Obituaries

Bonnie Bolinger

Apr 22, 2022

Bonnie Bolinger, 74, passed away on Friday, April 22, 2022, at St. John's Lutheran Community in Albert Lea, MN.

Bonnie was born on May 23, 1947, to Wilbur Kraft & Janet Ayers in Albert Lea, MN. She was united in marriage to Jerry Bolinger and were married for over 59 years. She worked at Thorncrest as a housekeeper...

James "Jim" Cisewski

Apr 21, 2022

James “Jim” Cisewski--03/01/1925 to 04/21/2022

Lover of life and of people, feisty and strong-willed, ready for fun, and we miss him already.

Jim Cisewski, of Albert Lea, passed away on Thursday, April 21st at Thorne Crest Senior Living Community.  He was 97 years young, and appreciated and looked forward to each and every day.

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John "Jack" Briggs

Apr 21, 2022

John "Jack" Briggs of Albert Lea, MN passed away peacefully on April 21, 2022, at the Good Samaritan Society in Albert Lea.

Jack was born on December 9, 1942, to John and Mary (Laursen) in Albert Lea, MN. He graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1961. On November 16, 1963, he married his high school sweetheart, Jan...

Darlene Van Hal

Apr 17, 2022

Darlene L. Van Hal, 88, of Geneva, passed away Sunday, April 17, 2022, at St. John’s the Woodlands.

Darlene was born in Steele County on November 16, 1933, to Aaron and Lorinda (Linse) Eaker.  She grew up in Blooming Prairie and attended the school.  After graduation, she worked for a local bank.  She began dating Wilford “Bill”...

Rylee Dittbrenner

Apr 16, 2022

Rylee Ann Dittbrenner, aged 15 months, known to all who loved her as “wiggles” or “cheeks”, gained her angel wings unexpectedly at home on April 16, 2022.

Miss Rylee was born at Northfield Hospital & Clinics on December 29, 2020. Our little Covid baby.

Our sweet cheeks will be remembered for her epic finger-pointing and...

Marilyn Moe

Apr 14, 2022

Marilyn D. (Schroader) Moe, 90, of Albert Lea, passed away surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, April 14, 2022, at Ostrander Care and Rehab in Ostrander, MN.

Marilyn was born on November 24, 1931, on the family farm in Winnebago County, IA, to LeRoy and Ida (Skjervheim) Schroader.  She grew up in Kiester, MN, attending and...

Gerald Rocheford

Apr 10, 2022

Gerald Michael Rocheford, age 74, of Albert  Lea, MN, passed away on April 10, 2022.

He is survived by, MaryAnn Rocheford-Jensen; children, Sharon, Gerald, Darren and Dawn; step-children, Brad Merrill, Jerry Merill, Char Merill and Randy Merill; great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Audrey Rocheford;...

Valta Hestness

Apr 9, 2022

Valta “Val” M. Hestness, 94, of Albert Lea, passed away surrounded by her loving family on Saturday, April 9, 2022, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.

Val was born on October 21, 1927, in Albert Lea to Edward and Hazel (Lau) Schott.  She attended Albert Lea Grade and High School.  On June 19, 1950, she was united...

Travis Hall

Apr 7, 2022

Travis James Hall, son to Darlene and Jeff Hall, passed away unexpectedly on April 7, 2022.  Travis was born on September 11, 1988, in Albert Lea, MN.  He was 33 years old.

Travis attended Albert Lea Schools and continued to take college courses in automotive repair.  Travis was a man of many talents, whether he was working...

Dale Golbuff

Apr 6, 2022

Dale Golbuff, 90, passed away with family by his side on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, at St. John’s Lutheran Community in Albert Lea.

The funeral service for Dale will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 15, 2022, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Albert Lea with Pastor Eileen Woyen presiding.

The visitation will be...

Scot Christenson

Apr 6, 2022

Scot Lee Christenson, age 55, of Bricelyn, passed away on April 6, 2022.

Scot was born on October 1, 1966, to Harold and Mary in Albert Lea, MN. He graduated from Albert Lea high school in 1985 and went to Vo-Tech following graduation. Scot worked at R&S Racing in Albert Lea and Wayne’s Repair in Freeborn.

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Paul Groth

Apr 4, 2022

Paul Luther Groth, age 85, of Ellendale, MN passed away on April 4, 2022.

Paul was born on November 18, 1936, to Oscar and Alice Groth in Mason City, IA. He attended school in Mason City until moving to Ellendale in 1953. He graduated from Ellendale-Geneva High School in 1954. Paul went to Waldorf College.

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Jane Pearson

Apr 4, 2022

Jane Pearson, age 67, passed away on Monday, April 4, 2022 in the comfort of her own home in New Richland, MN. She was born on January 12, 1955 to Frank and Helen Pearson in Austin, MN. She enjoyed gardening, her church community, and visiting with family and friends. After receiving the diagnosis of COPD in 2009, Jane began...

Shirley Chase

Apr 2, 2022

Shirley J. Chase, 100, of Albert Lea, passed away on Saturday, April 2, 2022 at Thorne Crest Senior Living.

Services are being arranged for a later date.  A full obituary will be published soon.

Shirley Chase

Apr 2, 2022

Shirley Jeanette Chase, age 100, passed away on April 2, 2022, in Albert Lea, Minnesota.  Born August 9, 1921, on her aunt’s farm near Ellendale, Minnesota, Shirley, a 100% Dane and proud of it, was the only child of Alice Victoria (Larsen) and Irvin Andersen (Charley Irvin Andersen).  After her father died in a construction accident in 1927, Shirley...

Chad Sommer

Apr 2, 2022

Chad A. Sommer, age 42, died unexpectedly at his home on April 2, 2022. He lived in Ramsey, MN with his mother, LuAnn (Lee) Granholt.

Chad lived a full and active life in Ellendale and received a great start in the Special Education system. The family moved to Colorado Springs in 1987 where he attended Air Force Academy...

Verona Thorson

Mar 30, 2022

Verona Pauline Thorson, age 99, of Albert Lea, passed away on March 30, 2022.

She was born on July 13, 1922, to Ole and Amanda Iverson in Freeborn County, the youngest of 9 children.

Verona was an avid gardener and animal lover. Living on a hobby farm allowed her to spend many hours with her beloved...

Ricky Pollard

Mar 30, 2022

Ricky Pollard, 60 passed away on March 30th, 2022. Ricky was born in Albert Lea, MN to Eugene Pollard and Lillian Urschitz-Serrano on December 1st 1961.

After high school Ricky joined and served in the army. From there he went on to peruse jobs in sales, factory management, and his favorite, carpentry.

Ricky loved woodworking,...

Dennis Yotter

Mar 28, 2022

Dennis Ralph Yotter, 60, of Austin, passed away on March 28th, 2022.

Dennis was born July 7th, 1961, to Ralph and Patricia (Mitchell) Yotter in Slayton, MN.  After graduating Albert Lea High School in 1980 he attended vocational school.  He enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard and served 9 years where he achieved the rank of...

Janell Johnson

Mar 27, 2022

Janell R. Johnson, age 91, of Albert Lea, formerly of Rosemount MN, passed away on March 27, 2022.

Janell was born on January 23, 1931, to Arnold and Clara Faleide in Kiester, MN.

Janell worked as a telephone operator for most of her adult life in Minneapolis, Albert Lea and Eagan, MN.  Later in life,...