Thief River Falls - Michael “Mike” Wilson, 45, of Thief River Falls, passed away on Thursday, March 8, 2018 at his residence in Thief River Falls.
    A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 at Zion Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls.
    Visitation will be held from 5 - 7 p.m. with a 7 p.m. prayer service on Monday, March 19, 2018 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls. Visitation will also take place one hour prior to the memorial service on Tuesday at the church.
    Michael Lynn Wilson was born on November 15, 1972 in Thief River Falls, the son of Allan and Helen (Streich) Wilson. He was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church and confirmed at Redeemer Lutheran Church, both in Thief River Falls.
    Mike attended school in Thief River Falls and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1992. He attended post-secondary at the AVTI for automotive services, college at Bemidji Tech for further schooling in automotive services.
    Mike recently went to school at NCTC in East Grand Forks, MN, for his CDL.
    On September 4, 2010, Mike was united in marriage to Romayne Srnsky at Zion Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls. They made their home in Thief River Falls where he currently lived.
    Mike worked for many years at Arctic Cat Salvage.  His most recent job was farming and being owner/operator of Ma & Pa Mowing.
    Mike was an avid snowmobiler and a certified snowmobile mechanic. He recently restored a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 and his current project was a ’47 Ford 1 ton pickup. Mike loved mowing yards and farming, and B.S.’ing with anyone. He was a WWI and WWII buff and enjoyed politics.
    Mike is survived by his wife, Romayne Wilson; step-daughter, Ariel Sehlstrom of Moorhead; children, Kristin, Mercedes, Zachary, and Claire Wilson, all of Thief River Falls; granddaughter, Addalynn Reierson of Thief River Falls; mother, Helen Wilson of Thief River Falls; sister, Michelle (Edward) Zimmerman of Butte, MT; nephew and niece, Ethan and Madison Zimmerman; God parents, Norman “Bud” and Darlene Blackstad of Thief River Falls; chosen brothers, Jeff Kazmierczak of Rice, David Lubitz and David Lee, both of Thief River Falls; children he mentored, Nicholas, Wyatt, and Jacob Lee, Andrew Spears, Ryan Crummy, and others too many to mention; many other relatives and friends.
    Mike is preceded in death by his mother-in-law, Cheryl Kostrzewski; father, Allan Wilson; uncles, Raymond Schaller and Clarence “Junior” Streich; step-daughter, Elizabeth Srnsky; maternal and paternal grandparents; several aunts and uncles.
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    Thief River Falls - Wesley Skibicki, 69, of Thief River Falls, died peacefully on Friday, March 9, 2018 at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND with his loving family at his side.
    A gathering time for family and friends will be held from 1 - 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 17, 2018 at the Eagle’s Club in Thief River Falls. Visitation will be held from 5 - 7 p.m. with military honors at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 16, 2018 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls.
    Wesley Milton Skibicki was born on December 15, 1948 in Thief River Falls, the son of Jerome John and Myrtle Jane (Bye) Skibicki.  He attended school in Goodridge  and graduated from Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls with the class of 1967.  
    On November 23, 1968, Wesley was united in marriage to Linda Byklum at Grace Lutheran Church in Grygla. The couple made their home in Thief River Falls and to this union 3 children were born: Lynn, Stacie and Ryan.  
    Wesley served in the United States Army from December 8, 1968 until December of 1970. He was stationed on the east coast, achieved the rank of Sergeant and was Honorably Discharged. He then returned to Thief River Falls where he worked at Arctic Cat. In the mid-1970s, Wesley formed the Woodman Construction Company which he owned and operated.
    Wesley enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing cards and drinking coffee with his friends.
    Survivors include his loving wife, Linda; children, Lynn (Sharon) Skibicki all of Thief River Falls, Stacie (Bob) Grant of Pulaski, NY and Ryan (Bonnie Kaml) Skibicki of Thief River Falls; grandchildren, Jerome Skibicki, Bella & Brooke Grant; siblings, Shirley (Ed) Hruby, Gary Skibicki, Steve Skibicki, Evonne (Phil) Wold, Arlene (Gary) Novak, Duane (Becky) Skibicki, Dean Skibicki, Connie (Mike) Laufman; and many other relatives and friends.
    Wesley is preceded in death by his parents.
    Condolences may be sent to the family at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com
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    Thief River Falls - Arthur Buringrud, Thief River Falls, 95, died Tuesday, March 6, 2018 at Altru Hospital, Grand Forks, ND.
    Funeral services were held on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at Zion Lutheran Church, Thief River Falls, with Rev. John Golv and Rev. Ale Tulu officiating.   Burial followed at Greenwood Cemetery, Thief River Falls.
    Arthur J. Buringrud was born on March 28, 1922 in Thief River Falls, the son of Andrew and Mina Josephine (Phillipson) Buringrud. He attended school in Thief River Falls and graduated from Lincoln High School.
    Following high school, Art entered into the service with the United States Army on September 30, 1942. He served during World War II.  Art was honorably discharged in 1943.
    On April 10, 1949, Art was united in marriage to Virginia Mae Noel.  Together, Art and Virginia made Thief River Falls their home for many years. Their children, Kate, Jon, and Debbie, were all raised in Thief River Falls. Art always said, “Thief River Falls is a pretty good town. It supports young people–always has.  It’s a good town to grow up in…and great for a long life.”  
    Art worked for many years as the Postmaster for the United States Postal Service in Thief River Falls.  As he couldn’t sit still when he retired, he kept busy delivering Meals on Wheels, which he said was a great experience for him.
    Art was also active in many other organizations:  the Mason’s, Shriner’s, Knights Templar and the Golden Pioneers. Art and Virginia visited the Heritage Community Center daily for lunch. This is also where Art helped with bingo. He kept busy visiting friends and acquaintances at the Thief River Care Center and Oakland Park Communities.  He was a longtime member of Zion Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls.
    Art claimed there wasn’t a secret to his good health and longevity. “Just keep active.” He will be missed by his many friends and family.
    Art is survived by his wife, Virginia of Thief River Falls; children, Kate of Melbourne, Australia, Jon of Munich, Germany, and Debbie of Reno, NV; grandchildren; Jessica Kaml of Thief River Falls, Romy Buecker of Duesseldorf, Germany.
    He is preceded in death by father Andrew, mother Josephine, sisters Elsie Haug, Evelyn Grove, and Alice Fielder and a son Gregory Buringrud.
    Family condolences may be sent to www.johnsonfuneralservice.com
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    Thief River Falls - Joseph Souto, 84, passed away on Thursday, March 8, 2018 at the Thief River Care Center in Thief River Falls, with his loving family by his side.
    Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, with Father Rick Lambert officiating. Burial will be held at St. Bernard’s Catholic Cemetery in Thief river Falls. Visitation will be held Wednesday, 11:00 a.m. until the time of service at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls.
    Joseph Anthony Souto was born August 30, 1933 in Brooklyn, NY, the son of Salvador and Manuela (Freire) Souto. He attended school in Brooklyn, NY, and graduated from Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn in 1951. He attended New York Community College and also worked at a grocery store.
    Joe entered the United States Navy on May 22, 1952, was stationed at Adak, AK, and served on the naval ship USS Kaskaskia during the Korean Conflict. He served until his honorable discharge on May 16, 1956. Joe entered the US Air Force in January 1962 and proudly served his country during the Vietnam War. He retired as a Master Sergeant on January 31, 1984.
    On August 11, 1962, Joe was united in marriage to Dorie Ann Philion at San Antonio, TX. The couple lived in Ramey Air Force base Puerto Rico for 3 years. They adopted a daughter, Carmen Marie. He was stationed at Glasgow, MT Air Force base, then Offut Airforce Base in Omaha, NE, where Deborah Ann was born.
    Joe was transferred to Getafe Airforce base near Madrid, Spain and the family moved to Red Lake Falls. When he returned from Spain, he was stationed at Maxell Gunter Airforce base in Montgomery, AL, where he retired from the Air Force. Following his retirement, he worked as a manpower management analyst at Andrews Air Force Base from April 17, 1985 until September 30, 1998.
    Joe enjoyed golfing and spending time with his family on vacations. He was an avid fan of college football, the Vikings and the Ravens.  He enjoyed watching professional baseball including the Orioles, the Twins and the NBA. Some of his favorite pastimes included working crossword and picture puzzles, as well as reading.
    Joe was very political and was a staunch Republican. He closely followed Wall Street and kept up with the stock market. Joe lived his life with class, dignity, grace and generosity. He served our country and his family. His journey here is over. His new journey has begun. This journey will be easier because of a life well lived.
    Joe was a life member of the VFW, the American Legion and the Masons of New York. He received numerous service awards and medals.
    Joe is survived by his daughters, Carmen Souto of Bemidji, and Deb (Bret) Hyland of Thief River Falls; grandchildren, Danielle, Anthony, and Bryce of Thief River Falls; brother, Salvador Souto of Staten Island, NY; sister-in-law, Carmen Souto of Manhattan, NY; mother of his children, Dorie Souto of Thief River Falls; along with many nieces and nephews.
    Joe is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Manuel Souto; sister-in-law, Mary Souto; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Jap and Jay Philion.
    Family condolences may be sent to www.johnsonfuneralservice.com
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    Thief River Falls - Marlow Anderson passed away on Friday, March 9, 2018 at Valley Home in Thief River Falls.
    Funeral services were held on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at Oak Park Lutheran Church rural Oklee, with Reverend Jeffery Merseth officiating. Burial was held at Oak Park Church Cemetery.
    Marlow Caroline Anderson was born May 14, 1927, daughter of Oscar and Myrtle (Knutson) Erickson at Mud Lake Refuge. She was raised in that area and attended school there. She worked at Oakland Park Sanatorium for about 4 years.
    On November 11, 1948, she was united in marriage to Gilman Anderson at Mavie. The couple settled on the Anderson farm north of Trail. To this union 5 children were born: Larry, Gary, Galen, Barbara and Thelmer. Marlow was a full time farm wife, baking bread, gardening, milking cows, tending to her animals.
    Marlow has been a member of Oak Park Church since she was baptized shortly after her marriage. She has been an active member of the church being involved in the ladies aid and always had an earnest desire to attend church. She wanted to be remembered as generous, a Christian and a Lutheran. She had great pride in her children and grandchildren.
    Marlow is survived by her children; Larry Anderson of Thief River Falls, Gary (Barbara) Anderson of Thief River Falls, Galen (Pam) Anderson of Thief River Falls. Barb (Kevin) Bohm of St. Hilaire; grandchildren Lisa (Fiancé Brian Hulst) Anderson, Richard Anderson, Aaron Anderson, Crystal (Miguel) Mendoza, Gavin (Courtney) Anderson, Megan (Fiancé Josh Henstorf) Anderson, Nolan Anderson, Colin Anderson, Angie (Josh) Jensen, Reed Bohm, Kimberly Anderson, Kayla Anderson and Kevin Anderson; great-grandchildren Alex, Layton, Micaela, Miguel Jr., Hector, Gracie, and Cora: siblings Irene Molskness of Rochester, Grace Olson of Ridgefield, WA, June Sipkens of Thief River Falls, Delano Erickson of Baxter, Garner (Julie) Erickson of Middle River, Donald (Sharon) Erickson of Arizona, Wavell (Sarah) Erickson of Thief River Falls, along with many nieces and nephews.
    Marlow is preceded in death by her husband Gilman, son Thelmer, parents, sisters Blanche Palm. Carmen Schultz; brothers Oliver “Gub” Erickson,  Harold Erickson, Galen Erickson, infant brother Roy Erickson.
    Condolences may be sent to the family at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com
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    Thief River Falls - Ann Brosseau passed away on Thursday, March 8, 2018 at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND.
    Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Thief River Falls with Father Rick Lambert presiding.  
    Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service on Wednesday at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church.
    Ann Marie Olson was born on October 27, 1964 in Thief River Falls, the daughter of Russell Erling and Annabel Gertrude (Bergquist) Olson. She was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith.
    Ann attended Northrup Elementary, Franklin Middle and Lincoln High Schools in Thief River Falls.  
    When Ann was 16, she met the love of her life, Greg Brosseau. To this union three sons were born: Steven, Randy and Greg Jr.  The couple married on April 9, 1999 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Thief River Falls.
    Ann worked part-time at Pamida in Thief River Falls and also helped her mother with child care. She also worked at Petro Pumper and Northern Pride.  
    In 1997, Ann was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, but never complained about it or felt sorry for herself.  She was very stubborn and had a mind of her own and at the same time loved her family and friends very much and would help in any way she could.
    Ann loved working with her flower and vegetable gardens and was one of the lefse makers for family gatherings. Her home was always decorated for all occasions. She enjoyed playing on softball and bowling leagues with her sisters and camping with the family.  
    Ann was a member of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Thief River Falls.
    Survivors include her husband, Greg of Thief River Falls; sons, Randy Brosseau of Red Lake Falls, and Greg Brosseau Jr. of Thief River Falls; grandchildren, Khris, Fauna, Alex, Kayla, Randy Jr., Tysen, Nevaeh and Belah; siblings, Janice (Gary) Logan, Ronald (Renea) Timm, Carol Sorenson, John (Annette) Timm, Kenneth Timm, Mary (Paul) Ekern, Linda Olson, Edward (Kathy) Timm, and Russell Olson; and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
    Ann is preceded in death by her son, Steven; parents; brother, Robert Timm; and her father-in-law, Lynn Brosseau.
    Condolences may be sent at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com
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    Thief River Falls - Kathy Mehrkens, 67, of Thief River Falls, died peacefully in her sleep at her home on Wednesday, March 7, 2018.
    Kathy’s funeral service was held on Sunday, March 11, 2018 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Thief River Falls. Interment followed at Greenwood Cemetery in Thief River Falls.
    Kathleen Mary Lager was born on December 19, 1950 in Heron Lake, the daughter of Adrian and Margaret (Liepold) Lager. At the age of two, the family moved to rural Baudette, where she grew up and attended school. At the age of 15, she came to live at the foster home of John and Jan Cullen in rural Oklee. After finishing school in Red Lake Falls, she worked at Hillcrest Nursing Home. Kathy also worked at Valley Home and later at Arctic Cat in Thief River Falls.
    On June 9, 1973, Kathy was united in marriage to Albert Mehrkens at Oklee. The couple made their home on the family farm in Sanders Township, where she lived until her death.  They were blessed with eight children: Allen, Dale, Andy, Dean, Peter, Paul, Tammy and Tracy. She was a dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother – loving her children and spoiling her grandchildren.
    Kathy enjoyed farm life.  She loved gardening, yardwork, cooking, dancing, visiting and caring for her assorted animal kingdom.  She also enjoyed fishing, camping, and other activities – but not snow.
    Kathy is survived by her loving husband, Albert; children, Allen, Dale, Andy, Dean (Elizabeth), Peter (Clare), Paul (Oksana), Tammy (Joe) Hickey, and Tracy Mehrkens; grandchildren, Mara, Adrian, Garrett, Emry, Kurtis, Wyatt, Tirzah, Shamus, Lizzeth, Primrose, Rhyak, Bryce, Kayle, Kelsey, Volodymyr, Bryanna, Tobias, and Francis; siblings, Tom (Karen) Lager, Gary (Carol) Lager, Curtis (Marie) Lager, Virginia (Ray) Kava, Martin (Maggie) Lager, Mathew (Melinda) Lager, John (Linda) Lager, Christopher (Lisa) Lager, and Mary (Mike) Perry; foster father, John Cullen; many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.
    Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, Adrian and Margaret Lager; foster mother, Jan Cullen; and her brother, Dan Lager.
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    Grand Rapids - Faith T. Paradis, 73, of Grand Rapids, passed away on Wednesday, March 7, 2018.
    A small ceremony is being planned in early summer to scatter her ashes in Plummer, to be close to her parents. The family is grateful for the condolences, but politely decline flowers and donations at this time.
    Faith was born to parents Raymond and Zelia Paradis on October 6, 1944 in Terrebonne. She grew up the second of three girls and attended Plummer High School. In 1965, she moved to South Milwaukee, WI and took a position at Everbrite, where she would continue to work for the next 42 years. She retired in 2007, and moved to Grand Rapids.
    Faith is survived by her sisters, Julia Stucy and Rita Kruse; her nieces and nephews, Tammy Grall, Ray Stucy, David Stucy, Nicole Koelsch, and Michelle Kruse, and 10 grand-nieces and nephews. She was a warm and generous person, with a huge heart, and will be missed greatly by her family and friends.
    Arrangements are with Rowe Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Grand Rapids. To sign the online guestbook or send condolences visit www.rowefuneralhomeandcrematory.com.
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    Plymouth - The Reverend Les Galland, former vice president and business administrator of the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations (AFLC) and longtime area Lutheran ordained minister died February 16.
    Funeral services with communion were held at the Free Lutheran Theological Seminary (Hauge Chapel) Chapel on Saturday February 24, 2018. The seminary is located on the AFLC campus at 3120 E Medicine Lake Blvd Plymouth, Minnesota.
    Leslie James Galland was born May 22, 1938 in the rural town of Erskine to Chester G and Eldrid (Dordal) Galland. They moved between Erskine and Mentor and in 1945, permanently settled in rural Mentor.
    Les was baptized in the Lutheran faith by his maternal grandfather, the Reverend Jacob N Dordal, an ordained minister of the Hauge Synod and predecessor body of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. He was confirmed by the Reverend Ananias Skogerboe at Faith Lutheran of Mentor. Rev. Skogerboe was a great influence on young Leslie to begin to prepare for the Lutheran ministry. Les graduated Mentor High School with the class of 1956 and moved to Thief River Falls for a one year teacher’s licensing program.  
    Les enrolled at Bemidji State University to complete his undergraduate studies and earned his bachelor of science degree in elementary education and music theory.  While there, he met a gal by the name of Janet Erickson and she turned him down the first time he asked her to accompany him to dinner.  Not sure if she were playing hard to get and certainly not despaired or daunted, Les asked again until Jan agreed. The rest is as we say “history,” even if their history class grade did not reflect any learning had taken place.
    Les and Jan were married November 25, 1959 at St Peters Lutheran in Jan’s hometown of New York Mills, the day before Thanksgiving. Les completed his studies at Bemidji State University in August of 1962 and both Les and Jan went on to teach in New York Mills and Mound. The 1960s surely brought many changes to society as well as communities of faith.  Specifically in the larger scope of Lutheranism, many mainstream denominations were moving away from standing upon the inerrancy and infallibility of the Word.  
    Both Les and Jan had been reared in the Lutheran faith and feared they may no longer be able to call a Lutheran church their home. Late in 1964, they heard of a fledgling church body, the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations, which had chosen to remain separate from previous mergers and boldly take its stand on historic orthodox Lutheran pietism, church polity and a high view of Scripture.
    Les enrolled in the second class of the Free Lutheran Theological Seminary in the fall of 1965.  Les enjoyed his seminary years and would graduate in 1968. He was ordained July 16, 1968 by then AFLC president the Rev John Strand at the AFLC Annual Conference at St Pauls Lutheran in Cloquet.  
    Pastor Les and Jan were a true partnership in ministry and they enjoyed serving the following congregations:  Hope Lutheran parish, Stacy; Green Lake Lutheran parish, Spicer; Calvary Lutheran, Everett, WA; Our Saviors Lutheran parish and school, Thief River Falls and King of Glory Lutheran, Shakopee.  
    Les stayed busy in retirement assisting and providing pulpit supply for a host of other congregations. He always stayed busy serving the national body of the AFLC. He held the following positions: member of the AFLC School Board of Trustees; AFLC Co-ordinating Committee and served several stints as Chairman; business administrator and AFLC vice president.
    While Les was business administrator, he oversaw the construction of the existing AFLC administration building on the beautiful Medicine Lake campus. He always made sure to stay busy with Bible camps (often as camp dean), mid-winter Bible conferences, annual conferences and pastor’s retreat.
    Les loved the local ministry of the church, but always made sure to be involved in broader ministries that helped solidify the spiritual bonds that tie the local congregations together. In his pastoral ministry, Les faithfully preached the Word and administered the Sacraments. He really excelled in visitation and wanted to make sure each congregant personally knew Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
    Les was a fine husband and father. He enjoyed cooking, cleaning, gardening (even though Jan was credited with the “green thumb”) and was highly organized both at church and at home.  Often on his way to some type of meeting—clad in suit, vest and tie—he found time to throw a baseball around the yard. Not a big sports fan, he attended his first Twins game on July 27, 1985 and somehow knew how to track the game on a scorecard (we still have that scorecard). In later years, he enjoyed serving his community with Meals on Wheels and was an election judge, sign holder for his favorite candidates and Republican party delegate.
    Les leaves behind his children, whom he dearly loved: Janeen of Shakopee, James (Cindy Saas) of Hastings, and Jon (Sherry Goebelt) of Medina, OH. Some of his most cherished moments of his ministry were baptizing each of his grandchildren–Hollyce Renae, Keziyah Lee and Leif Jefferson. There are two sisters, Bethel (Harold Erickson) and Marjorie (John “Barry” Demsky). He is also survived by a number of cousins, nephews, nieces and a host of other family and friends.  It is also important to note he considered each congregation and member as family and he loved them dearly too.
    Les was preceded in death by only 33 days by his partner in ministry and beloved wife, Janet; both parents Chester and Eldrid; an infant son, Kevin. Also preceded in death by aunts, uncles and cousins.
    Les touched all of us. As he said some 36 hours before death, “My first thing to do in heaven is to praise Jesus!” May the Lord bless his memory! Blessed be the name of the Lord!
    A video of the funeral service may be viewed at http://vimeo.com/257359378
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Loretta A. Halvorson, 80

    Viking - Loretta A. Halvorson, 80, of Viking, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 17, 2018 at Pioneer Memorial Care Center in Erskine with her children holding her hands.  
    Funeral service to celebrate her life will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 24, 2018 at Zion Lutheran Church in Viking, with Pastor Ollie Urdahl and Pastor Timothy Lundeen officiating. Burial will be at Oak Grove Cemetery in Newfolden. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral.
    Condolences may be sent to the family at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com

Jacob Knudson, 79

    Thief River Falls - Jacob Knudson, 79, of Thief River Falls, formerly of Portland, ND, died Friday, March 16, 2018 at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND.
    Condolences may be sent to the family at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com

Darryl Grimm, 70

    Brooks - Darryl Grimm, 70, of Brooks passed away on Thursday March 15, 2018 at Altru Hospital, Grand Forks, ND.
    Memorial Mass will be held on Friday, March 23, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Oklee, with Father Adam Hamness officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service on Friday.
    Arrangements with Johnson Funeral Service, Oklee.

    Newfolden - David Waterworth, 61, of Newfolden, went to be with Jesus on Saturday, March 17, 2018 at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND with his loving family at his side.
    Celebration Of Life Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 22, 2018 at Nexus Church in Thief River Falls. Visitation will be held from 5 - 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls.
    David Carl Waterworth was born on July 22, 1956 in Karlstad, the son of Earl Lewis and Eunice Arlene (Peterson) Waterworth. He attended school in Newfolden and graduated from Marshall County Central High School with the class of 1974.  
    Following high school, David moved to Tulsa, OK where he attended Spartan School of Aeronautics. He graduated with a degree in Airplane Mechanics.
    While working at Boeing in Wichita, KS, he met Julie McDaniel. In 1981, they were married in Sharon, KS and had two children, Colby and Lisa. They made their home in Newfolden, where David farmed with his father. David eventually took over the family farm.  The couple later divorced.  
    David was an avid pilot and was very proud of his Commercial Pilots License and was a Flight Instructor.  He loved to fly and always talked about buying his own plane. He loved to fish and hunt; he went on many trips to Montana hunting mule deer and elk. David bagged many large whitetail bucks from his farm and was very proud of it.
    David was raised in church and his personal faith in Jesus was very important to him. He enjoyed attending the Assembly of God Church with his family.
    On February 26, 2005, David was united in marriage to Teresa Rieve in LaFollette, TN. From this union they have a beautiful set of 10 year old twins, Elijah and Emily. They continued to live on David’s farm near Newfolden and both agree it’s a wonderful place to raise their children.  
    Over time, David was able to acquire more land and increase his farming capabilities. He was very meticulous about producing the very best crops that he could and was very proud of his farming operation.
    David has always loved golden retrievers and began breeding golden retrievers and golden-doodles a few years ago. He loved his dogs!
    Survivors include his loving wife, Teri; four children; mother; brothers, Jonathan (Marie) and Philip (Judith); sister, Cindy; and numerous relatives and friends.
    David is preceded in death by his father.
    Condolences may be sent at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com
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    Middle River - Wayne Wagner, 62 of Middle River, passed away suddenly on Saturday, March 17, 2018 at his residence.
    Funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, March 23, 2018 at First Lutheran Church in Middle River, with Rev. Mary Lundquist officiating.  Burial will be at the Evangelical Free Cemetery, rural Middle River.  Visitation will be held from 5 - 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, 2018 at First Lutheran Church in Middle River.
    Wayne Christ Wagner was born on April 18, 1955 in Thief River Falls, the son of John Albert and Bernice Lorraine (Sostad) Wagner.  He was baptized and confirmed at the First Lutheran Church in Middle River. He attended K – 12th grade in Middle River, graduating from Middle River High School with the class of 1973.
    Following graduation, Wayne worked on the family farm. From 1986 – 2008, he worked at Marvin Windows in Warroad and from 2008 – 2016, he worked at Central Boiler in Greenbush. All the while, he continued to help his brother, Bruce, on the family farm.
    Wayne enjoyed hunting, fishing, 4-wheeling, snowcatting, playing cards and going to auction sales.
    Wayne was a hard-working, fun-loving man who enjoyed time with his family, friends, neighbors and co-workers.  
    Survivors include his mother, Bernice Wagner of Middle River; brother, Bruce Wagner of Middle River; sisters, Lois (Dave) Barth of Warroad, Valerie (Larry) Nesteby of Greenbush, Karen (Norm) Opdahl of Middle River, Sandra Olson of Thief River Falls; sisters-in-law, Patty Wagner and Clarine Wagner; aunt, Anne (Gene) Peterson; uncle, Dale Sostad; numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
    Wayne is preceded in death by his father, John; brothers, Roger and LeRoy; grandparents, William and Ida (Paetznik) Wagner, Christ and Helen (Anderson) Sostad, Gertrude (Gasper) Lunsford; niece, Jessica Nesteby; several aunts; uncles and cousins.
    Condolences may be sent to the family at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com
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    Moorhead - Evelyn Strandquist, 95, Moorhead, formerly Thief River Falls, went to meet her Lord and Savior on Wednesday March 14, 2018 at Eventide Nursing Home, Moorhead with her loving family at her side.
    Funeral services were held on Monday, March 19, 2018 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, with Jerry Strandquist presiding. Burial followed at Oak Grove Cemetery in Newfolden.
    Evelyn Rose Peterson was born June 15, 1922 in Smiley Township, Pennington County, the daughter of Anton and Emma (Erickson) Peterson.  She attended Knox School in Pennington County.  
    On June 6, 1942, Evelyn was united in marriage to Ervin Strandquist at the Assembly of God Church, Thief River Falls by Rev. G. Raymond Carlson. The couple made their home on the family farm in Foldahl Township in Marshall County where they farmed.  They moved to Thief River Falls for about five years before returning to the farm where they continued to live until retiring in 1987. The couple then moved to Thief River Falls where they resided until the summer of 2004, when they moved to Moorhead. Ervin passed away January 21, 2005.  
    Evelyn worked for Narverud Cleaners, Marshall County Home Health Aide, drove combine, drove truck and sewed for the Heritage Center. She was a volunteer for Sanford Hospital of Fargo where she knitted newborn caps, and had 2000 volunteer hours as of May 2013. Her hobbies include handiwork – crochet, knitting, sewing quilts and gardening.
    Evelyn was a member of the Assembly of God Church in Thief River Falls where she was involved in Sunday School, Nursery, Women’s Ministries and she was a Gideon’s auxiliary member.   Evelyn enjoyed spending time with family and her church family. She was a loving wife, mother and homemaker.
    Survivors include five children: Jerry (Kathy) Strandquist, Phoenix, AZ, Terry (Beverly) Strandquist, Ballwin, MO, Clyde (Wanda) Strandquist, West Fargo, ND, Diane Strandquist, Moorhead and David (Connie) Strandquist, Park Rapids; 12 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Fern Strandquist of Grand Forks, ND and Arlet Jorgenson of Brainerd; brother-in-law, Webster (Charlotte) Thackery of Sidney, MT; and many other relatives and friends.
    Evelyn was preceded in death by husband, Ervin; son, Daniel Ervin Strandquist; parents; sisters, Myrtle (Oscar) Vall, Alice (Earl) Bragg, Ruby (Robert) Crimp, Eunice (Robert) Beals, Dorothy (Jack) Grill; brothers, Arvid (Minnie) Peterson, William (Nina) Peterson, Lloyd (Beatrice) Peterson.
    Condolences may be sent to the family at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com
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    Crookston - Jeannette Ste. Marie passed away on Friday, March 16, 2018 after a long, hard-fought battle with ovarian cancer at the Villa St. Vincent Nursing Home, with loving family and coworkers at her side.
    Mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday March 24, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Red Lake Falls with Father Bob Schreiner officiating. Burial will be held at St. Anthony Catholic Cemetery at Terrebonne.
    Visitation will be held on Friday March 23, 2018, 5 – 8 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Red Lake Falls and also one hour prior to the service on Saturday at the church.
    Jeannette Marie Carriere was born April 24, 1958 in Red Lake Falls, the daughter of Mark and Alice (Normandin) Carriere. She grew up in Red Lake Falls, and was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. She attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School through 8th grade and graduated from Lafayette High School in 1976.
    Throughout high school, Jeannette worked at Hillcrest Nursing Home as a nursing assistant. There she found her passion of caring for others and attended Thief River Falls Technical College graduating with a Practical Nursing Degree in 1978.
    Jeannette was united in marriage to Alan Ste. Marie on July 8th 1978 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Red Lake Falls. To their union, two children were born, Dominic and Jill. They made their first home together in Ada, during which time she worked at the Ada Municipal Hospital, Wimmer Nursing Home and Halstad Living Center.
    In 1984, Alan and Jeannette moved back to the Ste. Marie family farm near Terrebonne, continuing to raise beef cattle and grow small grain crops.
    Upon moving back to the Red Lake Falls area, Jeannette continued her education earning an Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Northland Community College and later a Bachelor’s Degree from Bemidji State University. Through her nursing career, Jeannette worked in a variety of facilities and positions including the Red Lake Falls Clinic, Hillcrest Nursing Home, Pine to Prairie Home Health, and the Red Lake Falls Veterinary Clinic. A large part of her career was spent at Pioneer Memorial Care Center Erskine, and later the Villa St. Vincent Nursing Home Crookston.
    Jeannette took great pride in her work and always placed the care and dignity of her patients above everything else. She valued all of her coworkers, making it a point to treat everyone with respect and was not afraid to roll up her sleeves to get the job done, even as a supervisor. She had a passion for education and worked many years teaching CPR classes and nursing assistant classes.
    Jeannette devoted her life to her family. She traveled with her children and friends to many activities and was very involved with St. Joseph’s School while Dominic and Jill attended. She loved being a grandma and cherished time with her grandchildren. She also enjoyed listening to music and spending time outside whether taking long walks or riding bike.
    Fishing was one of Jeannette’s favorite activities and much of her free time during the summer was spent at the family cabin at Springsteel Resort on Lake of the Woods. She especially enjoyed outfishing Moe and the kids and usually refused to leave the lake until she had caught her limit.
    Jeannette was an active member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church and St. Joseph’s Catholic Church serving on several councils, the ladies guild, and teaching religious education classes.
    Jeannette is survived by her loving husband Alan of Red Lake Falls; Children Dominic (Jenae) Ste. Marie of Moorhead, Jill (Alex) Dowdle of Felton; grandchildren, Rylan and Autumn Ste. Marie of Moorhead;  Siblings Charlotte Cruz of Sierra Vista AZ, Leroy Carriere of Roseau, Leo Carriere of Roseau, Tim (Carol) Carriere of Red Lake Falls, Albert Carriere of Red Lake Falls, and Benita (Larry) Quast of Hutchison; in-laws Mike (Susan) Ste. Marie of St. Paul, Steven (Janet) Ste. Marie of Bloomington, David (Vicki) Ste. Marie of Red Lake Falls, Kathryn (Mike) Cota of Moorhead, and Kenneth (Patty) Ste. Marie of West Fargo ND. She is also survived by many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.  
    Jeannette is preceded in death by her parents, Mark and Alice (Normandin) Carriere, one nephew Manuel Cruz, and her in-laws Donald and Zola Ste. Marie.
    In leau of flowers, memorials are suggested to any of the following: Altru Cancer Center, Grand Forks ND, Villa St. Vincent Nursing Home, Crookston, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, and the St. Anthony’s Cemetery Fund.
    Arrangements with Johnson Funeral Service, Red Lake Falls.
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Kathleen Amiot, 85

    Red Lake Falls - Kathleen Amiot, 85, Red Lake Falls, passed away on Friday March 16, 2018 at Riverview Hospital, Crookston peacefully with her loving family at her side.
    Mass of Christian burial will be held on Monday, March 26, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. in St. Joseph Catholic Church in Red Lake Falls. Burial will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Red Lake Falls.
    Visitation will be held on Sunday, 5 – 8 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service at St. Joseph Catholic Church and also one hour prior to the service on Monday

Elliot R. Grant, 69

    Chesterfield, VA - Dr. Elliot Richard Grant, 69, formerly of Thief River Falls,  passed away February 11, 2018 after a battle with cancer.

Gayla Miller

    Mentor - Gayla Miller of Mentor, passed away on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND.
    Mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday, March 24, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. at St. Peter Catholic Church in Gentilly with Father Joe Richards officiating. Burial will be held at St. Peter Catholic Cemetery at Gentilly. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.

    Rochester - Diane Marie Hellie passed away on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at The Homestead of Rochester in Rochester.
    A memorial service was held on Sunday, March 25, 2018 at Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester.
    Diane Marie Hellie was born on August 16, 1956 in Thief River Falls, the daughter of Theodore and Rosemary Jean (Slater) Hellie. She attended Knox Elementary School and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1974. She attended University North Dakota and received a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science.
    Diane worked at IBM in Rochester, retiring in 2011 after 32 years as a software engineer and documentation specialist. She was a member of Christ United Methodist Church and was a strong supporter of the community of Rochester as well as her church.  
    Diane was a lifelong volunteer, contributing tirelessly to organizations in which she believed strongly in their missions and holding several leadership positions in these organizations. She was a board member of Christmas Anonymous for over 25 years, past president of United Methodist Women and the AAUW of Rochester, past treasurer of the AAUW, and Social Action Chair of the United Methodist Women. She volunteered for the Saturday Noon Meals for the Needy, and Rochester International Film Group.  
    Diane was a strong supporter and worker for the Democratic Party on many levels, serving as Olmsted County Democratic Party Events coordinator, League of Women Voters board member and volunteering her time to many individual campaigns.  
    Diane is survived by her mother, Jean Hellie and brother, Jim Hellie of Thief River Falls, sister, Susan (Bob) Sanders of Omaha, NE and nephews Nick, Zach and Justin.
    Diane was preceded in death by father Ted and numerous uncles, aunts and cousins.
    Memorials may be designated to Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester.
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    Viking - Loretta A. Halvorson, 80 of Viking, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 17, 2018 at Pioneer Memorial Care Center in Erskine, with her children holding her hands.  
Funeral service to celebrate her life was held on Saturday, March 24, 2018 at Zion Lutheran Church in Viking. Burial followed at Oak Grove Cemetery in Newfolden.
    Loretta Aileen Sherva was born on March 8, 1938 in Hollywood, CA to Chester and Clarice (Seielstad) Sherva. Her dad was an officer in the army and she spent her early childhood living in many places throughout Montana and North Dakota. The family eventually settled in Newfolden, her mother’s home town. Loretta attended grade school and high school in Newfolden, graduating in 1956.  
    Loretta married Gene Halvorson and they settled in the Viking area. They welcomed seven children through the years of their marriage: Davin, Bob, Jodie, Tammie, Mark, Nancy and Danni.  
    Loretta was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church of Viking, raising her children in the church.  She was active in teaching Sunday School, confirmation and also was a leader in the Ladies Aide.  
    In her early years, Loretta raised babies and had a huge garden. She later went to work as a bookkeeper working at Falls Diesel, Bridgeman’s and Mr. Duane’s all in Thief River Falls. She then began to sell Home Interior products and was the “home interior lady” for many years. After her “retirement,” she went to work part-time at K-Mart and Digi-Key. She was a strong, hard-working woman and loving mother and grandmother.
    Loretta’s favorite past-times included, spending time with her family, visiting with friends, gardening, sewing, decorating, dancing and listening to music.  She was very proud of the fact that so many of her children and grandchildren were musical.
    Loretta’s hard journey is over and her family is rejoicing in her new life with Jesus. She will be missed and forever loved by her children, Davin and Baryth Halvorson, Robert and Rene Halvorson, Jodie and Gene Holthusen, Tammie and Scott Magner, Nancy and David Kragness Jr., Danni and Candace Halvorson and daughter-in-law, Julie (Ed) Gronewold; as well as her grandchildren, Mandi (Ryan) Bothum, Erika (Kelly) Olson, Bjorn (Allyson) Halvorson, Kyle (Kimberly) Halvorson, Keegan (Christina Hamm) Halvorson, Kayla (Jon) Leader, Erin (Nathan) Peterson, Caleb (Katie) Holthusen, Zachary (Melissa) Holthusen, Jordan (Nathan) Koland, Shanon (Corey) Spilde, Trever Magner, Treston (Kayla) Magner, Shantel (Mike Schalinski) Magner, Sasha (Jordan) Peterson, Rhandi (Tyler) Knutson, Whitney (Kyle) Gerardy, Morgan (Sam) Holmgren, Sofi (Nick Wyers) Kragness, Riley Kragness, Kilan Kragness, and Lexi Halvorson; as well as 36 great-grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends.
    Loretta is preceded in death by her parents; sister, Carole Jean; and son, Mark Halvorson.
    Condolences may be sent to the family at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com
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    Chesterfield, VA & Thief River Falls - Dr. Elliot Richard Grant, 69, passed away February 11, 2018 after a battle with cancer.
    Elliot was born September 28, 1948 in Queens, New York. Elliot attended Ohio State and NYU before earning his doctorate at Adelphi University. In 1992, he moved to Thief River Falls. While living in Thief River Falls, Elliot worked at the Mental Health Center for NWMC/Sanford as a psychologist, raised three children, published He Mail/She Mail: a humorous collection of correspondence and was an active member in the B’Nai Israel synagogue in Grand Forks, ND.
    In 2010, Elliot moved to Chesterfield, VA with his family where he went to practice Forensic Psychology. He lead a life blessed with a brilliant mind, a loving heart, his life defied expectations. He will be remembered for his kindness and honorable deeds.
    Elliot was an enthusiastic Buckeyes fan and will be fondly remembered for his phenomenal sense of humor and wit (most noteworthy would be the Christmas carol parodies he wrote for the hospital Christmas parties) and of course, being a loving father and husband.   He is an inspiration to all that knew and loved him.
    Elliot’s memory will live on through his family: wife Darlene Grant, daughter Joy (Adam) Grant, son Vitaliy Grant (their mother Martha Wissmann) son Michael Grant, siblings Shari (Norman) Jaeger, Karin (Les) Klein, extended family in NY and TN, and the many friends he made while playing backgammon across the country.
    Elliot is preceded in death by his mother (Viola), father (Gerald), and brother in-law (Robbie).
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Judith Johnson

    Thief River Falls - Judith Johnson of Thief River Falls, passed away on March 18, 2018 at her home in Thief River Falls.
    Memorial service will be held on Thursday, March 29, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, with Larry Myhrer officiating. Burial will be held at Clearwater Cemetery rural Oklee. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service on Thursday at the funeral home.
    Condolences may be sent to the family at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com

    Thief River Falls - Wayne Delage, 48, of Thief River Falls, died Thursday, March 29, 2018 in Red Lake County.
    Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at Johnson Funeral Service, Thief River Falls.
    Visitation will be held from 5 - 7 p.m., with a 7:00 p.m. Prayer Service on Friday, April 6, 2018 at Johnson Funeral Service, Thief River Falls.  Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the memorial service on Saturday at the funeral home.
    Wayne Jerome Delage was born July 12, 1969, the son of Harvey and Rose (Sorenson) Delage at Thief River Falls. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Bernard’s Church, Thief River Falls. He was a graduate of Lincoln High School in 1987.
    Wayne’s passion in life was hunting and fishing. He was at his happiest when he could be hunting or fishing with his dad, family and friends. He was able to enjoy many fishing trips around the country and had a natural ability to catch fish; Wayne usually was the one to catch the most fish and the largest fish.
    During his hunting and fishing career, Wayne won many awards for his taxidermy and hunting achievements. He was a talented taxidermist and an all-around handyman. He was accomplished in many fields and he never quit until the finished product met his meticulous standards.    
    Wayne is survived by his parents, Harvey and Rose Delage of Thief River Falls; brother, Mark (Cally) Delage of Thief River Falls; and sister, Bonnie (Dave) Upham of East Grand Forks; nieces and nephew, Jacob Upham, Paige Upham, Eleanor “Ellie” Delage, and Ava Delage; many aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives, and friends.
    Wayne is preceded in death by his grandparents; several uncles, an aunt and several cousins.
    Condolences may be sent to the family at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com
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