Obituaries 5/20/21
Andrew Block, 71
Andrew “Andy” James Block, age 71, of Buffalo, MN, passed away Wednesday, May 12, 2021. He was born October 5, 1949 in Monticello, MN, the son of Melvin and Kathleen (Towell) Block.
Andy attended Buffalo schools and graduated with the Class of 1967. Andy enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves and served in the reserve unit in Buffalo.
On September 11, 1982, Andrew Block and Margo Hauggorde were united in marriage at Timothy Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park, MN. The two were blessed with a daughter, Nikole.
Andrew and his wife, Margo, were founding members of Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church in Buffalo, MN in 2000. Andrew was devoted in his faith and was very active with the church.
He enjoyed fishing, car racing, tractor pulls, working on cars and tractors, and spending time with his family and friends. He was a great friend to everyone, new and old. He enjoyed talking to people and meeting new people. He was very caring and always tried to see the positive in things.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Melvin and Kathleen Block; brother, Martin (Kathy) Block; niece, Vicki Mandaville; and nephew, Roger Block.
Andy is survived by his wife of 38 years, Margo Block; daughter, Nikole; sister-in-law, Cindy (Steve) Johnson; and many nieces, nephews, family and friends.
A visitation will be held Saturday, May 22, 2021 from 12:00 to 2:00 PM at Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church in Buffalo, MN. A private family funeral service will be held. Burial will be at Lakeview Cemetery in Buffalo, MN.
Serving the family is The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo, MN, 763-682-1363, www.thepetersonchapel.com.
Nichola Dean, 75
Nichola Louise Dean, “Nikki,” “Grams,” “GG,” age 75, of Delano, passed away at home on Monday, May 10, 2021. She was born on October 12, 1945 to Cecil and Alice LaDeane (Shinn) Nuss in Hastings, Nebraska.
Nikki was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend to many.
She was feisty, tough as nails, with a sharp wit. She worked hard for her family and provided them with everything they needed. She never stopped being a mom and was affectionately known to her grandchildren as “Grams” and her great-grandchildren as “GG.” She instilled her passion for the Nebraska Cornhuskers in her family (Go Big Red). She enjoyed watching all the birds on her feeders, crocheting and playing cards with her friends at the Delano Commons.
Nikki was preceded in death by her parents, Cecil and Alice LaDeane Nuss; and grandson, Nicholas Anderson.
She is survived by her daughters, Stacey Robinson, Dina Robinson, Michelle (Shannon) Hotakainen; grandchildren, Danielle Sullivan, Joshua Robinson, Anthony Hotakainen, Carter Hotakainen; great-grandchildren, Alexander Sullivan, Mateya Sullivan, Izabella Sullivan, Makenzie Robinson, Harper Robinson, Brady Robinson, Audrey Thomas; siblings, James (Elizabeth) Nuss and Randy (Shirley) Nuss; family, Tana Jones and Christine Thomas.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 29, 2021 at Delano United Methodist Church. The service will be live-streamed on the Iten Funeral Home Youtube page. A gathering of friends and family will occur from 10-11 a.m. prior to the service. Inurnment will occur immediately following the service in Elmwood Cemetery in Rockford, Minnesota. A reception will follow the committal services.
Arrangements by the Iten Funeral Home in Delano.
Diane Ericson, 74
Diane Rosalyn Ericson, age 74, of Buffalo, passed away surrounded by her family on May 11, 2021.
Diane was born the daughter of Carl and Mabel (Hultgren) Kvasnicka on March 24, 1947 in Sandstone, MN.
Diane was an extremely accomplished seamstress and crafter. Over the years, she sewed many coats and even made custom flip flops. She enjoyed gardening, growing strawberries, and loved her flower gardens.
She was extremely independent, but her biggest joy was found in the time that she was able to spend with her family. Diane’s grandchildren were an important part of her life, and the memories made will be forever treasured.
Diane is preceded in death by her parents; sister, Doreen Meyer; brother, Merlin Kvasnicka.
She is survived by her children, Tammy Simmon and Bryan Erickson; grandchildren, Danielle (Derek) Eiklenborg, Carolyn Erickson, Bryce (Jennifer) Bishop and Austin Tuchtenhagen; great-grandchildren, Addison, Zoe, Isabel and Rory Eiklenborg; brothers, Wayne (Carline) Kvasnicka and Greg (Linda) Kvasnicka; also, many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Private family services to be held at a later date. Interment will be in the Riverside Cemetery in Kerrick, MN.
Arrangements were entrusted to The Peterson Chapel of Buffalo, MN. Online condolences for the family can be directed to www.thepetersonchapel.com.
Paul Galle, 74
On Saturday, May 8, 2021, Paul Gilbert Galle, loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away at home, surrounded by family.
Paul was born April 12, 1947, in Dubuque, Iowa to Gilbert and Mary Galle. Paul married Jane Bradley, April 20, 1980. He moved his family to Minnesota in 1984, and spend 25 years working at Scoville Press.
Paul’s love of motor sports, camping, exploring new places, and meeting great friends, was his true passion in life.
Paul was preceded in death by: his father, and mother; brother, Bill; sister, Marilyn; and nephew, Matt.
He is survived by: his wife; son, Terry (Rachel); daughters, Lisa and Missy; grandchildren, April, Abbi, Jacob, Scott, Justin (Apollo), Elisabeth, Elyse; brothers, John (Jan), David; sister, Ellen (Gary) Jasper; and many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held for Paul and a later date.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established.
Thank you Allina Hospice for 17 months of awesome care.
Robert Johnson, 84
Robert “Bob” Raymond Johnson, age 84, of Buffalo, passed away on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at home with his devoted family by his side.
He was born in 1936 to Raymond W. and Isabelle (Arnold) Johnson, Bob and his six siblings grew up on the family farm near Eden Valley, Minnesota. He graduated from Eden Valley High School in 1954 and honorably served his country in the United States Army.
Bob and Gail Brossard were joined in holy marriage on April 18, 1959 in Eden Valley. After briefly living in Minneapolis, they moved to Buffalo, Minnesota, and were blessed with three children. He worked for many years at King Gas and later worked for Phoenix Packaging. Family was his greatest joy, and he found particular pleasure in being a grandfather. Bob enjoyed spending time at the family’s lake property and took pride in mowing its many acres of lawn and tending to the grounds. He loved deer hunting, fishing, gardening, and playing board games and cards with extended family and friends. He was also fond of tinkering with gas engines and lawn mowers and attending farm shows with his brothers and nephews.
Bob is survived by his loving wife of sixty-two years, Gail Johnson; children, Cynthia (Roger) Paumen, of Waverly, Patricia (Mark Kausch) Johnson, of Minneapolis, and Gregory (Veronique) Johnson, of Golden Valley; three grandchildren, Nicole (Chad) Engler, Camille Johnson and Charlie Johnson; two great-grandchildren, Savannah and Clayton Engler; four sisters, Margaret (Gene) Drabek, Kathleen Schwankl, Alice (Robert) Schreifels and Ann (Edward) Fuchs; a sister-in-law, Gloria Johnson; brothers- and sisters-in-law, Gary (Judy) Brossard and Sharon (Mike) McCarney; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a twin brother, Richard Johnson; a brother, Walter Johnson; an infant sister, Mary Rose; a sister-in-law, Ruth Johnson; a brother-in-law, Gerald Schwankl; and nephews, Warren and Wayne Schreifels.
The family thanks the teams at Guardian Angels Hospice for their caring and professional support, both of Bob and of our family.
A Memorial service for Robert “Bob” Johnson will be held on Friday, June 4, 2021 at 11:00 A.M. at The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo. A Time of Gathering will precede the service at 9:00 A.M. until time of services.
The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo is serving the family. Online condolences may be made to www.thepetersoncapel.com.
Willard Kreitlow, 98
Willard Alfred Kreitlow left this life peacefully at sunrise on May 12, 2021.
He was born, so the story goes, in the closet of the first Kreitlow family home on the farm, with just him and his mother in attendance at the blessed occasion. His father had been banished to the hay barn for the night. If you would have asked Willard about his birth-date, he would have said that it was four years after The Great War, seven years before The Great Depression, two years after women got the vote, and twenty-four years after his grandfather, August, bought the farm that still remains in the family. Willard lived his 98 years with grace and dedication to this farm, with his final residence situated about 100’ from that original house.
As he grew old - something he became very good at with practice - he developed a repertoire of responses to enquiries about his health, such as, “My expiration date passed a few years back.”
Willard followed his true calling to be a farmer and steward of the land, with a goal of leaving the farm even better than he found it. In the 1940’s, he realized that if he didn’t adopt some different practices, the topsoil on his hilly land wouldn’t be there for long. So, he learned and implemented soil and water conservation practices. Many of the neighbors thought he was crazy: “What’s he doing plowing AROUND that hill?” But all those contours and terraces and waterways worked so well that the farm is building topsoil instead of losing it.
And he preached what he practiced. Willard was elected to the Wright County Soil and Water Conservation District board in 1949 and served there continuously for forty-three years. He and his wife, Dorothy, were awarded the State Conservationists of the Year with a proclamation by Gov. Rudy Perpich in 1990.
If that wasn’t enough, he and a few friends decided that it would be a good thing if the county had parks for everyone to enjoy. Serving as an original member of the park board, he continued in that role for forty years. He had a hand in the acquisition and development of several of our older parks – Stanley Eddy, Ney, Collinwood – and paid for the excavating of the well-loved sledding hill at Bill Anderson Park that now bears his name.
So, when you enjoy a Wright County Park, you may, in part, thank Willard.
A lifelong Christian who sought to balance his spiritual beliefs with science and open mindedness, he was baptized in the Lutheran church, and in later life, worshiped with a Methodist congregation as well. He accepted people as they were, with compassion and very little judgment. A friend and mentor to many, his humility, kindness and humor touched numerous lives.
Willard is predeceased by just about everyone in his and previous generations, including his beloved wife, Dorothy May Kreitlow (née Heine), and most recently by his son, David Kreitlow.
Helen Ostlund, 85
Helen Lorraine Ostlund, age 85, of Independence, MN, was welcomed into Heaven by her Lord and Savior on May 16, 2021. Helen was born to Joseph and Nora Sundgaard on June 28, 1935 in Mora, MN.
She graduated from Pine City High School and moved to Minneapolis to work. Her adventuresome spirit led her to travel 600 miles by train to Tioga, ND where she met a handsome potato farmer whom she would marry six months later. She followed the love of her life to Ellendale, ND to begin a plumbing business, then to Camp Shamineau to work as maintenance staff, to Buffalo, MN to manage Woodmere Apartments, and work at Walmart and finally retired in Independence, MN.
Helen LOVED people! Her favorite titles were “Greeter Helen” and “Grandma Helen” to the many people she met at Walmart over the 20 years of employment there. The many children, teens, and families became her family as she served at “Camp Shamineau” for 10 years. Her most memorable experience was a trip to China where her and Vern accompanied their daughter and son-in-law to adopt their daughter, Aliya.
Her loving husband, Vernon, of almost 65 years; her daughters, Shelrae (Marti) Fuchs, Sheryl (Gary) Amundson, Shiann (Brent) Johnson; son, Jeremy (Sarah) Ostlund; grandchildren, Amber, Arianne, Jordan, Katelyn, Chantelle, Miranda, Liam, Aliya, Averie, Tayea, and Tylo; along with 11 great-grandchildren look forward to seeing her again in Heaven one day.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Roger and wife, Betty; brother, Donald and wife, Diane; nephews, David and Douglas; niece, Lori; and granddaughter, Vienna.
A private family service will be held.
Serving the family is The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo, 763-682-1363, www.thepetersonchapel.com.
John Sebek, 72
John Charles Sebek, age 72, formerly of Elk River and Buffalo, passed away on Saturday, May 15, 2021 at his home in Nowthen, Minnesota.
A complete obituary will appear in next week’s paper.
The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo is serving the family. Online condolences may be made to www.thepetersonchapel.com.
Dorothy Topel, 101
Dorothy B. Topel (Neisen), age 101, of Delano, passed away on Saturday, May 15, 2021 at The Gardens of Winsted (formerly St. Mary’s). She was born on March 4, 1920 in Delano to Jacob and Catherine (Rudolph) Neisen.
Dorothy was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She worked on the farm with Bill, milking cows while also looking out for the children. After retiring from the farm, Dorothy got involved with volunteering in a variety of Delano community events. She started volunteering at the Delano Senior Center shortly after it opened in 1982. She received the Outstanding Senior Citizen in 1994 after volunteering 565 hours in a year. She also grew African violets and sold them at the Senior Center. Dorothy also enjoyed dancing, fishing, and playing cards.
Dorothy was preceded by her husband, William “Bill;” parents, Jacob and Catherine Neisen; brother, Robert Neisen; sisters, Elizabeth (Leo) Topel and Marilyn (Alfred) Westlin; son-in-law, Raymond Hertell; daughter-in-law, Susan Topel.
She is survived by her children, Dianne Hertell, Kathleen (Henry) Chesley, Frederick Topel, and Linda Topel (Gary); seven grandchildren, Kyle Hertell, Nicole (fiancé Wade) Hertell, Patricia (Danny) Navratil, Dawn Chesley, Jeremy (Dawn) Topel, Amy (Karen) Topel, and Valerie (Reid) Becker; six great-grandchildren, Paige Hertell, Tyler Hertell, Jacob Thiner, Benjamin Rabe, Ilijah Topel and Isabel Becker; brother, John Neisen; sister-in-law, Darlene Neisen.
A Memorial Funeral Service will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, May 22, 2021 at the Parish of St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Peter’s Campus, in Delano. A Gathering of family and friends will be on Saturday, from 9:30 – 10:30 AM at the Iten Funeral Home in Delano. Inurnment will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Delano. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred. This service will be livestreamed.
Arrangements by the Iten Funeral Home in Delano.
