Alfred Karl Hagen, age 82, of Spring Grove, passed away Friday, July 3, 2026, at Gundersen Harmony Care Center in Harmony, Minnesota. He was born April 19, 1944, to James and Alma (Sylling) Hagen. He was a lifelong Spring Grove area resident. He was a Spring Grove High School graduate. While attending school he excelled in FFA, and made All Conference in football. Al … [Read more...]
Lois Elaine Peterson
Lois Elaine Peterson, age 92, passed away July 3, 2026. Lois was born on April 17, 1934, at the home of her parents, Alice (Hughes) and John Lyngen. Lois was baptized, confirmed and married by Reverend P. J. Nestande at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Lanesboro, Minnesota. Lois attended the Durkin Country School in Holt County, Lanesboro High School and Rochester Technical … [Read more...]
LaVonne C. Todd
LaVonne C. Todd, 95, of Harmony, Minnesota, passed away on July 3, 2026. She was born in Lanesboro, Minnesota, on September 24, 1930, to Alvin and Mildred (Larson) Storhoff. She graduated from Preston High School in 1948, and the Methodist-Kahler School of Nursing, in Rochester, Minnesota, in 1951. She worked for a year as an RN before going to work as a stewardess for … [Read more...]
Larry Dean Brannan
Larry Dean Brannan, 83, of LeRoy, Minnesota, passed away on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at his home. “A man tells his stories so many times that he becomes the stories. They live on after him. And in that way, he becomes immortal.” This is a quote from the movie “Big Fish.” Anyone who really got to know Larry Brannan knew this to be true about him. He was silly, charming, … [Read more...]
Rev. Norman Clarence Witt
Rev. Norman Clarence Witt, 88, passed away in St Paul, Minnesota, on June 27,,2026. A memorial service for Norman will be held at Faith United Methodist Church in Spring Valley, Minnesota, on July 14, 2026, at 11 a.m. with a luncheon to follow. Norm was born June 29, 1937 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He lived on South Ridge in rural Houston County, Minnesota, where he farmed … [Read more...]
Raymond E. Bollweg
Raymond E. Bollweg, 87, of rural Canton, died Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at the Gundersen Harmony Care Center in Harmony. Ray was born on September 3, 1938, in Wheaton, Illinois, to Edward and Anna (Schoemann) Bollweg. He grew up in Wheaton and worked as a mechanic while he attended and graduated from Wheaton High School. Ray was always good with numbers, so he attended North … [Read more...]
Betty Kathryn Gardner
Betty Gardner, age 86, of Denton, Texas, formerly of Albertville, Minnesota; Spring Valley, Minnesota; Plymouth, Minnesota; New Hope, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on June 17, 2026. Affectionally known as “Betty the Bookie,” for her enthusiam to win a $2 bet (and her extreme displeasure of losing) was born on January 17, 1940, to Wendell and Francianna Keeler. She grew … [Read more...]
Letter to Our Founders
– By Elsa Eickhoff
Letter to Our Founders Philadelphia, September 5, 1774. The date when you first met to start a legacy that has lasted for hundreds of years. Did you know then, during the First Continental Congress, that you set off a chain of events that led to the establishment of the United States of America? You defied one of the world’s great¬est nations at the time, some¬thing that had … [Read more...]
A Letter to One of the Most Courageous Presidents
– By Vera Roddy
A Letter to One of the Most Courageous Presidents Dear President Washington, It is clear that you were a deter¬mined man who never feared to tell the truth. Undoubtedly, you and the other founders based this country on liberty, freedom, and justice- qualities which are not evident everywhere today. What thoughts were going through your mind when you were cross¬ing the … [Read more...]
America
– By Ava Pohlman
America By Ava Pohlman Hokah, MN America. Our home, family, and nation. The beautiful coun¬try where we live. So many people helped shape America into what it is today. Our found¬ing fathers, all of our presidents, and everyone that lives in this wonderful country. George Washington is our main founder. Out of everyone in the United States, he was chosen to be our … [Read more...]