 in Minnesota and South Dakota including Blooming Prairie Public Schools and Hollandale Christian School. She earned her MBA from Capella University. Mary held different accounting positions through the years. Most recently she has been an accountant for OSPA, the Office of Sponsored Projects Administration in the Mayo organization. Mary has been a part of many choirs, bands and orchestras, sometimes as the director. She was recently codirector of the Kasson United Methodist Church Choir. She has been a member of the Austin Symphony Orchestra for twenty years and in that orchestra has played oboe, bassoon, English horn, viola, violin, and saxophone. Music is one part of Mary’s life of faith expressed through her being a part of Christ’s church wherever she lived.