Classmate > Judy Hjelm 10.17.2011

         Judy D. Straseske, 62, of Watertown Wisconsin, passed away on Monday, Oct. 17, 2011, at the University Hospital in Madison.

Judy was born on July 17, 1949, in Holmes City, Minn., daughter of Norman and Sylvia (Lokken) Hjelm. She married Thomas Straseske on Jan. 31, 2004, in Watertown. Judy worked in hotel management for 25 years and also provided daycare service here in Watertown. She was a member of the Alexandria, Minn., Veterans of Foreign Wars Post Women’s Auxiliary.

She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend, who brought life, love and laughter to all. With a zest for life like no other, she loved entertaining, camping, canoeing, and watching sunsets with her husband at her home on the river. She was known far and wide for her exuberant hugs, which will be missed by all.

Survivors include her husband, Thomas Straseske of Watertown; a daughter, Angie (Tom) Salto of Alexandria, Minn.; a son, Mike (Tanya) Wheeler of Buffalo, Minn.; three stepsons, Erik Straseske of Watertown, Shane Straseske of Milwaukee and Lee Straseske of Lake Mills; seven grandchildren, Blaine Wheeler, Brittany Tripp, Jasmine Everett, Chelsey Salto, Jon Salto, Lily Wheeler and Mason Wheeler; two stepgrandchildren, Malakai Straseske and Bella Straseske; a great-grandson Aiden Flaherty; four sisters, Doris (Del) Carter of Spring Park, Minn., Babe (Ron) Jacobson of Brandon, Minn., Lois (Doug) Backlund of Brandon and Donna (Terry) Rice of Wilmar, Minn.; four brothers, Tom (Darlene) Roiland of Mound, Minn., Sonny (Nancy) Hjelm of Hoffman, Minn., Arvid (Mary) Hjelm of Anoka, Minn., and Greg (Deb) Hjelm of Glenwood, Minn.; her mother-in-law, Marian Straseske of Lakeland, Fla.; two sister-in-laws, Sandi (Tim) Lloyd of Lakeland, Fla., and Margaret Straseske of Cottage Grove, Minn.; two brother-in-laws, Royce Larson of Minneapolis, Minn., and Tony (Lyn) Straseske of Lansing, Mich.; also survived by a number of nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Patrick Wheeler; a daughter, Lisa Wheeler; a sister, Doddy Larson; a brother, Jim Roiland; father-in-law, Clayton Straseske; and brother-in-law, Kenneth Straseske.

Memorials to Big Brothers and Big Sisters would be appreciated.

A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Pederson Funeral Home in Watertown. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 5 p.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home.

Pederson Funeral Home Watertown is caring for the family. Online condolences may be made at  www.pedersonfuneralhomes.com.        Pederson Funeral Home, 213 S. Fifth St. Watertown

A memorial service will be held Saturday, October 29 at 5 p.m. with Pastor John Martinson officiating at Nelson Gables Governors Room. Visitation will be on Saturday October 29 at 4 p.m. until the time of service.

Susan Gehrke > Mother 10.16.2011

Lila Gehrke passed away at the age of 88 at her home in Buffalo on Sunday, October 16, 2011.
She was preceded in death by her husband Orval and brother, Wally Swantz.
Lila was born on October 5, 1923 to Ed and Ida Swantz in Parkers Prairie. She graduated from Parkers Prairie High School.
She was united in marriage to Orval Gehrke on October 3, 1945 at the First Lutheran Church in Parkers Prairie. They moved to the Gehrke homestead, and she joined the Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Leaf Valley, where she was an active member and served on the Church Ladies Aid.
Lila and Orval also started the first fire department in Leaf Valley. Lila served on the Firemen’s Auxiliary for many years. Lila lived on the farm until October 2010, when she moved to Buffalo to live with her daughter.
Lila was a very special person to many people. She farmed alongside Orval for 60 years on the family farm in Leaf Valley. They spent many hours working in their garden, and they loved to go moonlight fishing in the fall. Lila was very proud of her lawn and hedge, which she took care of until 2011.
Lila is survived by children Karen and (Bill) Bonebrake of Minneapolis, Susan Gehrke of Albertville, and Brenda Gehrke-Briggs and (Jim) Briggs of Buffalo. Grandchildren Scott and Andrea Bonebrake of Minneapolis, Kim and David Cornell of Farmington, and step-granddaughter Jennifer and James Kessler of Bismarck, ND. Great-granddaughters Kaitlyn and Marissa Cornell, Great-grandson Dane Bonebrake.
Funeral Services will be held at the Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Leaf Valley on Saturday, October 22, at 11 a.m. Visitation is at 10 a.m.
She will be missed by all!

Patty Bratton > Brother

      Beryl A’Dare Bratton arrived October 18, 1927, the first of seven children born to Leonard Eugene and J. Pearl (Johnson) Bratton. Dark haired, handsome, strong and smart, he was their first born son and they were always so proud of him.

Beryl completed his education in Douglas County public schools. He and his siblings grew up in the country where they learned to appreciate the outdoors, hunting, fishing and all water sports. He was a devoted son to his parents and the very best big brother.
Beryl joined the United States Merchant Marines and served on troop ships crossing the Atlantic. He was honorably discharged and returned to his parents’ farm near Holmes City. In 1948, Beryl met the woman he called “the most beautiful girl he had ever seen,” Dorothy Louise Gaulke of Wendell, MN, a classmate of his sister Bev at Morris Ag School.
They were married June 18, 1950. Beryl and Dorothy started married life in Sioux Falls, SD where their son Barry was born. They returned to Alexandria and added daughter Cindy to their family. Together they owned and operated the Viking Beer Gardens in Alexandria.
Beryl spent most of his life driving 18-wheelers and visited every state in the union. He started walking high steel in his 50s and worked circles around men half his age. Beryl and Dorothy lived in Alexandria until 1966 when they moved to Columbia Heights, MN.
In 1970, they moved to northern Minnesota near Bovey where Beryl was in the logging business. Beryl was a founding member and volunteer fireman, and served four years on the township board of Balsam Township. When their children both settled in Arizona, Beryl and Dorothy left Minnesota to be near their family.
Beryl was an avid collector of firearms and an award-winning marksman. He was a gifted orator with a wonderful memory for stories and poetry. A voracious reader, Beryl studied everything from history to archaeology. He also collected books, especially Louis L’Amour novels and read every one that was written. He loved a good joke, and for all his toughness would tear up unashamedly at a good sentimental movie, especially if children, heroes or dogs were involved.
He touched many lives and was always there for those who needed him. Beryl Bratton was an honest, loving, trusting, good hearted man. He will be forever missed by friends and family.
Beryl Bratton died Friday, August 5, 2011 with his wife of 61 years holding his hand as they walked together outside to get a breath of fresh air. He died standing tall and outdoors – the way he had lived most of his life.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother-in-law Bill Weisel; brother Larry and wife Shirley Bratton; sister LaRae and husband Doug Barros; sister-in-law Toby Bratton; nephew Rick Barros; Dorothy’s parents Gust and Esther Bensch; brother-in-law Arnie Nelson; Dorothy’s sister and brother-in-law Delores and Harvey Lohse.
Beryl is survived by his wife Dorothy; son Barry and wife Elsa Bratton of McNeal, AZ; grandson Ben and wife Sara Bratton and great-granddaughter Sierra Jade Bratton of Sierra Blanca, TX; granddaughter Kelley (Bratton) and husband Cory Hickman of Springfield, OR; Elsa’s daughters Veronica of Charlotte, NC and her three children, Valerie of San Antonio, TX and her son, Itxel and husband Jason De Lucy of Ramstein AFB, Germany; daughter Cindy and husband Bernie Michael of Sahuarita, AZ; and grandson Paul Michael of Phoenix; brother Leonard Bratton Jr. (Judy Sayther) of St. Louis Park, MN; sisters Beverly Weisel, Patty (Roy) Wicken of Alexandria and Bonnie (Gregg) Soderberg of Las Vegas, NV; and many nephews and nieces who thought of him as their forever hero; sister-in-law Marlene Nelson and family; brother-in-law Les and Bette Bensch of Ashby, MN; and the five daughters of Harvey and Delores Lohse and their families; godson Matt Nelson and goddaughter Wendy Weisel.
Memorial services for Beryl were held Thursday, August 11, 2011 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church with Pastor Tim Poetter officiating. Military honors were provided by the American Legion and VFW.

Marlys Affeldt > Mother 09.29.11

Olga Affeldt, 84, died Thursday, September 29, 2011 at Diamond Willow in Alexandria.
Olga was born September 25, 1927 in Spruce Hill Township, the daughter of Gottlieb and Paulina (Gezell) Rieder. She was one of eight children. Olga attended kindergarten in Fairmont and elementary schools in Parkers Prairie and Garfield. She graduated from Central High School in Alexandria in June of 1946.
Olga’s first job was working at Travelers Inn Café as a waitress. She met her future husband Arthur Affeldt while working at Travelers. They fell in love and were united in marriage on September 1, 1946 in Garfield at St. John’s Lutheran Church parsonage.
The young couple bought their first home in Alexandria and began their new lives together. They were blessed with six children, Jeannie, Marlys, Wendy, Joseph, Mark and Rita. After the kids were in school, Olga went back to work as a waitress at Bill’s Broadway Café. She then went to work at Arrowwood Hotel and Resort in 1970 and retired from there in 1983.
Olga and Arthur built a home on Lake Jessie in 1974 to enjoy their retirement years. Together they enjoyed trips to casinos and long drives in the country to look for any signs of wildlife. She thoroughly enjoyed seeing a doe with her baby fawns or big bald eagles. Olga took many trips during the winter months with Arthur to Truth and Consequences, New Mexico, where Art loved to fish and Olga loved the scenery. Olga liked to tend to her gardens and was always ready to play a game with whomever would be ready to challenge her. Her favorite game was Triple Yahtzee. She loved her family and she will be missed by all who knew and loved her.
She is survived by her loving husband of 65 years, Arthur Affeldt; daughters, Jeanie (Bill) Guenther of Spring Lake Park, Marlys Affeldt of Alexandria, Wendy Welle of Alexandria, Rita (Kim) Barros of Alexandria; son, Mark (Ann) Affeldt of Clearwater; nine grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; brother, Emil Reider of Minneapolis; and sister, Marie Klicke of Howard Lake.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Carol Johnson and Rose Olson; brothers, Carl Rieder and Arnold Rieder; Bill Gezell; infant son, Joseph Affeldt; and grandson, Thomas Barros.
A funeral service was held on Saturday, October 1 at Zion Lutheran Church in Alexandria. Interment was at Kinkead Cemetery in Alexandria. Casket bearers were John Kluver, Chris Guenther, Mark Affeldt Jr., Levi Barros, Austin Kluver and Richard Hemmelgarn. Honorary casket bearers were Jacob Barros and Scot Guenther.
Arrangements are with Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria; www.andersonfuneral.net.