Obituaries

Linda Alice Olson, age 77, passed away on December 7, 2025, in Gilbert, Arizona. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2pm on Saturday May 23, 2026 at the Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home in Albert Lea, MN. A visitation will be held an hour prior to the Celebration of Life. Inurnment will take place on May 24, 2026, at Highland Home Cemetery in Hadley, Minnesota.

Rondo Grayle Holck was born on April 3, 1928, in Tyler, Minnesota, to Earle and Minnie (Helland) Holck. He grew up in Ellsborough Township near Ruthton, Minnesota, with his brother, Marlo. Rondo attended his early years of school in a small country schoolhouse and graduated from Ruthton High School in 1946.

Dale Swanson was born in Tyler, Minnesota to Howard and Therese (Potesky) Swanson on October 15, 1957. Residing on a small farm near Verdi, Minnesota, Dale acquired his passion for farming and animal husbandry at an early age helping with the cattle, chicken, and hog chores.

Ruth Lois Maertens of Phoenix, Arizona, a past resident of Fulda, passed away on May 17, 2026, at the age of 103 in Phoenix. Ruth was born on July 3, 1922, in Fargo, North Dakota and was raised in Evergreen Township where her father was a Lutheran minister of a country church.

Jane Wagner, 87, of Slayton, MN passed away on Monday, May 11, 2026, at the Moments of Lakeville, MN. Funeral services will be on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at St. Ann’s Church in Slayton at 10:30 a.m. Visitation will be on Monday, May 18, 2026, at St. Ann’s Church from 4-6 p.m. and one hour prior to the services at the church on Tuesday. Interment is at St. Ann’s Cemetery in Slayton, Totzke Funeral Home of Slayton is entrusted with arrangement. To view online obituary and send condolences visit totzkefuneralhome.com

Muriel Loraine Veenhuis, 93, passed away on May 7, 2026. She was born on July 4, 1932 in Sanborn, IA to Lawrence and Theresa Glawe, and grew up in Slayton, MN alongside her siblings Henry (Eleanor), Virginia (Dick Portmann), and Judy (Leon Betz). Muriel developed her love for reading and learning at Country School District 77 and then at Slayton High School. She studied to be a teacher at Lamberton Teachers Normal School and later taught in the Dovray Country School and Avoca School.

Eleen LeRoy Johnson, Age 73, of Garvin, MN passed away May 7, 2026, after a brief stay at Luther Haven in Montevideo, MN. Eleen was born August 26, 1952, to Clarence L and Edith Rankin Johnson. Eleen grew up on the family farm near Lake Shetek and graduated from Tracy High School in 1970. On February 24, 1973, he and Shirley Schmidt were married at Tracy Lutheran Church in Tracy. Following their marriage, they made their home in Trimont, MN for a short time before returning to the Lake Shetek area. Eleen built a new home next to his parents’ home with the help of his brother-in-law, Butch and his boys. He and Shirley divorced in 1995. Eleen then moved down the road to the “Petersen’s place” where he made his home. Eleen worked for Lester Construction until moving on to work for the State of Minnesota he retired in 2011. Eleen could always be found helping a neighbor or a friend with cement work or construction projects that needed doing. He was known to the area for his hard work and his measure once attitude. He could also be counted on for taking the misfit kids and giving them summer jobs. In 2016, Eleen suffered a stroke and moved to an apartment in Tracy, where he lived until February 2026. He then moved to Montevideo, where he could spend his remaining time close to his son and daughter in law. Although, he didn’t always say it, he cherished his daily visits with them (some that started with a phone call by 6:00 am) and occasional outings. Even if it was only a trip across the parking lot.

Mary Kay Galles was born on August 19, 1949. The daughter of Bill and Marcella (Gengler) Frisk. She grew up in Avoca, Minnesota and attended elementary school there from kindergarten through 6th grade. She graduated from Slayton High School in 1967. Mary was united in marriage to Dale Galles on June 10, 1967, at St Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Avoca. After their marriage, they made their home on an acreage outside of Avoca for over 30 years. Those 30 years were filled with many great things including the birth of their 2 daughters. They also enjoyed raising horses and taking trips, one often being to the Grotto of Redemption. In 1978, Mary started working part time at the Avoca post office as a PMR-postmaster relief. She was promoted to Postmaster in 1984 and retired in 2012 after working 34 years. One of her favorite things was seeing all the town kids daily who came in for tootsie rolls and stamps on their hand. She was very proud of her entire postal career being right in her small hometown. She also served as trustee of the St Rose of Lima Catholic Cemetery for over 20 years. In 2016, after 49 years of marriage, her husband Dale passed away. Mary continued to live in their Slayton home they had lived in for over 20 years, missing him every day. She enjoyed embroidering, shopping, going to antique stores/flea markets and watching the yellow finches and hummingbirds out her back window. She liked collecting dolls, cookie jars, cups and saucers, rocks and loved finding any memorabilia of Avoca. As she often said that was her “STUFF”. She loved attending every concert, birthday party and sporting event her grandkids had and never missed one until she could no longer attend. For many years, she also enjoyed little trips to the casino. One of the many things about Mary is she was not only a grandma to her grandchild and great-grandchildren but to SO many others over the years and she will be forever missed by all that knew her. She passed away surrounded by loved ones on April 29, 2026, at the age of 76 years old.

Arnie Guild was born on March 15, 1941, in Tracy, Minnesota to Clarence and Frances Magnus Guild. Arnie was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. He grew up on the family farms near Avoca and Lake Wilson, MN. Arnie attended country schools near Avoca and Slayton. He later graduated from Slayton High School in 1959. After high school, Arnie attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD. After college Arnie worked in Worthington, MN as an autobody mechanic. Later he was employed by Moorman’s Feed Company and People’s Express. On June 23, 1962, he and Marie Schwartz were united in marriage in Slayton, MN. Arnie and Marie lived in Worthington, MN until 1963 and then moved to Slayton, MN where he presently resided. Marie passed away on December 1, 2009. Arnie passed away peacefully at his home on May 6, 2026. Arnie was a member of Christ Lutheran Church and Faith Community Lutheran Church of Slayton. Arnie enjoyed spending time with his family. He enjoyed music, fishing, hunting, camping, spending time at the lake, playing cribbage and pinochle with his family and friends. He always had a story to tell. It would have been his 53rd year fishing up north at Voyageurs National Park. His grandchildren and great grandchildren meant the world to him. He enjoyed attending all their events.

Ester Swan was born on June 19, 1938, in Minburne, Alberta, Canada to Otto and Rosa Viola Andersen Anderson. She grew up in Lethbridge and Calgary Canada where she attended school. On October 12, 1960, she and Marvin Swan were married at Southminster United Lethbridge. Following their marriage they farmed near Hadley, MN until moving to Pipestone, MN where Ester ran an in-home daycare. Following retirement, they moved back to the farm near Hadley. In August of 2000 Ester had a stroke and moved to Lindenwood Assisted Living in Slayton. Marvin passed away on March 7, 2003. Due to a fall Ester moved to the Slayton Golden Living Center in Slayton until it closed. She then moved to the Minneota Manor and later transition to the Minneota Assisted Living both in Minneota, MN. She passed away there on Friday, May 1, 2026, at the age of 87. She was a member of Hadley Lutheran Church in Hadley, MN. Ester was a devoted Child of Christ and loved him very much. Ester enjoyed puzzles, crocheting, shaking dices, gardening, playing Bingo, flowers, reading, cross-stitching, sewing and her many cats.