Obituaries

Bob Robinson was born on November 25, 1937, in Dodge City, Kansas to Owen and Deane Weeks Robinson. He grew up in Garfield, KS and graduated from Garfield High School in 1955. Bob went on to attended Dodge City Community College, Flagstaff University in Flagstaff, AZ, and later Pratt Community College in Pratt, KS. Bob served in the United States Army and the Army Reserves. On December 23, 1961, he and LaRue Kamphaus were married at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pratt. Following their marriage, they made their home in Pratt until 1965 when they moved to Bayfield, CO. They later moved to Garden City, KS to help their aging parents. Bob worked as a lineman and later supervised the line transmission crew for Sunflower Electric. Bob retired in 2000. In 2011 they moved to Slayton to be near their son, Jim, and his family. Bob passed away at his home on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at the age of 87. He was a member of St. Ann’s Church in Slayton. While in Bayfield, Bob helped to organize the Volunteer

Curt Miller was born on June 18, 1946, in Tyler, Minnesota to Glennon and Irene Larson Miller. He grew up on the family farm in Lowville Township, Murray County, Minnesota. Curt was Baptized and Confirmed at Sillerud Lutheran Church in rural Balaton, MN. He attended country school and later graduated from Balaton High School in 1964. He then attended Worthington Junior College in Worthington, MN. Curt enlisted in the South Dakota Air National Guard. He was stationed in San Antonio, TX and Wichita Falls, TX. He returned to the family farm and farmed with his father, Glenn, and brother, Les. On June 28, 1970, he and Holly Pedersen were married at Bethany Lutheran Church in Arco, MN. Following their marriage, they made their home in Lowville Twp. just down the road from the Miller family farm. Curt worked hard and took great pride in his family, work, and farming. In 2008, they retired and moved to Lynd, MN. Due to failing health Curt moved to the Lockwood House, Prairie Home Hospice, in Marshall, MN on January 8, 2025. He passed away there on Monday, January 20, 2025, at the age of 78. He was a lifetime member of Sillerud Lutheran Church. Curt enjoyed spending time with his family, family vacations, winter getaways to South Padre Island and Texas, his 1966 GTO, car shows, and 50’s music. Curt had a wonderful sense of humor and liked to be in charge.

Timothy Dale Gillette was born on June 11, 1972 to Arlene (Field) and Dale Gillette in rural Woodstock, Minnesota. The family moved to Lake Wilson the following year and Tim was baptized at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on July, 9, 1973. Tim attended grade school in Lake Wilson, high school in Slayton, and Pipestone Technical School for auto mechanics. He lived in Washington State for a time with friends and close to family. He moved back to Minnesota and started working for Murray County Land Improvement from mid 1996 through the end of 2003. On a friends trip to Alaska during the summer of 2003, Tim fell in love with the area. He moved shortly after his return to Minnesota and never looked back. Tim and college friend, Shawn Hansen, lived together for a time before he found a place of his own. They remained close friends and ended up purchasing homes only a few houses away from each other. Tim loved Sitka and all things Alaska. He worked a variety of jobs including on a fishing boat and various construction jobs but spent most of his time in Dutch Harbor operating equipment in a rock quarry. In the last five years he started working on the North Slope near the Arctic Circle running heavy equipment.

Sandy Stokesbary was born on March 7, 1945, in Redwood Falls, Minnesota to P. Einer and Catherine Margaret Petersen Hoffbeck. She grew up near Morgan, MN, and graduated Salutatorian from Morgan High School in 1962. She then attended Charles T. Miller Hospital in St. Paul, MN graduating with a Radiology Technologists Degree. On March 26, 1966, she and Arlyn Stokesbary were married at St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Evan, MN. Following their marriage, they made their home in Millington, TN, San Diego, CA, and Mount Vernon, WA while Arlyn served in the United State Navy. Sandy worked as a Radiology Tech where Arlyn was stationed. Following Arlyn’s discharge in 1970 they made their home near Morgan, MN until 1987 when they moved to a farm west of Slayton, MN. Sandy worked at the Slayton Hospital starting in 1987 in the Radiology Department and in 2002 she became the Director of Radiology at the Murray County Medical Center, the Westbrook Care Center, and the Tracy Hospital. Sandy retired in 2011. She was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Slayton where she taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir, served on numerous church boards, was a WELC officer, member of the Altar Guild and a member of followship and service love circle. Sandy was a member of Monday Study Club, Slayton Kiwanis, Prairie Music, hospice volunteer, delivered Meals on Wheels and was a past member of the Lake Wilson American Legion Auxiliary. Sandy enjoyed spending time with her family, traveling especially in the RV, cooking, gardening, reading, music, word games, volunteering, bird watching as well as other wildlife. Sandy passed away at the Murray County Medical Center on Sunday, January 12, 2025, at the age of 79.

Celebration of Life for Katie Lee Scharfe, 41, of Balaton will take place Saturday, January 11, 2025 in the gymnasium of the Iterro (former Tru Shrimp) building beginning at 3:00 p.m. Public visitation will begin two hours prior to the service. A reception will be held at the Balaton Community Center following the Celebration of Life.

Marilyn Carlson was born on February 3, 1940, in Luverne, Minnesota to Harold and Louise Staeffler Kiebach. She grew up in Luverne and graduated from Luverne High School in 1958. On September 9, 1959, she and Lyle Carlson were married at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Luverne. Following their marriage, they made their home in Maryland and Alaska while Lyle served in the United States Army. Following his discharge in 1962, they moved to a farm north of Lake Wilson, MN and raised their three children. In 1984 they retired from farming and moved to an acre-age near Chandler, MN. Marilyn worked at Fey Industries in Edgerton, MN and later at Huisken Meat in Chandler, MN. In 1998 they moved to Lake Wilson, MN. Lyle passed away on December 23, 2002. Marilyn remained in Lake Wilson until February 2024 when she moved to Prairie View Healthcare in Tracy, MN. She passed away there on Friday, December 27, 2024, at the age of 84. She was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Lake Wilson and the Lake Wilson American Legion Auxiliary. Marilyn enjoyed playing cards and games, reading, gardening, fishing, and watching Gunsmoke.

Leone Arendt, 86 of Pipestone, MN formerly of Cottage Grove, MN passed away on December 9, 2024 while residing at Good Samaritan Nursing home in Pipestone, MN. Leone Therese (Hofstadter) Arendt was born on January 30th, 1938 to Leo and Louise (Ackerman) Hofstadter at the Tracy, MN hospital.

Marlin Johnson was born on September 25, 1940, in Fergus Falls, Minnesota the second oldest of six siblings. In 1950 Marlin was adopted by Andrew and Bernice Lien Johnson. He grew up on a farm south of Garvin, MN, and attended country school and later Tracy High School. Marlin was a hard worker and kept very busy raising dairy cows and doing all the milking by hand until the new dairy barn was built. He made his own formula cattle feed for the dairy side and had some of the best milk in the country, but unfortunately never patented it. He also raised Guernsey Cattle and later got in to breeding Chester White pure-bred hogs.

Sharon Schultz, 84, of Westbrook, MN passed away on Saturday, November 16, 2024. at the Good Sa-maritan Society in Westbrook. The family is planning a memorial service next spring. The Totzke Funeral Home in Fulda is assisting the family with arrangements.

Beverly “Bev” Knapp 88 of Orlando, FL passed away on Sunday, December 1, 2024, at the Advent East Hospital in Orlando. A memorial service will be held in the spring. Totzke Funeral Home of Slayton is entrusted with arrangements. To view online obituary and send condolences visit totzkefuneralhome. com