obituaries

Dec 2, 2017

Medora Hogetvedt, 96, of Ulen, MN, died Saturday, December 2, 2017, in the Viking Manor Nursing Home in Ulen. Medora Elizabeth Bickel was born February 1, 1921, the third oldest of eight children born to Herbert and Hilda (Hogenson) Bickel. Growing up, she attended country school for eight years followed by one year of high school. Following her schooling, Medora...

Nov 26, 2017

Clara M. Wilkens, 99,  Orlando, FL, formerly of Ada, MN, died after a brief illness on Sunday, Nov. 26 at the Village on the Green Nursing Home in Orlando, Fla. Her daughter Shelda who had been her caregiver for the past seven years was with her as she was greeted by her family and friends as she entered heaven....

Nov 25, 2017

Loretta A. Hemberger, 99, Halstad, MN, passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 25, 2017, at Halstad Living Center.

Loretta was born on January 2, 1918 in Ada, MN, to John and Mary Arends of Town of Mary, MN.  She was the youngest of 10 children.  She attended high school at Mount St. Benedict in Crookston, MN.  Loretta...

Nov 23, 2017

Margaret Alvera (Slininger) Lee, 94, Ada, Minnesota, died Thursday, November 23, 2017, at the Heritage House, Halstad, MN.

Margaret was born to Charlie and Fanny (Hornby) Slininger Nov. 15, 1923, in Lake Ida Township, rural Ada.  She grew up on the farm and attended Bloomfield country school District 24.  She was a farm girl at heart all...

Nov 21, 2017

Larry Refshaw, age 87, of Mahnomen, MN, died Tuesday, November 21, 2017, at Sanford Palliative Care, Fargo, ND.

Larry Vernon Refshaw, the son of Elmer and Gyda (Evje) Refshaw, was born in Minburn, IA, on September 18, 1930, where his father worked as a crane operator. His family moved to Mahnomen, MN, in approximately 1931, living and...

Nov 18, 2017

Maxine Marie Boswell, age 77, of Waubun, MN, died Saturday, November 18, 2017, at Mahnomen Health Center Nursing Home, Mahnomen, under Hospice Care of the Red River Valley. Maxine Marie (McDougall) Boswell was born at home in Naytahwaush, MN, on April 20, 1940; one of ten children of Leonard J. and Katherine (Morgan) McDougall. She attended Naytahwaush Elementary School and...

Nov 14, 2017

Teddy Millage Sr., age 56, of Ogema, MN, passed away on Tuesday, November 14, 2017, at his home. Teddy was born February 6, 1961, in Forrest Lake, MN, to Verna (Morgan) and Clark J. Millage. Growing up, Ted attended Detroit Lakes High School and received his GED in 1981. He attended the Detroit Lakes Vo-Tech for one year of auto...

Nov 13, 2017

Gilman Nelson, age 94, of Gary, MN, passed away on Monday, November 13, 2017, at his home. Gilman Henry Nelson was born on the family farm on January 13, 1923, the son of Helge and Gurinee (Baglien) Nelson. He grew up on the farm in Waukon Township east of Gary and attended the # 31 South County School. From a...

Nov 13, 2017

Marilee Dawn Purrington, age 62, longtime resident of Hibbing, died peacefully in her home on Monday, November 13, 2017, following a 3 ½ year battle with cancer.  She was born March 30, 1955, in Ada, MN, the daughter of Leslie and Jean (Hubbell) Ness.  She graduated from Ada High School and went on to obtain a degree as a...

Nov 11, 2017

Marlys M. Lee, 85, of Ada, MN, died Saturday, November 11, 2017, at Benedictine Care Community in Ada.

Marlys Mae Echternach was born January 6, 1932, in Traverse County, MN, near Wheaton, the daughter of Carl and Lillian (Templin) Echternach. She attended school in Wheaton for younger years before attending high school at the University of Minnesota-Morris...

Nov 11, 2017

Thomas "Tom" Allen Nelson, 62, of Mentor, MN, passed away at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, on Saturday, November 11, 2017, with his family by his side.

Tom was born on February 8, 1955, to Leonard and Judith (Jacobson) Nelson in Crookston, MN. The youngest of six children, he grew up in Fertile and...

Nov 7, 2017

Darla Joy Kier, age 59, of Waubun, MN, left for the spirit world on Tuesday, November 7, 2017, at Sanford Health Systems in Fargo, ND. Darla Joy Kier was born on April 9, 1958 to Wilfred and Julia (Wadena) Kier. Growing up in Naytahwaush, Darla attended school and graduated from Waubun School. She attended college for a while after high...

Nov 7, 2017

Rodney K. Kjolberg, age 70, of Waubun, MN, died Tuesday, November 7, 2017, at home, surrounded by family. Rodney Keith Kjolberg was born on March 17, 1947, to Robert and Lillian Marian (Bellecourt) Kjolberg in White Earth, MN. He was baptized and confirmed at Lake Grove Lutheran Church. He attended country school and Waubun High School. In 1968, Rodney joined...

Nov 5, 2017

Corey Bush Sr., age 34, of Mahnomen, MN, died Sunday, November 5, 2017. Corey James Bush was born on June 4, 1983 to Debra Bush in Park Rapids, MN. He grew up in Akley for a brief amount of time before moving to Dilworth with family, and then returning to the Mahnomen and Naytahwaush area. He graduated from Mahnomen High...

Nov 4, 2017

Palma Higdem, age 93, of Fosston, MN, formerly of Winger, MN, died Saturday, November 4, 2017, at Essentia Long Term Care in Fosston, MN. Palma Elaine Helgaas was born April 21, 1924, to John and Clara (Bennes) Helgaas at her parent's home near Winger, MN. She was baptized and confirmed at Faaberg Lutheran Church in Rindal, MN. She attended grade...

Nov 3, 2017

Robin A. Villebrun, age 59, of Mahnomen, MN, died Friday, November 3, 2017, at Sanford Health Systems in Fargo, ND. Robin, "opichi", daughter of Merton "Mex" and Eileen (Mitchell) Villebrun, was born November 24, 1957, in Minneapolis, MN. As a child, she grew up and attended school in Minneapolis. Robin entered the workforce at Froggy's in the Twin Cities and...

Nov 2, 2017

Sherry Peterson, age 55, of Flom, MN, died Thursday, November 2, 2017 in her home. Sherry Lynn Mattinen was born on June 9, 1962 to David and Arlene (Hella) Mattinen in Cloquet, MN. As a child she lived in Esko, MN until her family moved to a home on Tulaby Lake, near Waubun, MN. Sherry attended Waubun school for most...

Oct 31, 2017

Theodore "Ted" LaGue, age 82, of Naytahwaush, MN, died Tuesday, October 31, 2017. Theodore LaGue was born on May 23, 1935, to Jerome and Elsie (Nickaboine) LaGue.  He grew up in Elbow Lake village and attended school in Waubun, MN. While growing up, Ted was an outstanding athlete who broke many track records. He was also active in football and...

Oct 27, 2017

The exciting moments of pregnancy turned to sorrow for Shannen Wibbels and Charles VanWert, of Elbow Lake, MN, with the death of their precious baby girl, Shaylinn Mae VanWert, on Friday, October 27, 2017, at Essentia Health St. Mary's in Detroit Lakes, MN. Shaylinn is survived by her parents, Shannen Wibbels and Charles VanWert; her brothers: Jaysun and Dereck; sisters:...

Oct 25, 2017

Mary Elizabeth (Daly) Staska was born on July 15, 1944, in Oakland, CA, to Thomas and Mildred (Bruggeman) Daly. She was raised in Mahnomen, attended Mahnomen Public School where she was a cheerleader and graduated in 1962. Shortly out of high school, Mary was united in marriage to Warren Abdo. They had five daughters: Paula, Pam, Michelle, Melanie and Jennifer....