Obituaries

Vernon Smith, 86, father of Grand Meadow woman

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Thu, 05/16/2019 - 11:44am

Vernon Fredrick Smith, 86, of Rochester, died peacefully on Thursday, May 9, 2019, at Seasons Hospice House in Rochester.

He was born on Feb. 10, 1933, in Rochester to Valentine and Ella (Ranfranz) Smith.

He graduated 10th grade in 1949.

He enlisted in the United States Army at the age of 17. He served for three years, obtaining the rank of Sergeant in the Army 11th Airborne Division “The Angels” Medical Battalion. Although he served during the Korean War, he was never deployed overseas. They kept him stateside to train other soldiers.

Gary Juday, 59, of Spring Valley

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Thu, 05/16/2019 - 11:42am

Gary Juday, 59, of Spring Valley, died on Monday, May 6, 2019, at the Chosen Valley Care Center in Chatfield.

He was born on Jan. 8, 1960, in Minneapolis to Leonard and Elaine (Kunz) Juday.

He graduated from Cambridge High School.

He later owned and operated a tree service in Cambridge. After moving to Spring Valley, he owned and operated Juday Tree Service for a number of years before being injured and becoming a quadriplegic in 1983.

Audrey Drogemuller, 93, grandmother of Wykoff woman

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Thu, 05/16/2019 - 11:41am

Audrey Drogemuller, 93, of Fountain, died on Friday, May 10, 2019, at Seasons Hospice in Rochester.

Audrey Carol Ann Williams was born on Feb. 15, 1926, to Albert and Myrtle (Joseph) Williams in York Township of Fillmore County.

She was a graduate of Preston High School.

On Dec. 16, 1946, she was united in marriage to Marcus Drogemuller at German Lutheran Church in Preston. They had two daughters, Marcia and Debra.

Thomas Aarsvold, 71, brother of area residents

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Tue, 05/07/2019 - 3:28pm

Thomas Peter Aarsvold, 71, of Minneapolis, died on Monday, April 15, 2019, at “The Villa” Health Center in Minneapolis, where he had resided due to failing health.

He was born on Nov. 9, 1947, to Phillip and Joyce (Morrill) Aarsvold in Dodge Center. He was the seventh child of 12: Patricia, David, Jack, Steven, Charlotte, Sharon, Thomas, Christine, Clifford, Daniel, Theodore and Rebecca. He gained two more siblings, Mark and Tamara, with the marriage of Phillip and Violet (Brachvogel). He also gained a stepbrother with the marriage of Joyce and Norval Bacon.

Margaret Bradbury, 79, formerly of Spring Valley

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Tue, 05/07/2019 - 3:27pm

Margaret (Koebke) Bradbury, 79, of Rochester, died on Friday, May 3, 2019, due to kidney failure, at Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester.

Margaret Marie Affeldt was born on April 30, 1940, in Fillmore County to Edwin and Sophia (Horstman) Affeldt.

She grew up on the family farm in rural Wykoff.

She attended school and graduated from Wykoff High School in 1958.

She was married to John Koebke on March 1, 1960, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.

Maggie Gragert, 102, of Spring Valley

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Tue, 05/07/2019 - 3:25pm

Maggie Gragert, 102, of Spring Valley, died on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018, in Pine Island. 

She is survived by her daughter, Eileen Ricabaugh Simmons (Ruben) of Phoenix, Ariz.; and daughter-in-law, Karen Nelson of Zumbrota.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Glenn Ricabaugh, Albert Miller and Adrian Gragert, and her son, Commander George Glenn Ricabaugh. 

A celebration of life for her will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14, at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley.

Martha Lee, 80, of Spring Valley

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Tue, 05/07/2019 - 3:24pm

Martha Lee, 80, of Spring Valley, died on Sunday, May 5, 2019, at the Spring Valley Living.

She was born on Aug. 6, 1938, in Jordan Township in Fillmore County to Willard and Eunice (Fort) Higgins.

She attended school through the eighth grade.

She was united in marriage to Roger Lee on Jan. 12, 1957, at the Racine Methodist Church.

Sheldon Churchill, 94, of Grand Meadow

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Tue, 04/23/2019 - 9:20am

Sheldon D. Churchill, 94, of Grand Meadow, died peacefully on Tuesday, April 16, 2019, with family at his side at Mayo Clinic Hospital — Saint Marys Campus in Rochester.

Sheldon Dale Churchill was born on April 29, 1924, in Spring Valley to Dale and Iva (Dornink) Churchill.

On Oct. 9, 1946, he was united in marriage to Laurene Davis and to this union six children were born.

Nancy Clark, 51, niece of Spring Valley residents

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Tue, 04/23/2019 - 9:19am

Nancy Ann Clark, 51, of Rochester, died peacefully on Sunday, April 14, 2019, at home, surrounded by members of her family.

She was born on Feb. 4, 1968, to Wes and Mary Clark.

She graduated from Pine Island High School in 1986.

She worked in various customer service roles before finding her employment niche when Walmart came to town in 1993.

Peter Haack, 63, of Spring Valley

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Tue, 04/23/2019 - 9:17am

Peter H. Haack, 63, of Spring Valley, died unexpectedly on Sunday, April 21, 2019, at his home, of an apparent heart attack.

He was born on Feb. 7, 1956, in Spring Valley to Daryl Haack and Malba (Bondenson) Haack.

He attended school in Spring Valley, graduating in 1974.

On Nov. 18, 1978, he was united in marriage to Brenda Heffern at our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Spring Valley. Together they had one daughter, Danielle.