- Details
- Hits: 927
Douglas Edwin Smith, 70, of Le Mars, IA, passed away on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center in Sioux City, IA.
He was born June 16, 1952 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of John and Gladys (Jolson) Smith. At age 7, the family moved to a farm near Blooming Prairie where he grew up. Doug attended school in Blooming Prairie where he was active in baseball and wrestling. He graduated from Blooming Prairie High School in 1970. Doug continued his education at Pipestone Vocational Technical Institute studying Meat Cutting and graduated in 1971. He was drafted into the National Guard and served from 1972 to 1979.
- Details
- Hits: 931
Jayne Marie Vairma of New Richland passed away peacefully at her home on May 17th, 2023 with her best friend and husband, Brian Douglas Vairma, giving comfort and care as Jayne went to meet her Heavenly Father after a long and hard-fought battle with cancer.
Jayne was born December 27, 1962, in Anchorage, Alaska, to parents Ruth (Hatle) and Lyle Strand. Jayne, the youngest of three children, moved to Minnesota and was raised in the New Richland/Albert Lea area alongside her older brothers Lynn and Terry Strand. Jayne graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1982 after blazing new trails in softball and one of the very first girl hockey teams to play in the community. Her adult softball team went on to compete in the DNR Nationals. It was her love of sports that her husband, Brian, said made her a fierce competitor. After graduating, Jayne went on to receive a certification in Food and Lab Safety through Riverland.
- Details
- Hits: 595
Joyce Pribyl, Owatonna, died Tuesday, May 9, 2023. Mass of Christian Burial will be Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at 11:30 AM at Christ the King Catholic Church in Medford, MN. Friends may greet the family from 5:00 – 7:00 PM Monday, May 15 at the Medford Funeral Home (310 E. Central, Medford, MN). A Medford/Deerfield Catholic Daughters of the Americas rosary will be recited at 4:30 PM. The visitation will continue from 10:30 - 11:20 AM on Tuesday at the Medford Funeral Home, followed by a procession to the church.
Joyce Marie (Byrne) Pribyl was born on Easter Sunday April 4, 1926, to Raymond and Anna (Wenzel) Byrne on the family farm in Waseca County. She attended rural schools and then New Richland High School, graduating in 1945. She attended the University of MN St. Paul campus short courses while employed at the County Extension Office in Owatonna from 1945-1948.
- Details
- Hits: 942
Mary Ann Margaret Eckart, age 83, of Northfield, Minnesota, passed away peacefully, Thursday, May 11, 2023, at her home. She was born December 25, 1939 in Charles City, IA to William Bartholomew Coughlin and Evelyn Otella (Johnson) Coughlin.
Mary Ann moved with her family to Minnesota in 1941, where they eventually settled in the Northfield area. She attended High Prairie #50 country school and graduated from Northfield High School in 1957.
- Details
- Hits: 863
Merle Ellsworth, age 94, of New Richland, died on Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at Mayo Clinic Health System in Waseca.
Merle was born on May 27, 1928, to Harry and Stella (Johnson) Johannsen. He graduated from Freeborn High School with the class of 1946. Merle was united in marriage to Betty Jean Drake on May 28, 1947. Merle and Betty began their married life together in Wells where they welcomed their two sons into their family. In 1959, they moved to New Richland where Merle began working for People’s Natural Gas which later became Northern Natural Gas and lastly Enron. In retirement Merle stayed busy helping his neighbors, family and friends with many of their plumbing and heating needs. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, his guns, and spending his summers with Betty in their motorhome in Nisswa. Together, Merle and Betty shared 76 years of marriage before Betty passed away on February 27, 2023. Merle was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in New Richland. Blessed be his memory.