Obituaries

Mass of Christian Burial for Maxine Timmerman, 80, of Balaton, took place at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, December 29, 2025, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy. Visitation was Sunday from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. with a Prayer Service at 3:30 p.m. at the Horvath Remembrance Center in Tracy. Interment followed the service at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Tracy. Maxine Delores Timmerman was born on May 30, 1945, to Nels and Myrtle (Warne) Paulson in DeSmet, SD. She was the seventh of eleven children. Maxine spent her childhood in South Dakota. She graduated from Erwin High School in 1964.

Wilfred Ambrose “Bud” Spaeth, of Morgan, Minnesota, passed away peacefully in his hometown on December 15, 2025, at the age of 91. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Bud will be remembered for his quiet strength, unwavering faith, and generous spirit. Mass of Christian Burial was held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 19, 2025 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Morgan with burial to follow in the St. Michael’s Catholic Church. A visitation was held one and half hour prior to his service from 9:30 - 11 a.m. at the church.

Patricia “Pat” Ann Struiksma was born on June 27, 1954, to William and Gertrude Olivier on their family farm near Chandler, MN. She was baptized and attended Chandler Reformed Church. She received her education from Chandler-Lake Wilson School and graduated in 1973.

Douglas Michael Lubben, the son of Robert and Ada (Kolander) Lubben, was born on March 19, 1953, in Worthington, MN. He attended school in Round Lake, MN and graduated from the Fulda High School. Doug was united in marriage to Susan Daniels on September 30, 1972, and to this union 3 children were born. They lived in the Fulda and Slayton areas until they later divorced. Doug remained in the Fulda area and on February 26, 2000, he married Robyn Staples. After their marriage dissolved, he lived in Fulda and could be seen having morning coffee at Antonio’s, attending his grandkids activities, fishing, fixing or repairing something or taking his turn on the “Fulda neighborhood watch”. Doug passed away on Friday, December 26, 2025, at the Our House Hospice Home in Slayton, MN surrounded by his family at the age of 72.

Sandra Lee Widboom, lovingly known as Sandy, passed away on December 12, 2025, at the age of 70, in Greenville, Texas. Sandy was born on December 30, 1954, in Slayton, Minnesota, to Dorothy and Howard Gehlsen.

Douglas Gene Schipper, 83, of Dundee, Minnesota, passed away on December 23, 2025, in Worthington MN. He was born on May 4, 1942, in Brewster MN, to Martin & Mildred (Christians) Schipper.

Laurelene Esther Hardekopf, the daughter of Oscar and Lillian (Kahler) Baumhoefner, was born on December 19, 1939 in Truman, MN. She grew up on farms near Truman, Fairmont and Reading and Worthington and graduated from the Worthington High School in 1957. Laurie was united in marriage to Leland Hardekopf on July 22, 1958 at the Immanuel American Lutheran Church in rural Fulda. After their marriage they lived and farmed in the Fulda and Wilmont areas until moving into Fulda in February of 1981. She worked at Slayton Floral, Sterling Drug and Shopko over the years. Laurie lived in Slayton and Windom and after her husband’s death in January of 2017 she returned to Fulda. Laurie returned to heaven on December 20, 2025, the day after her 86th birthday. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church rural Fulda. She enjoyed crafts, collecting angels, word searches, bird watching, volunteering at Maple Lawn and the Nobles County Library.

Minnie Schwartz was born on December 29, 1935, in Sanborn, Iowa, to Peter Sr. and Minnie Kros Vogel. She grew up in Sanborn until 1947 when the family moved to a farm near Iona, MN. Minnie graduated from Fulda High School in 1954. Following high school Minnie worked at Buckles Variety in Slayton and later at Slayton Federal Savings and Loan. On August 20, 1957, she and Roger Schwartz were married at the First Reformed Church in Slayton. Following their marriage, they lived on several farms in Murray County until 1966 when they moved to a farm in Lake Sarah Township, Murray County, MN. Together she and Roger farmed there for over 30 years and raised their five children there. Minnie was a proud farmer’s wife, mother, and grandmother. In 1988 they began spending their winters in Arizona. In 2013 they moved to Tracy, MN. Roger passed away on January 8, 2016. Minnie passed away at the Sanford Tracy Hospital in Tracy, MN on Thursday, December 18, 2025, at the age of 89. She was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Slayton. Minnie enjoyed planting a large garden every spring and sharing the harvest with family and friends and having flowers around her home. She loved to brag about her 23 great grandchildren and was fondly called Candy Grandma Schwartz for her candy dish was always ready.

Catherine Mary Ford was born to Jacob and Amelia (Washburn) Drexler in Jackson County, Minnesota. She attended Lakefield Public School in Lakefield, Minnesota, graduating in 1959. She went on to Naeve Hospital School of Nursing in Albert Lea, Minnesota and graduated on June 8, 1962 with her registered nurse degree.

Anna Mae Fuerstenberg was born on October 03, 1933, on the family farm in Nobles County, Minnesota to Nicholas and Anna Schmit Probst. She grew up on the farm near St. Kilian, MN and graduated from Worthington High School.