Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home

Betty J. Swanson, age 89, of Milaca, passed away Thursday, December 5, 2024 with family close by. She was born February 15, 1935 at home in Page Township to Lester and Sarah (Hunt) Brown. Betty grew up in Milaca and married LeVern Swanson. She loved her family and loved to share her crafts with others. She is survived by her daughters, Barb (Pete) Sornesnon and Patty (Joel) Abel, also by many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and other relatives. She was preceded in death by her husband, LeVern; parents, Lester and Sarah; baby brother, John and sister, Mary (Glenn) Brown. In keeping with Betty's wishes, no services will be...

George Bradley Kaspar, age 87, died December 1, 2024 at Milaca Elim Meadows from natural causes. George was born November 7, 1937 on the family farm in the Stony Brook area to Ed and Sylvia Kaspar. He was the fifth of six children. He graduated from Milaca High School in 1956. After high school, he joined the US Navy. He met and married Edna Fetters on July 3, 1971. Shortly after, they moved to San Diego, where they had three children: George, Sylvia, and Katherine. Later they moved to Great Lakes, IL where they had Laura. In 1987, George retired from the US Navy after 27 years. They moved back to Milaca to raise their children and run a hobby farm. George loved road trips,...

Mass of Christian Burial celebrating the life of Mary Caroline Nikolas, age 93, was held Friday, November 29, 2024 at Saint Louis Bertrand Catholic Church in Foreston. Interment followed at Saint Louis parish cemetery. Mary Caroline Nikolas passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on Monday, November 25, 2024 at Saint Otto's in Little Falls. Mary was born August 5, 1931 in Benton County to Henry and Hildegarde (Reiser) Roehl. Mary attended country school through the 8th grade and proudly earned her GED in 1981. She married James Nikolas on August 8, 1950. They were married for 58 years. Together they farmed for 35 years, near Foreston, while raising eight children. She loved...

Doris Anfinson, age 87, of Milaca, passed away Friday, November 8, 2024 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Brainerd, MN. Funeral services will be held Friday, November 15, 2024 at 11 AM at Zion Lutheran Church, 5972 70th Avenue, Princeton, MN. Burial will follow at the church cemetery. Visitation will take place from 4 - 7 PM Thursday at Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home in Milaca with a MOCA/VFW service at 5 PM and a prayer service at 6:30 PM. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Doris Arlene (Klaustermeier) Anfinson was born on June 2, 1937, on a farm near Lester Prairie, MN. She was the daughter of Elmer and Malinda (Ide) Klaustermeier. She was...

Loren Peter Sahlstrom was born on October 4, 1945, in Milaca, Minnesota to Rodney and Lona (Jones) Sahlstrom. He died on October 21, 2024. He will be greatly missed. He grew up on Sahlstrom Road with his eight cousins, being the next to youngest in age. He and his cousin, Mary, were exceptionally close and remained the best of friends throughout their lives. In 1963, he graduated from Milaca High School and went on to attend St. Cloud State University. Peter enlisted in the Army in 1970 and served his country during the Vietnam Conflict until he was honorably discharged in 1973. He returned home to Milaca and began working at Mosford Implement in Foley though soon found his true calling...

Bryan Lee Nelson, age 50, of Milaca, passed away October 14, 2024 at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina. Funeral services were held Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at Zion Lutheran Church with Pastor Kate Mensing officiating. Burial followed at Wendell Hill Cemetery in Milaca, MN. Bryan Nelson was born November 10, 1973 in Edina, MN to Dennis and Linda (Wilson) Nelson. Bryan grew up in Milaca and graduated from Milaca High School in 1992. In younger years, Bryan was a Sunday newspaper delivery driver in Duluth, MN. Bryan went to technical college to become a diesel mechanic and worked at MTW. Bryan also worked at an auto body shop. Bryan worked at GL Herges Excavating and installed sewer...

Gertrude Eleanor Kiel (Rudisill) was born May 21, 1938 to Anne and Lester Rudisill in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. She was one of six siblings: Betty, Bob, Donald, Harry, Gertrude, and Carol. The family moved from Grand Rapids to the family farm north of Milaca. Gert and her siblings attended the Milaca schools. She married her high school sweetheart, Jim Kiel on May 24, 1957 and were married 55 years prior to Jim's death on October 2, 2012. To this marriage came six children: Pam, Kathy, Julie, Greg, Sarah, and Mike. Julie and Greg died of crib death in their first months of life. Kathy was hit by a car on 169 getting the mail at the age of 12. The flowering crab tree you see in all...

Gertrude "Gert" Kiel, age 86, passed away Sunday, October 13, 2024. Funeral service will be held Monday, October 21, 2024 at 11 AM at the Christian Reformed Church in Pease. Burial will follow at Pease Cemetery. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church.

Irene Kok, age 92, of Milaca, passed away September 29, 2024. Memorial services will be held Friday, October 4, 2024 at 2 PM at the Christian Reformed Church in Pease. Irene Kok was born on July 31, 1932, to George and Alice (Van De Riet) Kiel in Milaca Minnesota. She graduated from Pease Christian School and attended Milaca High School. She spent a semester at Calvin College. Irene taught school in Pease. She was known for getting the students to work by rewarding them with the promise of a softball game. She was united in marriage to John Kok on October 27, 1953. She lived on the family farm for 71 years. She gardened into her eighties and enjoyed many sunsets. Irene was a lifelong...

Leota Marudas, age 94, passed away peacefully at her home in Milaca on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. Memorial mass will be held Friday, September 27, 2024 at 10:30 AM at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Milaca. Interment will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Leota Ruth Marudas was born September 14, 1930 to Ray and Dottie (Grow) Jennison in Princeton. She graduated from Princeton High School and began a career with the telephone company (Northwestern Bell, Frontier, Contel, and Verizon). She was united in marriage to James Marudas in 1949. Leota enjoyed flowers, painting, travel, baking, and spending time...

Terry Gay Orsburne, age 72, of Milaca, passed away Saturday, September 14, 2024. He was loved by many and will be painstakingly missed by all. He will forever be in our hearts. Terry was preceded in death by his parents, Gaylord and Leona Orsburne and brothers, Dale Batchelder and Andrew Orsburne. He is survived by his wife, life partner and best friend, Diane Orsburne; sons, Jason (Tina) Orsburne, Justin Orsburne and Joseph (Rosie) Orsburne; brothers, David (Karen) Orsburne and Raymond (Chris) Orsburne; sisters, Roxanne (Joe) Freese and Robin (Fred) Bachman; eleven grandchildren; one great-granddaughter and many nieces, nephews and friends. A Celebration of Life will be held in...

Calvin James Alley born September 13, 1935, in Flin Flon Manitoba, Canada to Henry and Katherine (Toews) Alley. The family relocated to Montevideo, MN in 1938 to his grandfather's farm. He then lived in Minneapolis, MN for a short period of time before enlisting in the Army where he served as an Intelligence Specialist in occupied Germany from 1955-1957. He was a member of the Milaca American Legion Post 178 for 40 years, at one time serving as the Vice Commander. He married Mary Elizabeth Paull August 1, 1957, in Butte, Montana at the Mountain View Methodist Church. They recently celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary. He worked in the copper mines in Butte, Montana until he...

Shirley Colleen (Warren) Ambrosch, formerly of Ogilvie, passed away at the age of 84, on August 22, 2024 at the St. Clare's Living Community of Mora surrounded by family. Shirley was born on June 26, 1940 to Glen and Geraldine (Jones) Warren of Onamia. The family then moved to Princeton where Shirley and her siblings lived and attended school. Shirley married Robert Alfred Ambrosch, Sr. on April 11, 1958. To this union, six children were born. Shirley enjoyed gardening, cooking, oil painting, reading, and going for walks. During her time at St. Clare's Living Community, she enjoyed her music and bingo activities and social resident gatherings. She is survived by her husband, Robert...

Carol Kragt, age 77, of Milaca, passed away Thursday, August 22, 2024. Memorial service will be held Saturday, September 7, 2024 at 11 AM at the Christian Reformed Church in Pease. Burial will follow at Pease Cemetery. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Carol Ann (Goslinga) Kragt was born on November 4, 1946 to Theodore and Angeline (Brinks) Goslinga. She was raised on a farm near Pease and attended Pease Christian School and Milaca High School. After she graduated, she moved to the big city of Minneapolis and worked for Zurich American Insurance Co. until she married James Kragt on September 3, 1965. Jim farmed and Carol worked at Ben...

Judy Unger, age 85, of Milaca, died peacefully August 16, 2024 at St. Cloud Hospital. Memorial service will be held Wednesday, September 4, 2024 at 11 AM at Zion Lutheran Church in Milaca. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church. Judy loved farming, gardening, playing cards and visiting with all the company that stopped in. Judy is survived by her husband, Kenneth Unger; children, Donna Olson of Milaca, Linda (Dale) Bockovich of Grand Marais, Susan (Russell) Palmer of Ogilvie and Faye Glein of Oak Park; stepson, Eric (Kris) Keath of Faribault; sisters, Sharon Bakken, Carol Elwood; brother, Glendor (Josie) Johnson; seven grandchildren; six...

Steven "Butch" Chambers of Zimmerman, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on July 9, 2024 surrounded by his family, after a battle with lung cancer. Butch was 75 years old. Butch was born in Charles City, Iowa on March 9, 1949 to Roy and Alvira Chambers. He was raised in the small town of Marble Rock, Iowa. At age 5, his aunt and uncle, Florence and Herbert Shook, took him in as one of their own, where he lived until he graduated from Rockford/Marble Rock High School in 1967. He then moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota where he attended Dunwoody Institute and earned a degree as an automotive technician in 1969. In 1968, he met his wife, Sandy Evensen. They were married on August 15, 1970 at St....

Joanne Marie Henrikson was born March 2, 1934 to Fred and Bernice Otto in Johnsonville Township, Redwood County, MN. She grew up in a farming community with seven siblings. She was the oldest of eight children- six girls and two boys. She graduated from Walnut Grove High School in Walnut Grove, MN in 1952. She worked in the banking industry after graduation. She worked for Sherburne County for 18 years. After her retirement from the county, she worked at McCoy's Pub in Elk River selling pulltabs. Joanne enjoyed her family, friends, and care takers at the Princeton Elim Wellspring. She especially enjoyed the chocolate doughnuts and Diet Coke brought to her by her brother, Dale. She...

Jerry Speers, of Sartell, formerly of Milaca, died July 1, 2024 at Edgewood Memory Care. Funeral services were held Friday, July 5, 2024 at Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home in Milaca. Interment followed at Wendell Hill Cemetery. Jerry was born November 22, 1938 to Leslie and Dolly (Rowland) Speers in Milaca. He grew up on the family farm helping his parents milking cows, baling hay and harvesting the huge vegetable garden the family had. From the time that Jerry and his twin brother were little boys, they were constant companions. He also has two sisters, Harriet DeBoer Karen Schelonka and husband, Jim. Even into adulthood Jerry was a very kind and sweet man. He was loved not just by...

Mildred Ida Ann Walbridge, age 86, of Milaca, Minnesota, passed away Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at Elim Meadows with her family by her side. Mildred was born April 22, 1938 in Cloquet, Minnesota to Maurice and Irene (Berglund) Odegaard. Mildred moved to Milaca with her family at an early age. She married Richard Walbridge on August 20, 1955 and together they raised four children on a farm just north of Milaca. Mildred worked at the Elim Meadows Assisted Living for over 25 years. Richard and Mildred retired to summers on Big Sandy Lake in McGregor and then to Rockport, Texas for ten years, where they enjoyed the ocean and visits from their children. Mildred enjoyed knitting, crocheting,...

Katherine Ann Smuda was born December 22, 1926 in Waite Park, Minnesota to Isadore and Mary (Roehl) Smuda. She moved with her family to the Foreston area in 1927. She attended District 11 School in Foreston and graduated from Milaca High School in 1945. She worked at Naumann's Store in Foreston for two years. She married Kenneth Anderson on May 27, 1948. To this union four children were born, Richard, Susan, Michael, and Mary. Kenneth passed away April 13, 1968. Katherine was American Legion Auxiliary president and worked cooking and waitressing at the Milaca Legion for six years. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and Guild president for two years. Katherine was well...

Bernard Leroy Nobel was born December 4, 1931 to Henry and Hilda (Moorlag) Nobel in Hull, Iowa. He grew up in the Hull area on the family farm. He was united in marriage to Adeline Kok December 12, 1951 at Adeline's family home. They lived for a short time in Iowa before he was drafted. He served overseas in the United States Army during the Korean War from 1953 to 1955. After his service ended, Pease became their home. He started his electrical career at Jensen-Andersen Plumbing & Heating and Strombeck Electric in Milaca. He earned his journeyman's license and went on to attain his master electrical license. He owned and operated Nobel Electric & Son for over 40 years until...