Obituaries

Steven “Steve” Dale Earl was born on Nov. 2, 1945, in Sioux Falls, S.D., to Dale and Myrttus (Skattum) Earl. In his early childhood, from 1945 to 1950, he lived in Luverne where his parents owned and operated a local butcher shop. During the Korean War, his father was called to active duty, and the family lived in Alabama and Colorado.  At the age of nine, he experienced the profound loss of his…

Janet Kae Jessen was a mother, a sister, a daughter, a wife, a friend, a woman who lived with love and happiness, and left behind a legacy of cookie recipes and fishing stories.  Janet was born a twin on Jan. 29, 1947, to Ervin and Evelyn (Titus) Boone in Madison, Wis. At a young age, she moved with her family to Luverne, Minn., where she graduated from Luverne High School in 1965. She attended…

Funeral services for Ronald “Buzz” Baumhoefner, 83, of Luverne, Minn., formerly of Fulda, will be 11 a.m. Friday, May 1, 2026, at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in rural Fulda, Minn.  Visitation will be 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday April 30, at the Totzke Funeral Home in Fulda and one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.  Burial will be at the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in rural Fulda, Minn…

Betty Gamel, age 70, of Luverne, died Thursday, April 23, 2026, at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, S.D.  A private family service will take place at a later date with the Dingmann Funeral Home in Luverne.

Alice L. Boyenga, age 86, of Luverne, Minn., died Sunday, April 19, 2026, at the Good Samaritan Society – Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne.  Visitation was from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, at Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 23, at the First Presbyterian Church in Luverne. Burial will follow at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.  Memorials…

Robert “Bob” DeYong, age 80, of Luverne, Minn., passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at Sanford Luverne Hospital in Luverne.  Visitation was from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, April 20, from at Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne with the funeral service to follow at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be at Hillside Cemetery in Edgerton, Minn.  Arrangements are under the care of Hartquist Funeral…

Cleone Jane Honken, age 92, formerly of Luverne, Minn., died on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at the Luverne Hospice Cottage. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 23, at St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne. Per Cleone’s wishes, a private family service will be held. Burial will take place a Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.  Arrangements are under the care of Hartquist Funeral Home -…

Patricia L. Schmidt, 91, of Elbow Lake, died Monday, April 6, 2026, in Crystal, Minn.  A service was at 11 a.m. Monday, April 20, at Olson Funeral and Cremation in Fergus Falls, with visitation one-hour prior to the service.  Clergy was Reverend Kevin Patch.  Interment will be at Knollwood Memorial Gardens in Fergus Falls, Minn., at a later date.  Arrangements are provided by Olson Funeral…

Janet Jessen, age 79, of Minnetonka, Minn., formerly of Luverne, Minn., passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at the Luverne Hospice Cottage.  A gathering of family and friends will take place in the Twin Cities at a later date.  Arrangements have been entrusted to the Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne.  Please visit www. hartquistfuneral.com to sign an online registry and to…

Gerald Marvin Vande Brake, age 83, of Luverne, died Sunday, April 19, 2026, at the Parkview Manor Nursing Home in Ellsworth.  Funeral was at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, at the Dingmann Funeral Home in Luverne. Visitation was one hour prior to the service at the funeral home on Wednesday. Burial with full military honors provided by the Luverne American Legion & VFW, was in the Maplewood…

Floyd James Kraetsch, age 95, of Luverne, Minnesota, died on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Luverne Hospice Cottage. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 15, at First Presbyterian Church in Luverne with memorial service starting at 11 a.m. Inurnment will follow at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.  Arrangements are under the care of Hartquist Funeral Home.  Please vi s it www.…

Robert Somnis, age 54, of Magnolia, Minnesota, passed away on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at the VA Hospice Cottage in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  Visitation was 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, April 13, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne, Minnesota. Mass of Christian burial was at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 14, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne. Burial will be at St. Catherine Cemetery in…

Rodney Lee Poppema, age 82, of Luverne, died Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne.  A private family service will take place at a later date with Dingmann Funeral Home & Cremation Services. 

Rita Mae (Kafka) Robinson of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, passed away March 30, 2026, following a lengthy cancer battle.  She was born Aug. 31, 1949, in Luverne to Joe and Rose (Musil) Kafka. Her mother died when she was seven, and Rita contracted polio at a young age.  She graduated from Luverne High School in 1968, and received a college degree in social work/ psychology. She worked for 20 …

Joe Olsrud, age 88, of Luverne, Minnesota, passed away on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne.  A celebration of life gathering will be held at a later date.  Arrangements have been entrusted to the Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne. Please visit www.hartquistfuneral. com to sign an online registry and to read Joe’s life history.  Joseph “Joe” Bernard Olsrud was…

Dorothy Rosenberg, age 97, of Luverne, Minnesota, died on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at the Good Samaritan Society - Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne.  Funeral service was at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at First Presbyterian Church in Luverne with visitation held prior from 9:30- 11 a.m. Burial followed at Grand Prairie Cemetery in Ellsworth, Minnesota.  Arrangements were under the care of…