Obituaries

Fay Anderson was born on April 7, 1931, in Slayton, Minnesota to Hugo and Hattie Bohn Wiese. She grew up in Slayton and graduated from Slayton High School in 1949. Fay then attended Mankato Teachers College and graduated in 1951. On March 28, 1952, she and Kenneth “Ken” Anderson were married at the Baptist Parsonage in rural Slayton. Following their marriage, they lived and farmed in Mason Township until 1969 when they moved to a farm in Lake Sarah Township. Fay returned to Mankato State to obtain her four-year teaching degree. Over the years Fay taught elementary school in Avoca, Garvin, Currie, and Tracy. Many of Fay’s former students have fond memories of learning things like how to knit, play the piano and make Russian Tea. In 1989 they retired and moved to Slayton. Ken passed away on January 23, 2005. In 2014 Fay moved to Heritage Pointe in Marshall, MN and later moved to Sunrise Terrace in Slayton, MN and then to Boulder Estates in Marshall. In December 2023 she moved to Prairieview Senior Living in Tracy, MN. Due to failing health Fay moved to Our House Hospice Home in Slayton on October 1, 2024. She passed away there on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at the age of 93. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Slayton. Fay worked in the Murray County Fair Office for many years. She enjoyed reading, baking bread, shopping, and playing the organ.

Elsie Lindberg was born on February 16th, 1929, to Swedish immigrants Carl and Ellen Forsberg. She was born on a farm near Currie, Minnesota where she spent most of her life. The youngest of eight, Elsie was the baby of her family and close to her parents. She married Marvin Lindberg Sr. on December 7th, 1951, at the Currie Presbyterian Church. The two of them made a life together where they raised their five boys: Monty, Steve, Carl, Brad, and Grant. Elsie diligently spent her days tending to Lindberg Construction and her family. She devoted her time to her loved ones and never let anybody leave hungry. A woman of God, she never wavered away from, or doubted his word. Her home was a cozy environment filled with love and her presence made everyone at ease. Whether it was doing her hair, crawling in the chair with her, or helping her cook, it was always time well spent. Elsie lived an exemplary life, and we should all strive to walk in her light. Elsie was surrounded by her family at her time of passing on Thursday, October 3rd, 2024.

Bob Sorensen was born on February 6, 1949, in Tyler, Minnesota to Wayne and Lyla Myran Sorensen. He grew up in Minnesota and South Dakota until 1964 when the family moved to Aurora, CO where Bob graduated from Hinkley High School in 1967. On March 19, 1971, Bob enlisted in the United States Army and served in Vietnam as a paratrooper. Following his honorable discharge on May 22, 1974, he returned to Aurora and worked for the family roofing company. Bob eventually went to work for Crystal Red driving semi over the road. Over the years Bob made his home in Wyoming, Arkansas, South Dakota, and Minnesota. In 1992 he decided to call Lake Wilson, MN home. Bob worked for KAB trucking and Doeden farms near lake Wilson. Bob passed away on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at the Royal C. Johnson Veterans’ Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD at the age of 75. He was a member of the Lake Wilson American Legion Post. Bob enjoyed fishing, hunting, nature, and driving.

Until we meet again We think about you always, We talk about you still. You have never been forgotten, And you never will.

Rhonda Hellenga passed away peacefully in her home in Spring Lake, Michigan, on Thursday, September 12, 2024, after a long battle with Posterior Cortical Atrophy. She was 60 years old.

DONNA SCHOLTES, age 90, of Wilmont, died Monday, September 16, 2024, at the Sanford Luverne Medical Center. She was born February 4, 1934, in Osceola County, IA, to Paul and Elsie (Koenen) Zierke. She graduated from Worthington High School.

MARIE ELIZABETH VORTHERMS, age 97, of Wilmont, died Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at the Ecumen Meadows in Worthington. She was born December 14, 1926, on the family farm east of Wilmont, to Frank and Anna (Lenz) Balster. She graduated from Worthington High School in 1943 at the age of seventeen. After high school, Marie worked at Huisenga Grocery in Wilmont.

Jordis Ione (Julien) Jans, age 89 of Westbrook, passed away Saturday, August 31, 2024 at the Westbrook Good Samaritan Care Center. Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, September 10, 2024 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Westbrook. Visitation will be 9:00-11:00 a.m. Tuesday at the church. A private family burial will be in the Westbrook Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice. com. Stephens Funeral Service - Westbrook Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Lou Huerkamp was born on April 27, 1933, on a farm in Nobles County, Minnesota to Robert and Alma Brake Voss. She grew up on the family farm north of Wilmont, MN and graduated from Worthington High School in 1950. On September 18, 1950, she and Joseph “Jody” Huerkamp were married at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Wilmont. Following their marriage they farmed south of Iona, MN for a short time before moving to a farm near Garvin, MN for a year. They then moved to a farm north of Iona for 17 years later moving to the current farm south of Iona. Lou was an Avon Lady for 40 years serving as Assistant Manager of her district. Jody passed away on November 24, 2010. Lou remained on the farm until her death on Monday, September 2, 2024, at the Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD at the age of 91. Lou was a member of St. Columba Church in Iona, MN. Lou enjoyed spending time with her family, bowling, casino bus trips, jewelry, and her love of flowers.

Vesta Marie Berglund was born in a rural farmhouse near Slayton, Minnesota the first of three children to Arthur and Melba Carney on December 18, 1935. Vesta grew up on her parents’ family farm north of Lake Wilson, Minnesota. She attended school in Lake Wilson and was baptized at Lake Wilson First Methodist Church. She married the love of her life, Theodore Alfred Berglund, on August 30, 1952. They lived on a farm south of Slayton that was their home until 1990 where they raised their five children. As a young mother, Vesta returned to school graduating from Slayton High School in 1969. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in high school education for physics, chemistry, and mathematics from Southwest State College in Marshall, Minnesota in 1974. She put her degree to work by being a teacher at Verdi, Minnesota, and other area high schools in the following decades including Westbrook and Chandler-Lake Wilson High Schools. In 1989 she earned her master’s degree in social work and counseling from North American Baptist Seminary. She utilized her newly acquired skills at Sunshine Bible Academy in Miller, South Dakota. From there she worked at a Nebraska Native American reservation; Swea City Iowa School; and Good Samaritan Society of Algona, Iowa where she retired from in 2007. Vesta was an EMT, a member of Daughters of the American Revolution, active in Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Algona Gideons Camp.