Obituaries 6/11/20

Earl Beaudry, 87

Earl Louis Beaudry, age 87, entered eternal life peacefully on April 6, 2020 at The Legacy of St. Michael, MN.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. June 16, 2020 at St. Albert’s Catholic Church with Military honor burial. Reviewal at the church beginning at 10:00 a.m. prior to services. Social distancing and other safety requirements of the Church will be observed.

The mass will be livestreamed and may be accessed from St Albert’s parish websites: churchofstalbert.org or facebook.com/stalbertmn.

Earl was born in Monticello on June 5, 1932, the son of Emil and Mathilda Beaudry. Earl was united in holy marriage to his childhood sweetheart LaVerne (Dick) on September 18, 1954.  The couple resided in Albertville, MN and were blessed with six children.

Earl was a faithful member of St. Albert’s Catholic Church, the St. Michael American Legion Post 567, VFW Post 5973, Albertville Fire Department and Albertville City Council. Earl honorably served his country from 1952 -1954 spending 18 months in the Korean War with the United States Army. He was employed by Federal Cartridge, retiring June 1995.  During his retirement years, he thoroughly enjoyed serving as a volunteer driver for the Wright County Human Services. In 1999, Earl received the Governor’s Volunteer Act of Kindness Award. He loved to travel, play cards, dance, watch movies/TV. He will be remembered as being very kind, polite and gentle man.  

Earl is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, LaVerne; children, Tom (Sue) Beaudry, Renee (John) Quiles, Michelle (Mike) Dick, Gregory Beaudry, Roberta (Steve) Becker.  Many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sister-in-law Lois Dick and family friend Connie Rule.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Emil and Mathilda; parents-in-law, Ben and Martha Dick; son, Russell Beaudry; granddaughters, Dana Susan Beaudry, Bethany Rose Becker; sister, LaBelle (Art) Kasper; brothers, Virgil (Lucille) Beaudry, Cyril (Delores) Beaudry; brother-in-law, Douglas Dick. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred.

Arrangements for Earl Louis Beaudry are by The Peterson Chapel, St. Michael-Albertville Funeral Home.  On-line condolence may be made to www.thepetersonchapel.com.

 


Donald Benjaminson, 57

Donald Duane Benjaminson was born on December 16, 1962, at North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale, MN to Elmer and Rosella (Kluver) Benjaminson. He was baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN and confirmed in 1977 at Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Greenfield, MN. Donny attended Salem Lutheran Grade School and graduated from Buffalo High School in 1981. He then attended Granite Falls Technical College. 

Donny worked at Honeywell Inc. in Golden Valley from 1986 until his retirement in 2018. He enjoyed baseball, hunting deer, fishing, and most of all spending time with his family. His nieces and nephews were his world. 

Donny died at the age of 57 at his home in Plymouth. He is survived by his parents, Elmer and Rosella Benjaminson, of Alexandria; sister, Deb (Scott) Wright, of Garfield; sister, Janet Lien, of Alexandria; nieces, Amanda Topel, Serena and Brianna Benjaminson; nephews, Derek and Daniel Lien; great-nieces, and many uncles, aunts and cousins.  Donny is preceded in death by maternal grandparents, Henry and Talena Kluver; paternal grandparents, Bertin and Anna Benjaminson; and brother, Bryan Benjaminson.

A Private Committal Service were held Tuesday, June 9, 2020, at Hudson Cemetery in Alexandria. 

Arrangements are with the Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory, www.andersonfuneral.net.

 


Joseph Blasey Jr., 81

Joseph E. Blasey, Jr., age 81, Alamo, TX and Merrifield, MN (formerly of Buffalo, MN), lost his battle after 10 years with multiple myeloma on May 29 in Hospice, Edinburg, TX.

Joe was born December 18, 1938 in Crookston, MN. Joseph served his country in the United States Army for two years and was honorably discharged thereafter. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Ethel Blasey, Ada, MN and a sister.

He is survived by his wife, Jewel Ann, of 43 years; daughters, Jean (Joel) Barthel, South Haven, and Janet (Loren) Wurm, Maple Lake. Stepsons, Troy (Renee) Pederson, Cologne, Tate Pederson, ND, Terill (Evita) Pederson, Buffalo.  Stepdaughter, Lisa (Kirk) Yorgey, FL; 15 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Joe is also survived by three brothers and two sisters.

Joe had a great love for softball. He played in a Texas senior league for 14 years until he was 80, and summers, he played with fellow softball players in Brainerd, MN. Joe also loved deer hunting with his brothers, sons, and grandsons. He loved fishing, John Deere tractors, and camping with the family. His soft demeanor and sense of humor will be greatly missed.

A private memorial service will be forthcoming.

 


 Keith Dixon, 63

Keith Leslie Dixon was born on June 10th, 1956 in Skipton, England to Bobby and Grace Dixon. He was the oldest of three siblings, once Kevin and Wendy came along a few years later.  He loved his early years in the Yorkshire Dales, playing on his aunt and uncle’s farm, walking the rolling fields and hiding in coal sheds to avoid going to school.

At age five, Keith and his family moved to Oulton, where his dad had accepted a new position as the village policeman. It was here that Keith met many new lifelong friends, and, eventually, his future bride, Janet Sowry.

On December 28th, 1974, Keith and Janet were married and, soon after, welcomed a daughter, Nichola and a few years later a son, Liam.  Keith studied hard to become an apprentice lithographer at Jarvis Porter and, eventually, secured a job at Alf Cooks printing firm. He took great pride in his job and moved up within the company quickly.  Because of his ambition and skill, Keith and his family were given the opportunity to move across the pond to Minnesota in 1986. He settled into life in Buffalo where, again, he made many lifelong friends and excelled at his job at Eastman Kodak.

Keith loved life.  He spent almost every Saturday morning playing racquetball with his friend, Joe and spent summers in Canada with his fishing and hunting buddies.  Most of all, Keith loved his family. He traveled back to England often to visit his family and friends and walk in the fields as he had as a young lad. His children and grandchildren were his pride and joy. He loved to travel with Charlie and ride the rails all over the country.  He loved to watch Drew in all his theatrical shows and loved to hear him sing. He never missed one of Neve’s sporting events or shows and always made it to her away games, wherever they were. He loved playing with Addy and watching her play soccer, a game close to his English heart. He was the best Grandad, Dad and Husband that anyone could hope to have.

Keith left us all way too soon.  We will forever miss his dancing skills, goofy jokes, unintelligible accent, generosity, thoughtfulness, spiky hair, mustache that would make Magnum PI jealous and the love that he had for us all.

He was met at the gates by his beloved Dad, Bobby and his best friend, Rob. We’re sure they are all up there cheering on “Classy Cas” and dancing and singing to some great Northern Soul.

Until we meet again, all of us here will miss him every day. His wife, of 45 years, Janet; his children, Nichola and Brad Elo, Liam and Heather Dixon and his four adoring grandchildren, Charlie, Drew, Neve and Addy. 

A private service for the family was held June 10, 2020 with a celebration of his life to follow later in the day for all to attend.

The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo is serving the family.   Online condolences  may be made to www.thepetersonchapel.com.

 


Doreen Ebert, 87

Doreen Louise (Geistfeld) Ebert, age 87, formerly of Truman and Fairmont, MN, passed away in Buffalo, MN on May 10, 2020.

Family and friends are invited to the visitation on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Fairmont, MN (social distancing guidelines in place). A private family Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on June 17. It will be livestreamed for the public or to be viewed at a later date. The link to watch is: www.bit.ly/doreenebert.

A private inurnment will follow the service and will be at St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery in rural Truman. The Ebert family thanks you for your kind expressions of sympathy and understanding during this unprecedented time. www.thepetersonchapel.com.

 


Harpo Lemmage, 96

One of the proudest Viking Fans, Harpo (Darvis S.) Lemmage left us on March 11, 2020. We lost the best Dad, Grandpa, and PaPa ever. He had said many times that he had a happy, long life. Dad was 96 years old.

He was married to the love of his life, Verdell, who passed 10 years ago. For over 60 years, he signed every card he gave her, “You are my everything.”

He left behind three children, Pixie (Patricia), the boy, Hal, and the youngest, Jody. Three grandchildren, Kimberly Schlewitz and her husband, Sam, Christ (Christopher), and Michael. Papa also left three great-grandchildren, Diontrey and Zaydion Abley, also Kahlia Verdell Schlewitz. 

His grandchildren have wonderful memories of Grandpa. Kim remembers going to Grandma’s and Grandpa’s after school. She’d head for the garage to say “Hi” to Grandpa. He’d always asked if she learned anything, she’d say “no,” and Grandpa would say, “Then you have to go back tomorrow.” Christ remembers his Grandpa was the best Dumpster Diver ever, and he could always see Grandpa’s feet sticking out the top. He always made something good out of the parts he found. Michael said the best times of his life were at Gramp’s and Gram Cracker’s, riding the little three-wheeler and digging holes as deep as he was tall!

The great-grandchildren remember Papa with laughs. Diontrey was about three and was playing in the sandbox when he found a pair of Monster teeth! Actually, they were Papa’s. That summer, Dad had lost four pairs of false teeth when they dropped out of his pockets. Zaydion was riding one of Papa’s “dumpster bikes,” he ran into a tree. Bees came out, and when he tried to bike away, the bike wouldn’t move. Kahlia always loved when Papa would visit her and bring her a Balloon and have Tea Parties!

Dad and his brother, Dale, had a milk-hauling business when they were young.

Dad couldn’t join the Army in WWll because of a horribly broken leg in a trucking accident, which put him in the hospital for a year. The Army wouldn’t take him because of his leg injury, so to help in the War effort, he headed for Hawaii where he fixed airplanes. He then started Harpo’s Garage in downtown Rockford, Minnesota. Later, he worked for Sam Bloom; he said he learned more from Sam than any other man. Then, he worked for International Harvester. They transferred him to Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1963. He worked for them for six weeks in Eau Claire and made friends he’s had for almost 60 years. We were ready to head home to Rockford when he was offered a job running the American Materials Garage, and he took it. He retired at 57. He started work again a few years later delivering trucks. When he was 88 years old, he retired for good! 

Two of my Dad’s favorite hobbies were playing baseball for the Rockford Team. I spent many evenings down at the ball field watching practice and sitting in the bleachers listening to the guy talk. His second being a Pitman for Harold Mueller. It was like he found more brothers.  He never enjoyed anything more.  

He is survived by his sister, June Lilyquist; his brother, Jack (John) Lemmage; and his sister-in-law, Roberta Lemmage. He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Mamie; his brothers, Omar, Ken (Dale), Gerald (Jerry), Ivar; and his sister, Goldie. He was also preceded in death by his best friend and fishing buddy, Gordon Lilyquist, also his McDonalds coffee-drinking buddies, and the Friday-afternoon card players. 

The family would like to send a Heartfelt thank you to some very special people. Thank you, Phil Prusak, your constant visits and the ice cream cones and bird suet packs just lighted up Dad’s days and made him so happy. Thank you so much to his thoughtful and kind caregivers, Connie and Amanda. He always looked forward to your coming. Thank you, Jody, for wanting to take care of Dad until the end. Thank you to Michael, your opting to stay with Gramps to the end was invaluable and so needed. Your Gramps loved you. One last thank you to Dad’s friend, Dr. Sal O‘Baid, who like my Dad, is one of a kind.

If you’re wondering why Harpo? He got his nickname from the banker in Rockford, Minnesota, where he grew up. When he was three, he had long curly blond hair, and the banker started calling Dad Harpo because he looked like Harpo Marx. The name lasted for 93 years.

Memorial services for Harpo have been POSTPONED until further notice due to the current Covid-19 situation.

Lenmark-Gomsrud-Lind Funeral & Creamation Services, Eau Claire, is serving the family. To express condolences online, please visit obituaries at www.lenmarkfh.com.

 


Joan Pfleghaar, 79

Joan Marie (Irmiter) Pfleghaar passed away peacefully into her Heavenly Father’s hands at the Sterling Pointe Assisted Living Home in Princeton, MN at 6:30 a.m. on June 6, 2020. Steve, her son was sitting lovingly by her side. Joan was born the eldest daughter and third oldest child of nine children in Armstrong, IA on January 20, 1941 to Henry Frank Irmiter and Ione Katherine Bollig Irmiter.

She graduated from Armstrong Public School in Armstrong, IA in 1959, where she played basketball and clarinet. She married the love of her life, Thomas Raymond Pfleghaar on November 10, 1962. They raised three children, making Buffalo, MN their home in 1978. 

Joan was a lifetime caregiver working in the nursing industry. Her career included work at Methodist Hospital, clinical outpatient work, and hospice care. The staff at Sterling Pointe honored Mom’s nursing career and welcomed her on their evening rounds to check on the other residents.

True to her caring nature, Joan also volunteered at St. Francis Xavier in the choir, singing special music, and well as attending Bible studies. She also loved to travel with Tom, paint, cross stitch, and walk, including hiking the woods on the Gunflint Trail. One of her favorite pastimes was attending movies and eating popcorn.

During her 22-month stay in Memory care, Joan enjoyed multiple outings with her son, Steve. He often took her shopping, bantered with her, and went for the inevitable vanilla ice cream. They made many fun memories together, filled with laughter, even as dementia took its toll on her health. As recent as five days before her death, Steve was able to embarrass her with his antics, and get that last smile from her.

She shared a special bond with grandchildren, Chris, Anna, Scot, and Morgan, making each feel like her favorite. She was immensely proud of them all, and was always ready with a listening ear, good advice, and a hug or cookie or two. Her dementia was fast moving and aggressive, but she could not forget the grandkids, even the now distant ones. We would often set her up and have one of the kids walk by to see if she would recognize them, and, sure enough, she always did.

Joan was preceded in death by loving husband of 51 years, Tom; her parents, Henry and Ione Irmiter; siblings, Jerry and Jimmy Irmiter; and son, Naval Petty Officer Third Class Joseph Scott Pfleghaar, AWS who died in a tragic helicopter accident in 1987 while serving his country on the Aircraft carrier USS Midway.

Joan is survived by son, Steve (Terry) Pfleghaar, of Princeton, MN; daughter, Carol Pfleghaar, of Milaca, MN; grandchildren, Chris (Alli) Pfleghaar, Anna Pfleghaar, Scot (Hayley) Pfleghaar, and Morgan Pfleghaar; great-granddaughter, Nora (Scot and Hayley) Pfleghaar. She is also survived by siblings, Julius (Barb) Irmiter, Pat (Lee) Williams, Marge (Bob) Stratemeyer, Kathy (Mark Herbrandson) Irmiter, Richard (Jane Wegner) Irmiter, and Larry Irmiter; sister-in-law, Helena Irmiter; dozens of nieces, nephews, and many good friends, who (because she was married to Tom) called her “Saint Joan.”

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.

Visitation for Joan will be held Thursday, June 18 from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at The Peterson Chapel of Buffalo, MN. Joan’s memorial service will be held Thursday evening, June 18 at 7:00 p.m. also at The Peterson Chapel of Buffalo, MN. Officiating will be Deacon Paul Buck of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church of Buffalo, MN. Interment will be in the St. Francis Catholic Cemetery

Serving the family is The Peterson Chapel of Buffalo, MN, www.thepetersonchapel.com.

 

Publication: 

The Drummer and The Wright County Journal Press

PO Box 159
108 Central Ave.
Buffalo MN 55313

www.thedrummer.com

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