Obituaries

Arnold Ziemann was born on December 1, 1935, in Slayton, Minnesota to William “Bill” and Christina Reese Ziemann. He grew up in Lake Wilson, MN and graduated from Lake Wilson High School in 1954. Following high school Arnold attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD. On January 3, 1955, Arnold enlisted in the United States Army. He was stationed in Dugway, UT. Following his honorable discharge on December 10, 1957, he returned to Lake Wilson. On June 7, 1962, he and Jean Paige were married at Christ Lutheran Church in Slayton. Following their marriage, they made their home in Lake Wilson. Arnold worked for Hudson Bro’s Construction and Robert L Carr Construction before going out one his own. Jean passed away on November 3, 2018. In June 2021 Arnold became a resident of the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne. Arnold passed away at the Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, at the age of 86. He was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Lake Wilson, MN. He also was a member of the Lake Wilson American Legion Post. Arnold enjoyed fishing, wood working, watching the Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Twins.

Myrna Surprenant was born on October 17, 1940, in Slayton, Minnesota to Donald and Laura Schaffer Busch. She grew up on a farm near Hadley, MN and graduated from Slayton High School in 1958. She then worked at the Slayton High School as the School Secretary. In 1960, Myrna went to work for the Murray County Extension Office. On December 29, 1962, she and Ralph Surprenant were married at St. Ann’s Church in Slayton. Following their marriage, they made their home on a farm south of Tracy and raised their three children. Myrna passed away on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, at the Avera Hospital in Marshall, MN at the age of 81. She was a member of IHM Church in Currie where she served as head of the prayer chain, song leader, lector, sang in the choir and was part of the WCCW. She also was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, the Extension Club and served as a 4-H Leader in her younger days. Myrna enjoyed spending time with her family, gardening, sewing, puzzles, coffee with friends, crossword puzzles, traveling, attending her kids and grandkids events, and watching wildlife.

Dianne Joyce Lundblad was born on November 27, 1949, in Tracy, Minnesota to Floyd and Virginia Weaver Saxton. She grew up in Slayton and graduated from Slayton High School in 1967. Dianne and William Engbarth were married in Woodstock, MN and to this union came four children, John, Billy, James, and Stacy. Dianne and William later divorced. On September 3, 1983, she and Dennis Lundblad were married at Christ Lutheran Church in Slayton. They made their home in Slayton, Beresford, SD, and most recently Pipestone, MN. Due to failing health Dianne moved to Ava’s House in Sioux Falls, SD on February 14, 2022. She passed away there on Sunday, February 20, 2022, at the age of 72. She was a past member of Christ Lutheran Church in Slayton. Dianne loved spending time with her family and grandchildren, shopping with her sisters, playing cards, and puzzles.

JoEllyn Marcelline Ruppert was born on February 14, 1936, in Slayton, Minnesota to Aloysius and Elsie Bremer Illg. She and her twin sister, JoAnn Wisdorf grew up on the family farm near Avoca, MN. JoEllyn graduated from Slayton High School in 1954. On October 5, 1955, she and Melvin Ruppert were married at St. Rose of Lima Church in Avoca. Following their marriage they farmed near Currie, MN and raised their five children. In 1996 they moved to Currie.

Carroll Joyce Coffitt was born on June 17, 1932, in Fulda, Minnesota to John and Helen Fish Coffitt. The family later moved to Minneapolis, MN where Carroll attended Cambridge Elementary. Carroll lived in several facilities until 1983 when she moved to Slayton, MN. Carroll made her home with Myron Elq, and with Roy and Laura Carter. She later had an apartment at Southgate in Slayton. Carroll worked at the Slayton DAC and the Slayton Pizza Ranch.

Verna Sabin, age 93, of Lake Wilson, died Thursday, February 10, 2022, at the Pipestone County Medical Center in Pipestone, MN. She was born October 27, 1928, at Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar, MN, to Wieber and Evelyn (Bauman) Swart. She was the oldest of three children and grew up on the Swart family farm in the Prinsburg area. Verna attended country school through the eighth grade and graduated from Clara City High School in 1946. She was active in 4H and church choir. She had many cousins and they enjoyed getting together for picnics, rollerskating and kitten ball.

Richard Boehnke, the son of Fred and Irene (Dierks) Boehnke, was born on February 10, 1949 in Worthington, MN. He grew up on the family farm and attended school in Fulda and graduated from the Fulda High School in 1967. Rich then entered the National Guard and served for 5 years. He remained on the family farm where he farmed with his family. Rich was united in marriage to Sherri Clark on February 9, 1974 at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Sherburn, MN.

Charles Johnson, age 86 of Westbrook, passed away Sunday, February 6, 2022 at Westbrook Good Samaritan. Charles “Chubby” Gary Johnson was born September 11, 1935 to Henry and Myrtle (Hanson) Johnson in Slayton, Minnesota.

Art Buschena, the son of John and Frieda (Duerr) Buschena, was born on June 11, 1925 in Fulda, MN. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Fulda. He grew up in Fulda and attended school, graduating from the Fulda High School in 1943. Art served in the US Navy from 1943-1946 as an Electrician’s Mate, second class. He then attended Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis, graduating with an electrician’s degree. He returned to Fulda and worked with his father at Buschena Electric in downtown Fulda; in 1962 he passed the test to receive his Master Electrician’s license. He later took over the business.

Mavis Jean Hintermeister was born to Simon and Irene (Harman) VanderLee on December 16, 1933 in Boyden, Iowa. As a young girl, she moved with her family to Lake Wilson, Minnesota where she attended five years of country school, usually walking the 3 miles, sometimes riding her horse, Patsy. In those years she majored in tree climbing, as well as silos and windmills. She graduated in 1951 from Lake Wilson High School. On November 15, 1952, she was married to James Hintermeister at her parent’s farm near Lake Wilson. Following their marriage, they moved to Slayton, Minnesota for a short time. In November of 1954, with Jan about a year old, they moved to a farm outside of Avoca, Minnesota, a move that many years later she would call, the Dreadful Move. They moved off the farm in February, 1961 when they moved into Slayton and a nomadic life where they spent 3½ years in four different rental homes, moving permanently to Pipestone in 1964 where Mavis lived the rest of her life. Mavis worked various part-time jobs while raising her children. Those jobs included work with Dr. Pierson at the medical clinic as a receptionist and cleaning the autoclave at night, and working down the street in the Sale Barn office on Thursdays while in Slayton. In the Pipestone years, Mavis spent time at Shirlee’s Boutique where she worked with customers, but also did some custom sewing. In her middle years, she tinkered with some night classes in healthcare and watched patients on overnights; and she also worked in Russell Tobias’ Chiropractic Office. On January 24, 2022, Mavis was admitted to the Pipestone County Medical Center. She died there on Friday, January 28, 2022 at the age of 88 years, one month and 12 days.