Obituaries

John Leslie Crawford, 91, Luverne, formerly of Beaver Creek, died Saturday, April 16, 2016, at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage. A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 21, at the First Presbyterian Church in Beaver Creek. Burial will follow in the Beaver Creek Cemetery. John Crawford was born Aug. 5, 1924, to James and Bessie (Schenck) Crawford in Beaver Creek. He was raised…

Hazel V. Pedersen, 92, died Monday, April 11, 2016, at Avera Dougherty Hospice House, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A funeral service was Friday, April 15, at Grace Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Hazel Horge was born Sept. 4, 1923, to Ole and Rena (Sundem) Horge in Hills. She graduated from Luverne High School in 1941. After graduation she moved to Sioux Falls and attended Nettleton…

Henrietta De Jongh Henrietta “Etta” De Jongh, 87, Hills, died Saturday, April 9, 2016, at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills. A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 15, at Steen Reformed Church in Steen. Burial will follow at Eastside Cemetery near Steen. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Thursday, April 14, at the Steen Reformed Church in Steen with the family present throughout.…

Roger Gehrke Roger Emil Gehrke, 72, Beaver Creek, died Friday, April 8, 2016, at Sanford Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A funeral service was Monday, April 11, at the First Presbyterian Church in Beaver Creek. Burial followed at Beaver Creek Cemetery. Roger Gehrke was born Feb. 26, 1944, to Edward and Anna (Christiansen) Gehrke in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He was raised on the…

Albert Peterson Al Peterson, age 90, passed away on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 in Bellingham, Washington. He was born April 29, 1925, in Edgerton, Minnesota, to Albert I. and Violet (Ray) Peterson. Al graduated from Edgerton High School, earned his B.A. at Hamline University and his M.A. at Cal State University Los Angeles. Al was a teacher, coach, and school principal for many years.  He served in…

Chad H. Carlson, 39, Luverne, died Sunday, April 3, 2016, as the result of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 7, at the Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne. Burial will follow at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne. Funeral arrangements are through the Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne, www.hartquistfuneral.com.  (0407 DN)

Aaron Charles Conklin, 34, Magnolia, died Thursday, March 31, 2016, as the result of an automobile accident near St. Kilian. He was born Feb. 14, 1982, in Milford, Pennsylvania, to Richard and Frances (Egan) Conklin. Aaron is survived by his son, Donovan, Luverne; his mother, Frances Conklin, Magnolia; three brothers, Richard (Victoria) Conklin, Kanaranzi, Michael (Theresa) Conklin, Kenneth, and…

World War II veteran Robert M. Kirsch passed away peacefully at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills on Monday, March 28, 2016, at 91 years of age. Family visitation will be Friday, April 1, at Jurrens Funeral Home in Hills from 4-8 p.m. A memorial service was held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Saturday, April 2, 2016, at 11 a.m. Private family interment with full military honors will take place…

Alan L. “Al” Stroh, 68, Luverne, died Sunday, March 27, 2016, at the Sanford Luverne Medical Center. A funeral service was  Thursday, March 31, 2016, at the United Methodist Church in Luverne. Burial was in the Garden of Memories Cemetery, Luverne. Alan Stroh was born June 28, 1947, to Vernon and Gladys (McClure) Stroh in Luverne. Alan attended country school near Luverne. He served his country…

Robert William Anderson, 91, Luverne, died Wednesday, March 23, 2016, at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne. A funeral service was Tuesday, March 29, 2016, at St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne. Burial of cremains will take place at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis. Robert Anderson was born Dec. 26, 1924, to Arthur and Anna (Meier) Anderson in Worthington. He grew up on a farm…

Jessica ‘Jay’ Jean Julius, 38, Des Moines, Iowa, formerly of Ellsworth, died Friday, March 18, 2016, at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A funeral service was Wednesday, March 23, 2016, at the United Methodist Church in Luverne. Burial followed at the Bethel Reformed Cemetery south of Ellsworth. Arrangements were by Dingmann Funeral Home of Luverne, dingmannandsons.com…

John Kreuch III John William Kreuch III, 61, White Bear Lake, died unexpectedly Monday, March 14, 2016, at his home. A funeral service was Saturday, March 19, 2016, at Mueller Memorial – Lake Chapel in White Bear Lake. Private burial was at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Owatonna. John William Kreuch III was born Nov. 12, 1954, to John Kreuch II and Billye Barrows in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He earned his…

Janice Lee Ward, 75, Hills, died Thursday, March 10, 2016, at her home in Hills. A funeral service was Monday, March 14, 2016, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills. Burial followed at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Cemetery in Hills. Janice Lee Hiney was born Sept. 16, 1940, to William and Pearl (Sogge) Hiney in Windom. She was raised in the Worthington area before moving to the Valley Springs, South…

Mildred Keunen, 86, Hills, died Tuesday, March 8, 2016, at Tuff Memorial Home in Hills. A funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Friday, March 18,  at the Steen Reformed Church in Steen. Burial of cremains will follow at East Side Cemetery near Steen. Visitation will be prior to the service. Mildred Keunen was born July 21, 1929, to Ben and Johanna (Veldhorst) Keunen at the family home in rural…

Brian Jay “Bernie” Schaap, 46, Lismore, died Friday, March 11, 2016, at the Pipestone County Medical Center in Pipestone. A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 18, at the Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church in Leota. Burial will follow at the Leota Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 17, and from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 18, at the Ebenezer…

LeRoy Irving Ellefson, 72, Jasper, died Monday, March 7, 2016, at his home. A funeral service was Friday, March 11, 2016, at the Jasper Evangelical Lutheran Church. Burial followed at the Jasper City Cemetery. LeRoy Irving Ellefson was born to John and Valborg (Mellom) Ellefson on July 19, 1943, at the Pipestone County Hospital in Pipestone. Following his birth, his parents purchased a home in…