DEATH NOTICES

Ruth Loretta Clemens

1937 ~ 2015

Ruth Loretta Clemens, age 78, of Appleton, formerly of Holloway, was called to her heavenly home December 26, 2015 in Sanford Hospital, Fargo, ND.  Funeral services were Thursday, December 31^st, at 11:00AM, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Holloway, officiated by Rev. Donald Klatt.  Burial followed in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, rural Holloway.

Ruth was born on October 2, 1937 to Loretta and Walter Holzheimer in their home in Fairfield Township.  Shortly after, she was baptized into the Christian faith.  Upon her mother’s death, Ruth was raised by her grandmother Anna Marie Heldt and two very special uncles Eddie and Roy.  Growing up around Holloway she enjoyed animals especially their dog and her horse Blackie.  Ruth confirmed her baptismal faith at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Holloway.    She graduated from Holloway High School in 1955. 

Maxine A. Meyer, 87, died on Monday, December 28, 2015, at Central Minnesota Senior Care in Willmar. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, January 8, 2016, at 1:00 pm at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Swift Falls. Visitation will be held from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm on Friday.

Maxine grew up in Vesta, Minnesota. She married Marion George Meyer on September 8, 1946 at the church parsonage in Milroy, Minnesota by Rev. Harry Sorenson. Marion and Maxine had one child; daughter, Geraldine Ann Meyer.

Joyce (Hanson) Holbrook died on December 27, 2015.   Joyce was born on January 2, 1943 in Benson, Minnesota to Emil and Olive Hanson. She graduated from Benson High School in 1961 and then graduated from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1965.  She moved to California to begin her teaching career in Fremont, CA.  She and her husband Ed made Fremont their home for 35 years.  She enjoyed AAUW activities, basketball, cooking, entertaining friends and family, camping, and traveling.  She was proud of her Norwegian heritage.  She was a member of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Fremont. 

In 2003, they retired to Lincoln, California and joined the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection.  She loved her social life in Lincoln with family and friends.  She died peacefully in her own home.  She is survived by her husband Ed, daughter Jennifer, step daughter Jan, sister Jean and granddog Lily. 

Muriel Alida Wordelman
March 25, 1918 – December 22, 2015
Obituary
 
Muriel Alida Wordelman, age 97 years and 9 months, died December 22, 2015 in the St. Cloud Hospital.  Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 9, 2016, at Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church in Benson with visitation for one hour prior to the service.  She was born in Ormsby, Minnesota on March 25, 1918 to Olaus and Tena (Sorlie) Syverson.  Muriel graduated from St. James High School and from Winona State Teachers College with a two-year degree.  Later, she completed her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
 
Muriel began her teaching career in a one-room school house in the St. James area.  After serving several one-room schools, she completed her career in Danvers and Benson, Minnesota.
 

Kirsten Ricke
November 11, 1918 – December 23, 2015
 
 
Kristen Ricke, 97, of Benson, died on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 at Homestead Place North.  Funeral Services will be Wednesday, December 30, 2015 at 1:00 PM at Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church in Benson with visitation for one hour prior to the service.  Arrangements are with Zniewski Funeral Home in Benson.  www.zniewskifuneralhome.com
 
 

Henry M. Walsh
October 10, 1929-December 25, 2015
Obituary
 
Benson, MN- Henry M. Walsh, 86, died on Friday, December 25, 2015, at the Swift County Benson Hospital. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, December 29, at 11:00 a.m., at St. Francis Catholic Church in Benson. Visitation will be held on Monday, December 28, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with a 6:30 p.m. Parish Prayer Service, at St Francis Catholic Church in Benson. Visitation will also be held for one hour prior to the funeral on Tuesday.  Zniewski Funeral Home of Benson is in charge of the arrangements. www.zniewskifuneralhome.com
 

Ward Fennell

November 28, 1926 – December 20, 2015

 Ward Fennell, age 89, formerly of Benson, died Sunday, December 20, 2015, at his home in New Ulm, Minnesota.  A Memorial Service will be held in the spring.

Arrangements are pending with the Zniewski Funeral Home in Benson, MN.  www.zniewskifuneralhome.com

Donald Eldon Thompson, 84, of Murdock, died Thursday Dec. at Gabriel House in Murdock. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, December 21st at Kerkhoven Lutheran Church in Kerkhoven. Visitation will be from 4-6:00 p.m. on Sunday at Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Kerkhoven and continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at Rolling Fork Cemetery in Swift Falls. Arrangements are with Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Kerkhoven. www.hafh.org

Donald was born on Dec.16, 1931 to Bernt and Ruby (Hanson) Thompson in Swift County. He was one of ten children who grew up on the family farm north of Murdock. He attended country school until graduating from Murdock High School in 1950. After his schooling, Don enlisted in the Army, where he served during the Korean War from 1951 to 1953. He was stationed on the Korean Peninsula.

Ronald E. Swan

May 11, 1943 – December 17, 2015

 Funeral Services will be 1 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015, with visitation from 11:30 AM – 1 PM at the Zniewski Funeral Home in Benson, MN.  Burial will be in the Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, donations are preferred to the Kerkhoven Ambulance or Minneapolis VA Healthcare Systems “Fisher Fund”.  www.zniewskifuneralhome.com

Ronald Eugene Swan was born May 11, 1943, in Slayton Township, Murray County, Minnesota, to Gordon Earl and Ada Luella (Indall) Swan.  He grew up in Slayton, Minnesota; Canton, South Dakota; and Milbank, South Dakota, graduating from Milbank High School in 1961. 

LaVerne M. Skarsten
April 3, 1932-December 11, 2015
 LaVerne M. Skarsten, 83, died on Friday, Dec.11, at the Swift County-Benson Hospital. A memorial service is set for Tuesday, Dec. 15, at 11 am, at Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ in Benson. Visitation will be held from 5 pm to 7 pm, Monday, Dec. 14, at the Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ in Benson, and again Tuesday for one hour prior to the service at the church. Zniewski Funeral Home of Benson is in charge of the arrangements. www.zniewskifuneralhome.com