Obituaries 04/13/23
Joseph Albers, 83
Joseph Wesley Albers, age 83, of Rockford, passed away on April 5, 2023.
Joseph was born the son of Joseph G. and Myrtle (Klemicks) Albers on August 10, 1939, in Flint, MI.
Joseph was a man of good humor and loved to play a prank on anyone he could. He was also the type of man who would give you the shirt off his back, and literally did this several times.
He is survived by his daughters, Robin (Steve) Austin, Joy (Larry) Frazier, Cheryl (Jon Emanuelson) Prohofsky, and Holly (Kevin) Greenlee; brother, Dr. David (Rita) Albers; also, numerous grandchildren, other relatives and friends.
Private graveside services will be held at Elmwood Cemetery in Rockford, MN.
Arrangements were entrusted to The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo, MN.
Rayessa Baer, 52
Rayessa (Clark) Baer, age 52, of Buffalo, MN, passed away on Sunday April 2, 2023, in Rochester MN.
Rayessa was a devoted wife, mother, and friend. Rayessa was born in Fargo, ND, on September 4, 1970, to Donald and Judith (Lauber) Clark. She spent time growing up in Bismarck and Fargo. She received a degree in social work from Moorhead State University.
Rayessa married James Baer in October of 1995, and together, they raised three daughters. Rayessa spent her career in social work, working and caring for others until she could no longer work anymore.
She was preceded in death by her father, Donald Clark.
Rayessa is survived by her husband, James, and her children, Savannah, Grace, and Morgan, of Buffalo MN; mother, Judith Clark, of Fargo, ND; sister, Melissa (DJ) Lura and their family, of Fargo, ND; brother, Byron Clark (Sarah) and family, of Rochester MN; and also many other relatives and friends.
A memorial celebration of Rayessa’s life will be held on Saturday, April 15, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. with visitation one hour prior to the service, all at Buffalo Ev. Covenant Church in Buffalo, MN.
Officiating will be Pastor Reid Gilbert and Pastor Joel McQueen.
Casket bearers will be Nate Gazelka, Mark Pederson, Tom Baer, Dave Baer, Byron Clark, and DJ Lura.
Luncheon to follow the service at church.
Interment will be in the Swedish Mission Cemetery
In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to Buffalo Covenant Church and in the memo, put “Youth Israel Fund.”
Arrangements were entrusted to The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo, MN.
Larry Donovan, 77
Larry James Donovan, 77, of Buffalo, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on April 2, 2023.
Larry was born December 3, 1945, to Donatus and Helen Donovan in Buffalo, Minnesota. After attending Buffalo High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he served on the USS Northampton.
On November 23,1968, Larry James Donovan was united in marriage with Sharon Rose Schuler at St. Bonifacius Catholic Church in St. Bonifacius. They went on to have two children, a daughter, Christine, and a son, Steven.
In 2008, Larry retired from his lifelong career in the Bricklayer’s Union. He spent his retirement enjoying his many hobbies. He loved dancing, grouse and pheasant hunting, ice fishing, gardening, canning, and above all else creating memories with his kids, grandkids and great-grandkids. Larry’s family is so grateful for the life he shared with them. His true love for life will forever be remembered. He will be missed each and every day!
Larry is survived by his daughter, Christine (Jeffrey) Kramer, of Buffalo; son, Steven (Jodi) Donovan, of Buffalo; four granddaughters, Bailey (Nate) Huikko, of Annandale, Tiffany Kramer, of Buffalo, Josie Donovan and Kenzie Donovan, of Buffalo; great-grandchildren, Amiee, Mallory, and Reid Huikko; brothers and sisters, Roger (Marlene) Ordorff, of Pennsylvania, Joan (Mike) Dekoster, of Arizona, and Darcy (Ray Hibbs) Donovan, of Florida, as well as many nieces, nephews, relatives, and wonderful friends.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Donatus and Helen Donovan; brother, Curtis (Marlene) Ordorff, and Sharon Donovan.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 18, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Peterson Chapel in Buffalo.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday, April 19, at 11:00 a.m. with visitation continuing one hour prior to the service at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Buffalo.
Urn Bearers will be Larry’s granddaughters, Bailey Huikko, Tiffany Kramer, Josie Donovan, and Kenzie Donovan.
A private family burial will be held later this spring.
Arrangements entrusted to The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo.
Margaret Ferrell, 97
Margaret Mary “Marge” Ferrell, age 97, of Buffalo, died Saturday, April 8, 2023.
She was born in Delano, MN, on March 2, 1926, the daughter of Anthony and Anna (Sawatzke) Muckenhirn.
On November 9, 1949, Margaret Muckenhirn was joined in holy marriage to Louis S. Ferrell at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Delano. God blessed their marriage with four children. Louis Ferrell preceded his wife in death on December 23, 1996.
Marge enjoyed crafts, antiques, floral arranging, listening to music, and dancing. She was a very social person and enjoyed people.
Survived by her loving children, Sharon (Gerald) Ernst, of Buffalo, Patty (Hansel) Hughes, of Montrose, Dar (Jim) Walczak, of Buffalo, and Tom Farrell, of Montrose; grandchildren, Harley, Jacob and Courtney Hughes, Jordan, David, Joel and Rob Walczak, and Nathaniel Ferrell; two great-grandchildren, Caidynce and Hudson; other relatives and many friends.
In addition to her husband, Marge was preceded in death by her parents and by a granddaughter, Cerissa Michelle Ernst.
Mass of Christian Burial for Margaret M. “Marge” Ferrell was held on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at 11:00 A.M. at Church of St. Maximilian Kolbe – St. Peter’s Campus in Delano. Father Kyle Kowaldzyk was the Celebrant.
Visitation was held at the church one hour prior to Mass.
Casket bearers were her eight grandchildren.
The Peterson Chapel, Buffalo, MN assisted the family with funeral arrangements. On-line condolences can be made at www.thepetersonchapel.com.
Michael Harter, 71
Michael G. Harter, age 71, of Monticello, passed away peacefully on April 6, 2023.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Glenn and Evelyn (Kilmartin) Harter; wife, Susan.
Mike is survived by his children, Christina, Jamie, and Katie (Dan); grandchildren, Jordanna, Blake, Jelise, and Jazmynn; other extended family (in-laws) and many dear friends.
A Celebration of Mike’s life will be from 5 P.M.-8 P.M. on Friday, June 23, 2023, at the Monticello VFW Dorchester Post 8731, 713 Cedar St., Monticello, MN 55362. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the family.
Vincent Koebensky, 77
Vincent David Koebensky, age 77, of Buffalo, MN, passed away April 8, 2023.
Vincent was born the son of Russell and Shirley (Venaas) Koebensky on August 13, 1945, in Virginia, MN.
Vince made his home in Buffalo, and this is where he raised his family. He owned and operated Hot Iron Welding in Buffalo and ran this business for thirty years. He was extremely artistic when it came to metal work. Vince loved the Western culture and was able to capture that with his artwork. He had a tremendous knack for detail, and his creative spirit showed through in his work. He worked around the tri-county area and was well-known in the horse industry, as well as most local cities. Vince was a hard worker and a straight shooter, tough but fair.
For enjoyment, Vince loved his horses and any type of animal that he came across. He loved to go to rodeos, Horse Expos, flea markets, and take cross-country motorcycle trips, one of his favorite places being Banff, Canada.
Vince is survived by his children, Kimberly (Kai) Larson and Adam Koebensky; granddaughter, Paige Larson; former wife and mother of his children, Patricia Jagodzinski; siblings, John Koebensky, Betsy King and Gail Markley; nephews, Hayne, Errol and Cindy Dahlberg; also many other relatives and friends.
He is preceded in death by parents, Russell and Shirley; sisters, Carolyn Dahlberg and Janet Krmpotich.
Memorial service for Vince will be held Friday, April 14, at 6:00 p.m. with visitation beginning at 4:00 p.m., all at The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo, MN.
Officiating will be Pastor Reid Gilbert.
Reception to follow at the funeral chapel.
Private family interment at Calvary Cemetery in Virginia, MN.
Arrangements were entrusted to The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo.
Gerald Mifek, 83
Gerald “Jerry” George Mifek, age 83, of Montrose, MN, passed away on April 3, 2023, at his home.
Jerry was born on June 8, 1939, to George and Bessie (Schultz) Mifek in Hutchinson, MN. After attending high school, Jerry was drafted into the United States Army in 1962. He attended basic training at Fort Knox, KY, before receiving advanced training at Fort Sill, OK. He served two years of field artillery active duty in Germany before completing the reminder of his service in the USAR. He was Honorably discharged from service on October 31, 1968, earning a Good Conduct Medal.
After completing his military service, he attended Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis, MN, studying auto mechanics. During his career, he worked for Ford auto dealerships in Hopkins and Cokato, MN, and Buffalo Auto in Buffalo, MN. After retirement, he worked part-time for the Three Rivers Park District. At work, he was known for his intelligence and work ethic, as well as his sense of humor.
Jerry enjoyed camping, gardening, vintage snowmobiles, visiting with friends, and attending truck and tractor pulls. He married Patricia Jeanne Paterson on June 14, 1969, and had two children with her before divorcing in 1982.
Jerry was predeceased by his father, George, and his mother, Bessie.
He is survived by his daughter, Julie (Daryl); son, Jeffrey (Katie); and grandchildren, Taylor, Eloise, and Lillian.
A celebration of his life will be held later this summer followed by a military burial at Fort Snelling, MN. If you would like to be notified when service details become available, please contact Jeffrey at jgmifek@yahoo.com.
Derek Painschab, 31
Derek James Painschab, age 31, of Buffalo, MN, passed away March 31, 2023.
He was born on September 23, 1991, in Monticello, Minnesota, to Jessica Painschab. Derek grew up in Buffalo where he attended high school with the class of 2010.
He was employed at Curbside Landscaping and Irrigation. It was hard and honest work he was passionate about and loved being outdoors. He planned on starting his own landscaping business in the future where he could help others make their property beautiful.
Derek was a very kind and genuine person, who made friends wherever he went. At first, he was on the quieter side but became more outgoing as you got to know him. He was charismatic, caring, and fun to be around. Derek had a strong personality to speak his mind and stood up for his beliefs, his friends, and family.
Derek was an avid fisherman and spent a lot of his free time fishing off the shores of the lakes around the Buffalo area. He loved a warm, sunny day with a cool breeze; the bliss of nature and peace. Derek’s prized quality above all was his genuine love of animals, especially his dog, Ferdinand.
Derek was also known for sense of fashion; between hats and shoes to the stylish shirts he’d wear; his appearance meant a lot to him and was proud to take care of himself to always look his best.
He is preceded in death by his grandmothers, Marie Hayes and Jeanne Painschab; great-grandmother, Adelaide Reardon; and cousin, Ryan Painschab.
Derek is survived by his mother, Jessica Painschab; sisters, Anastasia Painschab and Isabella Johnson; grandparents, Terry and Joan Painschab; aunt, Tracy (Andy) Hausladen; godparents, John and Debbie Hayes; and many other relatives and friends.
Visitations was held on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at The Peterson Chapel from 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. and also on Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 9:00 A.M. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Waverly, MN.
Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 11:00 A.M. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Waverly, MN. Interment will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Waverly, MN.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to The Peterson Chapel of Buffalo. Online condolences for the family may be directed to www.thepetersonchapel.com.
George Schlechter, 84
George P. Schlechter, age 84 of Delano, passed away on April 4, 2023.
George enjoyed many years on the golf course prior to him and his wife, Diane, purchasing a cabin on Rock Lake. His days at the cabin were spent fishing, watching the sunrise, and entertaining family and friends. He was especially passionate about his wife, Diane, of 42 years, whom he always referred to as his “Beautiful Wife.”
He was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Anna Schlechter; siblings, Sister Rosaria Schlechter, Luverne (Jerome) Kirsch, Dorothy (Ralph) Kelzer, Donald (Elaine) Schlechter; brothers-in-law, Kenneth Siegle, Darryl Dalbec; daughter-in-law, Maryann Wandersee.
George is survived by his wife, Diane; children, Susie Hughes, John (Dina) Schlechter, Skip (Judie) Schlechter, Cory (Kim) Schlechter, Todd Wandersee, Doddie Ann, Tammy Socher; sister, Irene Siegle; grandchildren, Rick, Heather, Jessica, Nick, Hannah, Brent, Deannine, Amber, Devin, Andy, Nathan, Anna, Brianna; 15 great-grandchildren; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 A.M. on Friday, April 14, 2023, at the Church of St. Mary in Waverly, Minnesota. Visitation will be held from 9-10:45 A.M. prior to the Mass, all at the church. Inurnment with military honors to recognize his service in the U.S. Army in the church cemetery.
Arrangements by the Iten Funeral Home in Delano, Minnesota.
Irene Stevens, 92
Irene J. Stevens, age 92, of Buffalo, MN, and formerly Maple Grove, MN, passed away on April 9, 2023. Services are pending at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Buffalo, MN (full notice to appear next week).
Arrangements were entrusted to The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo, MN.
Terrance Walker, 96
Terrance “Terry” Harry Walker, age 96, of rural Buffalo, passed away on Sunday, April 9, 2023, at his residence.
Services for Terry Walker are pending at The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo. A full obituary will appear in next week’s paper.
Online condolences may be made to www.thepetersonchapel.com.
