Theda E. Hester, 83, of Winona, passed away on Wednesday, February 12, at Saint Anne Extended Healthcare. She was born on June 24, 1936 to Werner and Ruth (Kammueler) Stettler. After high school, Theda went to nursing school in Philadelphia, PA. Theda graduated from nursing school and moved back to Alma, WI where she meet married Neil David Hester, Sr. Theda began a long career at the Winona Clinic. Theda loved being a nurse. Her gentle touch and nurturing spirit brought relief and comfort to all her patients. When not working, Theda enjoyed spending time with family, her church family and the many friends she made where ever she went. She was a member since 1969 of the First Congregational...

Audrey Gail (Balthazor) Deblon died January 18, 2020 at Lake Winona Manor in Winona, MN. She was born in Fargo, ND on August 5th, 1933 to Willard Balthazor and Lenore (Halberg) Balthazor. She grew up in Watertown, SD and graduated from Watertown High School in 1951. Audrey married her childhood sweetheart, Henry Deblon Jr. on January 17th, 1953. Shortly after, they moved to Austin, MN where they raised their children. Audrey worked at Red Owl Grocery Store in Austin for 15 years. In 1979 Henry's job moved them to Winona, MN. Audrey went to work at Ted Meier Drug in Winona until she was able to fulfil her life-long dream of becoming a Registered Nurse. In 1981, after her youngest child...

"There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind." -C.S. Lewis I am imagining my first steps into a new universe. I hope the first person I see is my sweet Jessica. She was stillborn November 18,1979. I look forward to holding her for the first time. My next encounter should be my parents, Henry Isidore Rataj, and my dear mom, Armella Rataj. She gave birth to my twin sister Patricia and I on September 28, 1949 in Chicago. Finally, my truest joy will be seeing my Rachael Lynn Mayo. She was born November 15, 1983, and died March 1, 2003 from treatment complications due to Hodgkins Lymphoma. I attended the College of Saint Theresa in Winona, MN, majoring in Theatre and...

Gladys was born on December 29, 1931 to Marie Lillian Anderson and Gerhart Johnson in Polk County, Tillton Junction, MN. She was the third child out of seven children. Her father, Gerhart, passed away just days before her 7th birthday at Christmas time. She loved him very much. Her mother remarried a few years later to a wonderful, loving man, Henry Camp. He was known as Henry or Bus or Grampa Camp. They added two more children to the family, a brother and a sister for Gladys to love. At about the age of 16, Gladys met Charles "Charlie" Carlisle. On March 17, 1950, she married the love of her life in Minneapolis, MN. They resided around the Bloomington area where all four of their children...