Obituaries 12/30/21
Marilyn Dearing, 89
Marilyn L. Dearing, age 89, of Annandale, made her final journey home on December 24, 2021, surrounded by four generations of family.
Mass of Christian Burial was held 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 29, 2021, at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Annandale with visitation from 9:30-10:45 a.m. at the church. Fr. John Meyer Celebrated the Mass. Burial followed at St. Timothy Catholic Cemetery in Maple Lake. Memorials are preferred to the American Kidney Fund. The service was live-streamed on the funeral home website.
Marilyn Lois Cruikshank was born August 17, 1932, the firstborn child of William and Pearl Cruikshank. She graduated from Maple Lake High School in 1950 and went on to marry her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Wayne Dearing, on August 19, 1950. They shared 71 years of building a legacy of love, while working side by side on the farm. Together, they raised four children who also worked with them on the farm. Marilyn knew what hard work reaped and passed that on to her children and grandchildren. She also knew how to enjoy life, whether it was her and Wayne traveling the world, hosting extended family in their home, or a good card game with lifelong friends. They spent many winters in Arizona and made many friends that became their “winter family.” Marilyn enjoyed gifting her hand-made quilts and canned goods from her huge garden.
Her love of flowers was admired by everyone, as they passed the farm and saw her glorious flower beds. Her home was always meticulous, yet the grandkids could tear around the huge farmhouse playing hide and seek, and she would never say a word. She loved spending time with the grandchildren; she taught the girls how to cook from scratch and the boys how to play on the farm when they were actually “working” on the farm. Marilyn was blessed with wonderful grandchildren who spent countless hours with her and Grandpa cooking, working along side of her in the flower bed, and, of course, card games!
Marilyn was a faithful member of St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Annandale and enjoyed volunteering at the church and leading the rosary at the Annandale Care Center.
Marilyn has left a void that can never be filled. Knowing that she is in God’s hands is a comfort to all that loved her.
She is survived by her husband, Wayne; their children, Nancy, of Maple Lake, Jim (Pat), of Annandale, John, of Annandale, and Susan (Curt) Smith, of Brooklyn Park; four grandchildren, Wayne Dearing, Tracey (Jim) Jude, Chad (Bre) Smith, and Courtney (Ben) Revering; ten great-grandchildren, Emma, Kendra, Colin, Kelsi, Matthew, Chloe, Joe, Charlee, Emrie, and Adaline; brother, William (Kay) Cruikshank; and sisters-in-law, Ann Cruikshank and Irene Dearing.
Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, William and Pearl Cruikshank; brother, Robert Cruikshank; brothers-in-law, Don Paumen, Tom Dearing, and Tom Love; and sisters-in-law, Sharon Cruikshank, Ang Paumen, and June Love.
Marilyn’s grandchildren served as urn bearers. The St. Ignatius Music Ministry provided the music for the service.
Arrangements were entrusted with Dingmann Funeral Care Burial & Cremation Services of Annandale.
Obituary, Tribute Wall, Video Tribute and Funeral Webcast online at www.dingmannfuneral.com.
Gerald Knop, 87
Gerald “Jerry” Richard Knop was born July 5, 1934, to Richard and Mamie (Krause) Knop, of Delano, Minn. He passed away peacefully on Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021, at the Annandale Care Center.
Jerry graduated from Delano High School in 1952, and throughout his life loved playing and watching sports, especially baseball. In 1954, Jerry enlisted in the Army National Guard and was part of a tank battalion. He was never deployed but served on active duty for three years.
Jerry worked at Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association for several years trimming trees and eventually moved on to work for the Wright County highway maintenance department until suffering a life-altering injury that rendered him with a permanently disabled foot.
After working predominantly manual labor jobs most of his life, Jerry had to find a less physically demanding job after the accident, which led him to a career and a company that sparked his passion for selling promotional advertising products through Bankers Advertising Company (BAC). He often said his business was to sell things that tell people “who you are and what you do.” When Jerry’s health no longer allowed him to continue after a 37-year career, he continued to follow the business and his clients through his daughter, Sheila, who took over his business when he retired in 2018. Jerry was often referred to as the friendly “pen guy” or the “keychain guy” throughout the community, and no distance was too far to travel in visiting and serving his customers. Jerry’s business was personal to him because he considered each and every customer a friend. Jerry continued asking about them, and the people he worked with at BAC, right up until the last few days before his death.
When not working, Jerry enjoyed playing and listening to music, especially old-time classic music because he played accordion and piano for most of his life. He even played in three different bands of his own over the years, often playing at barn dances and other dance halls throughout the area, specializing in playing a variety of waltzes and polkas.
Other hobbies included fishing, playing cribbage and spending as much time as possible with family and many friends. In 1956, it was through a friend he played baseball with that he met the love of his life, Pearl Sandbakken, of Boyd, Minn. They were married on June 7, 1958, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Boyd, and together they had six children: Kevin, Neil, Deb, Pam, Sheila and Nancy. Jerry loved telling the story of how they named their children with the first letter of each child’s name representing a letter in the Knop name, with the “D” representing the “O” and when put together it spells “Knops” but the “N” meant “no more (kids).”
Jerry was deeply devoted to God, his family, and especially Pearl, who he often referred to as “the gem of the family.” When his kids and eventually grandchildren were in sports, choir and band, Jerry would do his best to attend as many activities as possible and he was as dedicated of a fan as they come.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Mamie.
He is survived by his wife, Pearl; sons, Kevin (Cheri) Knop, Neil Knop; daughters, Pam (Paul) Nemes, Deb (David) Sweeney, Sheila Knop LaPlant, Nancy (Brad) Eaddy; sister, Marlys (John) Eggen; grandchildren, Sandra (JD) Palm, Nathan (Melinda) Knop, Jonathon Knop, Jackie (Nate) Couette, Annie Knop, Katie (Todd) Durnin, Justin Sweeney, Chelsea Nieland, Ashley Nemes, Candice Nemes, Tristan (Rachel) LaPlant, Carly LaPlant; great-grandchildren, Simon and Clara Palm, Jonah and Selah Knop, Tucker, Cooper, and Graylie Couette, Addie Hunt, Louie Durnin, and Madilynn and Raiden Nieland; as well as a great many other extended relatives and friends.
A memorial service will be held Monday, January 10, 2022, at 11:00 A.M., with visitation one hour prior, at Zion Lutheran Church in Annandale.
Serving the family is The Peterson Chapel of Buffalo, MN. 763-682-1363. www.thepetersonchapel.com.
Mary Phelps, 89
Mary Anne Phelps, our loving mother and grandmother, left her earthly home for her heavenly home on Saturday, December 11, 2021.
She was born June 28,1932, in St Paul, Minnesota, and adopted by Frank H. and Grace Dilling Marsh, of Buffalo, Minnesota, where she lived most of her life. From the beginning, this girl had a zest for living life to its fullest, which she did almost to her last day here. She graduated from Buffalo High school in 1951, where her class voted her “Peppiest” and “Best Dressed.” The caption beside her senior picture summarized her this way: “Mary Marsh “Mush,” she is gay, and agile, and athletic; she’s neat and always energetic.” Her nickname “Mush” stuck with her throughout life; her school chums still addressed her this way without a second thought.
After high school, she rented apartments in Minneapolis with one of those school chums, Clare (Barthel) Elliott, a friend since grade school. She worked two jobs then, one as a teller for NorthWest Bank and the second as a sales clerk in children’s shoes on the eighth floor of Dayton’s.
No car in those days meant riding the bus home on the weekends to visit her mom and friends in Buffalo. On one of those visits in June of 1954, she got off the bus in downtown Buffalo and was making her way up Central Avenue with suitcase in hand. A former classmate pulled up alongside her in his red Pontiac convertible and said, “Get in Mary, I’ll give you a lift home,” and the rest, as they say, is history. She married John T. Phelps on a hot, steamy evening, July 30,1955, and they were married for 52 years. To their union, four children were born, daughter Kimberly (Paul) Davis, daughter Jill (Keith) Krone, son Steven Phelps, and daughter Kelly (Peter) Jacques.
From an upstairs rented apartment in Minneapolis to their first home in Coon Rapids, they were always quick to make friends. She kept busy caring for her children and home during the day and working full-time in the evenings, but there was always time for friends. When life took them in different directions, the friendships didn’t end. They were all intentional about keeping in contact throughout the years, celebrating life’s milestones and heartaches.
In 1964, Dad and Mom moved their family back to Buffalo in order to care for her mother who had fallen and broken her hip. After purchasing the home on Central Avenue from her mother, Dad and Mom set out to slowly update the entire home. A fractured ankle for mom helped determine after 69 years in her childhood home that it was time to move to one-level living. They decided to purchase a townhome in the West Farm addition in February of 2001.
She went to work as a nurse’s aide part-time for the Buffalo Memorial Hospital in 1968, eventually taking a position of HUC in the Medical/Surgery unit. She retired at the age of 72, in 2004, after 36 years at what is now Allina Buffalo Hospital. She continued with her friendships, keeping contact through the years with many.
Retirement gave her more time to do the things she loved to do, keeping her house clean, golfing, bike riding, walking daily, garage sales every Thursday morning in the summer, playing bingo and traveling. Now, they could officially be Florida snowbirds, leaving right after Christmas and returning the first week in April. One other favorite pastime of hers was reading, and she read daily. The Buffalo Library was a good friend to her, helping find the books she loved to read in large print. When she became aware of this new thing called Facebook, we gave her the gift of an iPad, and she was hooked. She loved that she could keep up with the adventures and photos of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren—it was one of her greatest joys.
She loved living in the West Farm addition, and her new neighbors soon became her friends, as she would take one of her many walks through the neighborhood. She would be out for her evening walk or in later years pushing her little walker down the street and a friendly “Hello” turned into an invite to sit down for a visit about life on a neighbor’s porch. She made so many good friends through the years here, but one very special new friend was Sunday Waibel. She was mom’s go-to for everything in the neighborhood and beyond. She helped mom many times, and when we would thank her, her humble response was, “It’s what neighbors are for.” Ironically, mom’s life-long friend, Clare Elliott, also moved into the neighborhood to complete mom’s circle of friendship.
Mom’s claim to fame in Buffalo will be that she won the contest to name Centennial Park in 1987(?). The photo of her participating in the groundbreaking ceremony was taken for the paper and placed in the time capsule celebrating Buffalo’s Centennial. It is set to be opened in 2087, we were told?
Mary is survived by her four children and their spouses; 10 grandchildren, Abbie (Todd) Lux, Sara Phelps, Keith (Stephanie) Krone, Alicia (Corey) Ratzlow, Brianna (Issac) Molin, Corey (Katie) Kalinowski, Kelsey Halsten, Kristin (Kerry) Mielke, Kyle (Kayla) Kalinowski, Jordan Jacques; 25 great-grandchildren—some who affectionately called her “The G” —; a niece, nephews and their families.
She is preceded in death by her parents; brother, Albert Marsh; many aunts and uncles. Her husband, John T. Phelps; Kimberly’s first husband, Paul Kalinowski; and Steven’s wife, Sue Phelps.
Mom’s Celebration of Life will Friday January 7, 2022, at Zion Lutheran Church, 1200 MN-25, Buffalo, MN 55313. Service time is 10 A.M. with lunch and visitation to follow.
Harold Welter, 84
Harold Henry “Harry” Welter, age 84, of St. Michael, passed away on Thursday, December 23, 2021.
He was born on April 24, 1937, in St. Michael, the son of Dominic and Agnes (Hackenmueller) Welter.
Harry honorably served his Country in The United States Army.
On October 25, 1969, Harold H. Welter and Marlene E. Malikowski were joined in holy marriage in Sauk Rapids. God blessed their marriage with two children, Anthony “Tony” and Lisa.
Harry led Welter’s Implement in St. Michael for many years.
He was the Mayor of St. Michael for four years, served on the City Council for ten years and on the St. Michael Fire Department for twenty-three years. Harry was an active member of the St. Michael Lions Club for over forty years.
He was a faithful, lifelong member of the St. Michael Catholic Church and belonged to the Knights of Columbus. Harry was also a Board Member of The St. Michael Historical Society.
Harold is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Marlene E. Welter; children, Anthony “Tony” (Laura) Welter, of Eden Prairie and Lisa (John) Kessler, of St. Michael; four grandchildren, Logan and Aiden Kessler and Josephine and Evelyn Welter; sisters, Sr. Marion Welter, SSND, of Mankato, Sr. Doris Welter, SSND, of Mankato, and Kathryn Welter, of Wiesbaden, Germany; many other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Lloyd and LeRoy Welter.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Harold H. “Harry” Welter will be held on Thursday, December 30, at 11:00 A.M. at the St. Michael Catholic Church in St. Michael. Father Brian Park will be the Celebrant. Interment will follow at the St. Michael Cemetery. A visitation will be held on Thursday morning, December 30, beginning at 9:30 A.M. at the church.
The Peterson Chapel St. Michael-Albertville Funeral Home is serving the family. Online condolences may be made to www.thepetersonchapel.com.
