By Rev. Debra Jene Collum Chatfield United Methodist In the tradition in which I serve, each first Sunday of November is designated as All Saints Sunday. This day was very important to John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Movement. In a journal entry from November 1, 1767, Wesley calls it “a festival I truly love.” In 1788, he writes, “I always find this a comfortable … [Read more...]
Athlete of the week
Backer/Gophers Top #1 in AAA Cannon Falls
Chatfield football (3-0, 3-1), which entered the week unranked in the Class AA polls (but received votes), played a wild offensive game at #1 in AAA Cannon Falls (4-0). The Gophers pulled the rare feat of not just knocking off a team from a higher class, but knocking off the #1 team in a higher class. The Southeast-White leader beat the Southeast-Blue (bigger schools) … [Read more...]
Chatfield Public Library undergoes renovations
It all started on February 15, 1911 when Chatfield resident Medora Morrill proposed to the Commercial Club that a public library be opened in Chatfield at the public Rest Room. She was given the go-ahead to form a committee which collected 1,000 donated books, allowing the library to open to the public less than a month later on March 9, 1911. Just two years later, the … [Read more...]
Virginia “Ginny” Mae Kremer
In loving memory, we celebrate the life of the beautiful, talented, Chatfield-local, Virginia “Ginny” Mae Kremer. She peacefully passed away on July 29, 2021 at the age of 96 as her family held her hands and shared their hearts. She will be deeply missed. As a wife, mother, grandmother, skilled seamstress, exceptional cook/baker, loyal employee, active community member … [Read more...]
Bruce A. Bluhm
Bruce A. Bluhm, 71, of Chatfield, passed away on Monday, August 23, 2021, at his home in Chatfield. Bruce Alvin Bluhm was born November 20, 1949 in Rochester, to Alvin and Alma (Berg) Bluhm. He was raised on a farm north of Dover with four older sisters. As a young boy Bruce had polio and was in the iron lung in St. Marys for a short period. He graduated from Dover-Eyota … [Read more...]
Patricia B. (Schommer) Capek
Patricia B. (Schommer) Capek, March 8, 1939 - August 12, 2021. Patricia Barbara Capek, 82, formerly of Winona, Minn., passed away August 12, 2021, at Cottagewood Senior Communities of Rochester, Minn. Pat was born on March 8, 1939, in Medina, Minn., to Edward and Gertrude (Mergen) Schommer, and grew up on the family farm in the Medina/Wayzata area. Pat graduated from … [Read more...]
Richard “Dick” Billings
Richard “Dick” Billings, 90, of Chatfield, Minn., passed away peacefully Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at Season’s Hospice in Rochester, Minn. Dick was born in Rochester, Minn. on February 11, 1931 to John and Sophie (Kapp) Billings. He grew up in the Racine and High Forest area where he attended rural schools through the eighth grade. He enlisted in the Navy in 1946 at a very … [Read more...]
Miriam R. Rogers
Miriam R. Rogers, age 78, of Rochester, passed away on July 5, 2021, at her home. She was born Miriam Rebecca Fokema on April 24, 1943, in La Crosse, Wis., to Peter and Loreen (Gerdes) Fokema. Miriam graduated from a “one room” schoolhouse and received her Teaching Certificate and Master’s from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She taught in Viroqua, Wis. She … [Read more...]
Lois Nora Gehrke Anderson
Lois Nora Gehrke Anderson passed away on May 27, 2021. She was born December 10, 1929, in Chatfield, Minn. Lois was the eighth of Louis and Frieda Gehrke’s 10 children. Lois attended John Marshall High School in St. Paul. In November of 1948 Lois married Harold Anderson at St. Stephanus Lutheran Church in St. Paul. They farmed in southeastern Minnesota, renting and owning … [Read more...]