Obituaries

Paul Merkel, 85, of Spring Valley

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Wed, 07/31/2019 - 3:43pm

Paul I. Merkel, 85, of Spring Valley, died at his home Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

He was born in Iowa on Feb. 27, 1934, and grew up in a large farming family. They moved to Minnesota when he was a boy and he lived around the Spring Valley area until the time of his death. He was a member of First English Lutheran Church where he was confirmed on March 25, 1956.

He also served his country proudly in the United States Army for two years and was honorably discharged.

Milo Mathison, 75, once of Spring Valley

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Wed, 07/31/2019 - 3:43pm

Milo Odine Mathison of Rochester, 75, died Thursday, July 25, 2019, at The Patty Elwood Center in Cresco, Iowa, from complications of Alzheimer's.

He was born in Cresco, the son of Milton and Ruby (Dotzenrod) Mathison, on Feb. 7, 1944. He attended country school for eight years and graduated from high school in 1962 from Spring Valley.

He worked on the farm starting at an early age and continued through adulthood near Cherry Grove until 1990.

In 1963, he met and married the love of his life, Trudy Kerns. Together, they raised their three girls.

Phillip Graves, 74, of Gifford, Pa.

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Wed, 07/31/2019 - 3:40pm

Phillip L. “Skeet” Graves, Jr., 74, of Gifford, Pa., died Monday, July 22, 2019, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.

He was born Dec. 3, 1944, in Bradford, Pa., and graduated from Bradford Area High School.

On Dec. 21, 1968, he married Judith E. Casey in Bradford.

Phil was employed as an auto mechanic at C.L. McKeirnan Inc. in Smethport for many years and also drove a school bus.

He was a member of Hilltop Baptist Church. He enjoyed spending time with his family, hunting and NASCAR.

Randy Gunderson, 64, once of Spring Valley

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Tue, 07/23/2019 - 2:44pm

Randy Denton Gunderson, 64, of Holmen, Wis., and formerly of Spring Valley, died unexpectedly on Monday, July 15, 2019, doing what he loved — driving his semi. 

He was born Aug. 7, 1954, in Spring Valley to Joyce (Gunderson) Turbenson and Clifford (Bud) Gunderson.

On May 12, 2001, he married his true love, Patricia (Thrune) Gunderson at Holmen Lutheran Church. 

Michael Hagedorn, 60, once of Spring Valley

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Tue, 07/23/2019 - 2:44pm

Michael Stanley Hagedorn died on Monday, July 8, 2019, at his home in Orlando, Fla., at the age of 60. 

He was born June 3, 1959, in Alexandria, Minn., to Stanley and Marjorie (Steidl) Hagedorn.  He grew up in Spring Valley, where he graduated from Spring Valley High School in 1977.

Karen Stackhouse, 64, of Stewartville

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Tue, 07/23/2019 - 2:43pm

Karen A. Stackhouse, 64, of Stewartville, died Sunday, July 7, 2019, at her home. 

Karen Ann Wallis was born June 25, 1955, in New Port, Ark., to Jerry and Mary (Willis) Wallis. She married Terry Stackhouse in the late 1980s and they were recently divorced after almost 30 years of marriage.

She loved life and made sure to live life to the fullest. She also loved flowers, the color pink, and was a breast cancer survivor. 

Eldena ‘Deenie’ Seabright, 84, of Spring Valley

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Tue, 07/23/2019 - 2:42pm

Eldena “Deenie” Seabright, 84, of Spring Valley, died Tuesday, July 16, 2019, at Spring Valley Living. 

Eldena Lucille Jacobson was born Dec. 20, 1934, in Ostrander to Herman and Mae (Clark) Jacobson. On Dec. 31, 1951, she was united in marriage to Jerry Seabright at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wykoff. She loved dancing and would sometimes go dancing three or more times a week. She was also an active member of Our Savio’s Lutheran Church in Spring Valley and WELCA.

Michael Hagedorn, 60, once of Spring Valley

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Tue, 07/16/2019 - 11:18am

Michael S. Hagedorn, 60, of Orlando, Fla., formerly of Alexandria and Spring Valley, died on Monday, July 8, 2019, at his home in Orlando. 

Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday, July 22, at the Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria and for one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 23, at Our Lady of Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Millerville, Minn. 

Arrangements are with the Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory in Alexandria.

Janice Owen, 81, formerly of Spring Valley

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Tue, 07/16/2019 - 11:17am

Janice Marie (Root) Owen, 81, formerly of Spring Valley, died on Sept. 28, 2018, at her home in Albuquerque, N.M., following a short and aggressive battle with leukemia.

She was born Feb. 24, 1937, in Spring Valley to Clare and Vivian Root. She was the oldest of five children. She loved growing up on the family farm and graduated from Spring Valley High School.

She married Ronald Stiles in 1954 and had five children. There were some lean times during those years, but there was never a shortage of a mother's love. She and Ronald divorced in 1974.

Gerald A. Johnson, 57, of Spring Valley

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Tue, 07/16/2019 - 11:14am

Gerald A. Johnson, 57, of Spring Valley, died Thursday, July 11, 2019, at Rochester Health Services West in Rochester. 

Gerald Alexander Johnson was born Sept. 30, 1961, in Blaine, Minn., to Richard and Marian (Benjaminson) Johnson.

He loved the outdoors. He often spent time hunting and fishing and would take hunting trips to South Dakota, where he owned property. He enjoyed taking family members and his dad on some of his trips. He was also an expert trap shooter.