November 2017

Alfred E. Ostby
January 15, 1929 • November 7, 2017

Alfred E. Ostby, 88, of Fargo, ND, went to be with his Lord and Savior, November 7, 2017.

The memorial service was 2 p.m. Saturday, November 11, 2017 at Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home, Fargo.  Visitation was held one hour prior to the service.

Al was born January 15, 1929 in Benson, Minnesota to Ed and Amy Ostby.  Al was baptized and confirmed into the Christian faith at Immanuel Lutheran Church.  He graduated from Benson High School in 1946.  After high school graduation, Al enlisted in the U. S. Army for two years.  

Upon return from his service, he attended the University of Minnesota graduating in 1951 with a degree in Business Administration and Senior Accounting.

Sharon M. Martinson
February 20, 1946 • November 16, 2017

Sharon Marie Martinson, 71, of Alexandria, Minnesota, formerly of Benson, went to be with her Savior, November 16, 2017, surrounded by family.

Celebration of Life was 11 a.m., Monday, November 20, 2017, at Alexandria Covenant Church. Urnbearers were Jesse Ricke, Rob Deopre, Ronald Martinson and Jim Erickson. Burial took place at Pike Lake Cemetery in rural Kensington, following the luncheon.

Visitation was from 4-7 p.m.  Sunday at the Lind Family Funeral Home in Alexandria and continued one hour prior to the service at the church.

Sharon was born February 20, 1946, in Litchfield, to Delmar and Iona (Knutson) Ricke and was the youngest of three children.  Sharon’s family moved to Benson in 1947, and she attended and graduated Benson Public Schools in 1964, where she was involved in music, playing the saxophone.  She attended Willmar Technical College in 1988-1989, for accounting.

Sussner Construction, the company doing the $3.573 million renovation work at the Swift County courthouse, has recommended that it not install the lightning protection system saving the county $31,815.

However, Jonathon Loose of Wold Architects & Engineers says the county should reject that recommendation. Wold has worked with the county board on the redesign of the courthouse interior to improve its energy efficiency, safety for employees of the courts, and for its functionality in serving county residents.

“We recommend rejecting that offer being it is a critical building of a historic nature, it is taller than most other buildings around, knowing there have been lightning strikes to the building and it is a wood framed roof and attic structure,” Loose told commissioners at their Nov. 7 meeting. “We think it is a small investment to channel those potential lightning strikes down to the ground and not affect the building,” he said.

Persistent losing records affect not just the school but the whole community, school board told
 

Concerned about the persistent losing records of several of Benson High School’s major varsity sports, a group of parents came to the Oct. 16 Board of Education meeting looking for answers.

They told the board of education that the losing records were having a negative impact not just on athlete and student morale, but were also having an impact on the ability of businesses to bring employees to the community.

It has been leading some parents to consider leaving the Benson area to give their children a chance to play for schools with winning programs.