Joan “Joni” Ellis, age 80, of Mabel, died in the arms of her daughter, Kathryn, on Sunday, January 14, 2018, at Gundersen Medical Center in La Crosse, Wisc. Joni was born a twin on July 29, 1937, to Harold and Amy Erlandson. She graduated from the Central High School in La Crosse, Wis. On April 25, 1955, she married Robert Ellis, Sr. in La Crosse. They lived in La Crosse … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2018
Esther Viola Dudley
Esther Viola (Young) Dudley, 95, of Chatfield, died Thursday, January 14, 2018, at Olmsted Medical Center in Rochester. Esther was born September 16, 1922, to Edward and Nancy (Dean) Young in Lancaster, Pa. She married J.C. Dudley on January 1, 1946, in Florida. She earned her LPN degree in 1964. The couple moved to Chatfield in 1970. She was employed by Chosen Valley … [Read more...]
Athlete of the Week – Lauren Buchholtz
Love story: Planning a marriage, not just a wedding
When James and Courtney Swanson planned their wedding, there was an undeniable inspiration: “Our ultimate goal was to showcase our personalities and make every guest feel like they were part of our love story. We wanted our wedding to feel like the best dinner party we’ve ever thrown. We love entertaining and wanted our day to feel warm, whimsical, and colorful.” From the … [Read more...]
Savor the little moments
It could be the beginning of a soulful country song: Boy meets girl at a basketball game. Soon, they’re hanging around each other as friends, watching movies and shooting pool. Innocently enough, they’re drawn to each other. Pretty soon it’s ice cream dates, musings about how incredible the other person is and then, they’re hooked. Tyler and Keela Hoskins have the … [Read more...]
Lanesboro couple celebrates 50 years together
“It was probably the best day of my life,” Diane Haight said, smiling. Her husband, Dick agreed that it was his best day as well. They don’t remember the exact date that it happened, but the Haights know that the best day of their lives was the day they met each other. Dick was working at Miller Hospital, now named United Children’s Hospital, as a pharmacist and Diane was a … [Read more...]
Right time, right place
It was a chance meeting through friends that brought Lee Johnson and Meredith (Keefe) Johnson together, but it is their sense of humor and sense of adventure that made them fall in love and plan a life together. Meredith grew up in the Twin Cities area and graduated from Park High School in Cottage Grove, Minn. She then attended Gustavus Adolphus college in St. Peter, Minn., … [Read more...]
The two M’s: Marriage and Money
This is purely an opinion piece as it relates to couples embarking upon the unity of marriage. I recall while working at the Post-Bulletin in Rochester, I went to lunch with a co-worker. Let’s just say his name was Jerry, because his name was Jerry Boland. I had recently asked my girlfriend to marry me in September of 1999. Jerry asked me a question I hadn’t been asked … [Read more...]
Earl Lawrence Branum
Earl Lawrence Branum, age 75, passed away in his home after a brave battle with esophageal cancer. He was surrounded by his loving and devoted family. He showed his family and friends what it means to be resilient, strong, devoted, honest, faithful and kind. Earl was born on July 27, 1942, in Austin, Minn., to Lawrence and Ethel (Holmquist) Branum. He spent much of his … [Read more...]
Camp Creek Farm: A labor of love
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but seeing a picture of Camp Creek Farm doesn’t do it justice. You have to see it for yourself to fully appreciate the beauty, the tranquility and the feeling that you have entered a magical place. Located on the outskirts of Preston, Camp Creek Farm has been an ongoing project for owners, Mike and Cindy Tomashek since October … [Read more...]