Obituaries

Lonnie Leebens was born on May 31, 1942, on the family farm in Belfast Township, Murray County, Minnesota to Elmer and Carolina Breeze Leebens. Lonnie grew up on the family farm near Dundee, MN and graduated from Fulda High School in 1960. On November 26, 1960, he and Marian Canfield were married at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Grey Eagle, MN. Following their marriage made their home on a farm near Dundee and Lonnie worked at the Morrell Packing Plant in Worthington, MN. They later moved to a home in Lime Creek, MN where Lonnie worked for a creamery company for a short time before moving to Storden, MN where Lonnie worked for the elevator. They then started working their way southwest and moved to Wirock, MN with that move, Lonnie started working for Slayton International and in 1971 they moved to Slayton, MN.

Virginia F. Johnson, age 94 of Faribault, MN passed away on Tuesday, November 4, 2025 at Pleasant View Estates.

Tex Sellman was born on April 14, 1934, on the family farm in Des Moines River Township, Murray County, Minnesota to John and Olga Hanson Sellman. He grew up on the family farm and attended country school. He and Twilla Buchan were married on December 21, 1956. Tex enlisted in the United States Army on December 28, 1956. Following his honorable discharge on December 13, 1958, he returned to his wife, Twilla back in Slayton. Tex worked as a crane operator for Synder Construction building bridges until his retirement. Twilla passed away on June 28, 2021. Tex remained in their home until 2025 when he moved to Lindenwood Assisted Living in Slayton. Tex passed away at Our House Hospice Home in Slayton on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at the age of 91. He enjoyed have coffee with friends at Hegstad’s and watching TV.

Carol Ann Van Dyke (Eernisse) was born to John & Henrietta Eernisse on January 29, 1946. She attended school in Chandler, MN and graduated from Chandler High School in 1964. Carol met Larry in elementary school, they married on August 14, 1964 and were blessed with five children. They lived on their acreage east of Chandler until 2013 when they moved to Edgerton.

Gary Bertrand, 67, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family, on Saturday, November 1, 2025, in North Las Vegas, NV. He fought a yearlong battle with cancer and is finally free of pain and suffering. Born June 26, 1958, in Slayton, Minnesota, Gary spent his early years on the farm with his six siblings, father, Harold Bertrand, and mother, Donna Koehn Bertrand. Being there for family was something instilled in Gary at an early age, and he lived his life being a light to those around him. After Gary graduated from high school in 1976, he enlisted in the United States Navy. He attended cryptologic technician operator school in Pensacola, Florida after bootcamp, then was stationed in the Azores for 18 months. He was stationed in Naples, Italy in the end of 1978, and was there until 1980. From 1980-1983, Gary was then stationed in Winter Harbor, Maine before attending streamline communication operator school in Pensacola, Florida, in the beginning of 1984. In 1984, Gary was stationed at Atsugi, Japan. He was discharged from the Navy in the spring of 1987.

Carol Van Dyke of Edgerton, MN, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at the Pipestone County Hospice House on October 31, 2025. A visitation was held at Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Edgerton, MN on Thursday, November 6, 2025, from 5:007:00PM. A burial service was held at the Chandler Memorial Cemetery on Friday, November 7, 2025, at 9:00AM with a celebration of life service to follow at Bethel CRC in Edgerton, MN at 11:00AM.

The funeral service for Lois Ahlschlager, 85, of Balaton, will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at St. Peters Lutheran Church in Balaton. Visitation was held on Monday, November 3, from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. with a Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. at the Horvath Remembrance Center in Balaton. Visitation continued on Tuesday, one hour prior to the service, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. at St. Peters Lutheran Church. Interment followed the service at Lakeside Cemetery in Balaton.

Garry Dierks was born on December 1, 1944, in Worthington, Minnesota to Ervin and Elnora Hardekopf Dierks. He grew up on the family farm northwest of Fulda, MN and graduated from Fulda High School in 1962. While in high school Garry worked at Taarud’s Service Station in Slayton it was there that he met a young Mary Lucker. On July 9, 1966, he and Mary were married at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Fulda, MN. Following their marriage, they made their home in Slayton and Garry worked for the Murray County Highway Department and operated Dierks Painting. He retired in 2009 after 43 years with the Murray County Highway Department. Garry then went to work doing road blading for Rock Lake Township, Lake Shetek Township, and continued painting. Mary passed away on May 24, 2019. Garry remained in Slayton until July 2025 when he moved to Good Samaritan in Mountain Lake, MN for rehab. He was moved to Ava’s House in Sioux Falls after a medical procedure. He passed away there on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at the age of 80. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Slayton where he served as President of the Congregation, sang in the choir, taught Sunday school, and was an Elder. Garry enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, coffee with the boys, and visiting.

Garry Dierks, 80, of Slayton, MN passed away at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls, SD on Sunday, October 19, 2025. Funeral services are Friday, October 24, 2025, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Slayton at 10:30 a.m. Visitation will be on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at the church from 4-6 p.m. with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m. and one hour prior to the services at the church on Friday. Interment is at Slayton Memorial Gardens in Slayton. Totzke Funeral Home of Slayton is entrusted with arrangements. To view online obituary and send condolences visit totzkefuneralhome. com

Marie Frandsine Henriksen was born September 17,1934 to Henrik and Esther (Sorensen) Henriksen near Tyler, Minnesota. After farming various sites in Lincoln County, the family settled in Lake Stay Township. After graduating from Ivanhoe High School, Marie attended and earned a degree in Home Economics from Mankato State College. She taught school in Tracy and Belle Plaine. In 1963, she spent seven months touring Europe, meeting family in Denmark, and doing factory work, manufacturing metal containers. She returned home and began working with University of Minnesota Extension Service for Murray County, in Slayton where she stayed for 28 years. She retired from her extension career in Lincoln County, in May 2000. Marie passed peacefully September 29, 2025, at Prairie Home Hospice, Lockwood House in Marshall, following her 91st birthday.