Linda Daker > Mother

Helen R. Daker

Sept. 9, 1930 - March 23, 2020

CARLOS, Minn. - Helen R. Daker, 89, Carlos, Minn., died Monday, March 23, in Carlos.

A celebration of life will be from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, June 6, at 301 5th St. E. in Carlos.

A graveside service will be 1 p.m. Saturday, June 13, at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Breckenridge, Minn.

Linda Daker Fread can be found on Facebook.

Teacher > Eileen Habstritt ** 2013 **

Eileen Marie was born on December 20, 1940 the youngest of four daughters to Clayton and Martha (Scheltens) Habstritt in Willmar. Education was an intricate part of Eileen’s life. After graduating from Raymond High School in 1958, Eileen went to St. Cloud State University where she received a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in English. Eileen started a career of English education in Crosby. After two years of teaching in Crosby, she moved to Alexandria for several years. She then took a position in Rochester where she retired after over 30 years of teaching. She was able to spend time traveling around the world with her friends. Her love of music began as a little girl after learning to play the piano. She had an extensive music collection and spent hours playing and entertaining others with the piano.
After Alzheimer’s disease began to cloud Eileen’s mind, she made her home at Avera Morningside Heights Care Center. Eileen died June 14, 2013 with her sisters and her family by her side.
In memory of the special care received by the staff at Morning Side Heights Care Center, the family prefers memorial donations to either the nursing home or Alzheimer’s Association.
She will be missed by her family, including her sisters Barbara Habstritt of Marshall and Marilyn McLaughlin of Marshall; her nieces, Laurie, Patti and Carrie; nephew, Tom; and other family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Shirley; brother-in-laws Wilfred Scheef and Ron McLaughlin; nephew, David.

Teacher > Bev Lohrman 01.27.2020

     Beverly Jean (Lohrman) Grossman, the daughter of George and Anna (Vangstad) Flynn, was born in Osakis, MN on March 19, 1928. Beverly was one of six children. She went to Kindergarten in Sauk Centre, MN before her family moved to South Minneapolis where she attended school from first to eighth grade. Beverly and her family moved back to Osakis where she graduated from high school in 1946. Beverly attended St. Cloud Teachers College, graduating with degrees in English and Physical Education in 1949. She taught English in Princeton, MN for 2 years, Osakis MN for 1 year, and in 1952 she took a teaching position in Alexandria, MN where she raised her two sons, Daniel and Michael.
            During her time in education, Beverly lovingly became known as “B” to her peers and students. B mentored many young students through her classes and coaching. It thrilled her that many of her students stayed in touch with her throughout their lives.
In 1973, B was awarded the Alexandria Teacher of the Year honor and she was nominated for Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year award in 1973.
            She worked hard at developing women’s sports at the high school when Title IX was implemented in 1972. Beverly coached with no pay to get the programs started. B was the first Alexandria head coach of an interscholastic sport for girls. B was named the head coach of the Alexandria girls track and field team in 1973.She was inducted into the School District 206 Hall of Fame in 2010.
            Beverly married the love of her life, Robert Grossman, on February 9, 1980. They spent their retirement years in Hot Spring Village, Arkansas where she continued her love for helping the Arkansas educational programs as Scholastic Chairman for Arkansas Women’s Club, before they moved back to Alexandria to be closer to family.
            She loved to read and do jigsaw puzzles. Beverly enjoyed traveling, making a number of international trips. Bev also collected masks and seashells.
            Beverly J. Grossman died on Monday, January 27, 2020 at Alomere Health in Alexandria at the age of 91 years old. She is survived by her sons, Daniel Lohrman of Townsend, MT and Michael (Julie) Lohrman of Osakis, MN; stepson Robert (MaryJo) Grossman of Cloquet, MN; six grandchildren; Sara Lohrman, Jessica Lohrman, Kari Grossman, Lea Kapral, Patrick Grossman, and Michelle Johnson; Sisters-in-laws, Gwen Flynn of Alexandria, Mn and Mary Flynn of Mankato, MN; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
            She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Robert Grossman; brothers and sister- George Flynn, Darlyne Dunn, Thomas Flynn, Patrick Flynn, and Mike Flynn.
            A visitation will take place on Friday, February 7, 2020, from 4 – 7 PM at First Lutheran Church in Alexandria and for one hour prior to the memorial service on Saturday at the church. A memorial service will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at First Lutheran Church, honorary pall bearers: Dan Zinda, Joe Capistrant, Pat McCarty, Dick Greengo, Marilyn Mesna, Wayne Elton, Bill Riggs, my nieces and nephews, my former students, my former athletes, and my former physical educations aides. Interment of Beverly’s urn will be later in the summer.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested. All proceeds will be given to Alexandria area education programs or scholarship programs in B (Lohrman) Grossman’s honor.
Arrangements are with the Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory.www.andersonfuneral.net

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Delette Zimmel > Husband 12.29.2019

   Michael Laurie Huffman was born in Superior, Wis., July 3, 1941 to Warren and Estalene (Enes) Huffman. After his father returned from World War II, Mike moved with his parents and baby sister, Patricia, to Bungo Township, Minn., - the Huffman family home. He attended Pine Forest country School, which he loved. His teacher, Mrs. Ware, said he was, "smart as a whip" and she could never keep him busy enough. In sixth grade, he started "town school" in Pine River, Minn. With town school not being much to his liking, he enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 17 where he finished his education.
Mike served in the U.S. Army for eight years. His favorite tour of duty was his time at Fort Eustis, Va., where he was assigned to the boats that traveled the intracoastal waterway. His least favorite assignment was at Homestead Army Air Field where the troops lived in tents in the Florida heat and humidity for nine months while new barracks were being built. He served for two years at Pusan, South Korea and his final two years were in Gablingen, Germany.
After his honorable discharge in July 1966, he returned to Alexandria, Minn., where his father lived. He enrolled in the diesel mechanics program at Alexandria Technical School. Although he met his future wife, Delette Zimmel, briefly at a summer party in 1967, it was at school that autumn that their paths crossed again. Delette asked him, "where's the party?" after school one afternoon. Little did they know that would be the beginning of a long and wonderful party! Mike and Delette were married Oct. 5, 1968 at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Belle River, Minn. Two beautiful daughters joined their party - Naomi in 1969 and Shawna in 1970. On March 31, 1974, he decided the party would be better without alcohol. Like everything he decided to do, he did that well, too.
Mike worked as a diesel mechanic and truck driver for Tonka Corporation in Mound, Minn., for 12 years. His favorite memory of that job was delivering a semi-load of toys in a snowstorm to the International Toy Fair in Manhattan, N.Y. In 1973, he enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard and then transferred to the Oregon National Guard when the family moved to Portland in 1980. He was employed by Multnomah County as a mechanic for 21 years. He retired from the Guards in 1986 and the County in 2001.
As a family, they took weekend trips to visit the grandparents and always a summer getaway to northern Minnesota, a lake, or a road trip. After retirement, their yard at their Mt. Scott home received his undivided attention. With an empty nest, Mike and Delette took innumerable trips back home to Minnesota and visited many other states and Canadian provinces where they would sometimes attend cribbage tournaments. After Delette retired, they made a memorable 10,000-mile road trip from Portland to Nova Scotia. They enjoyed four trips to Europe, the last one being a six-week trek through eight countries to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. The highlight of the last trip to Europe was finding Mike's roots in Enes, Hordaland, Norway, where his great-grandfather lived before immigrating to America. There, he met cousins who still lived on the family farm.
Taught the love of reading by his mother, Mike preferred books over television. His daughters recall him reading the Mother West Wind books to them and that he always did the best animal voices. He loved card games - especially cribbage - puzzles, pool and visiting with family and friends. Most of all, he loved his grandkids who called him Papa Mike. He was everything a grandpa should be!
Mike and Delette moved to Hope Village Garden Homes in Canby, Ore., in 2016. He was an active member of the retirement community and enjoyed his daily games of pool. He won the first annual Hope Village pool tournament in October 2019. A friend described him as being a true sportsman. That was Mike. He enjoyed the game whether he won or lost.
Mike lived life to the fullest until a heart attack Dec. 11, 2019. After an unsuccessful surgery, he left this world on his terms 18 days later with family by his side. In the early morning hours of Dec. 29, 2019, he said "I think I will take a little lunch break now." These were some of the final words of an amazing man whose life's philosophy was work hard, have fun and be kind. He is simply on a little lunch break. We will all meet again.
Mike was predeceased by his parents; step-parents; and sister, Pat. He is survived by his wife, Delette; daughters, Naomi (Scott) Sether and Shawna Huffman; and four grandchildren, Demi (Jordan) White, Curtis Sether, Tyler Woodall and Alayna Woodall. Also surviving are his brother, Kelly Huffman; and sister, Nolee Riley; 99-year-young Uncle Bob Huffman; other uncles and aunts, lots of nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and friends.
A military service will be held in his honor at 10 a.m., Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, at Willamette National Cemetery, 11800 S.E. Mt. Scott Blvd., Portland, OR. It will be followed by a Celebration of Life luncheon at Noon, at Rivershore Hotel Banquet Room, 1900 Clackamette Dr., Oregon City. All are invited to attend either or both events. Mike would prefer that everyone dress for comfort to enjoy his celebration. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Thelma's Place, 352 N.W. 2nd Ave., Canby, OR 97013 or online at https://thelmasplace.org/donate/
Please sign the online guest book at www.oregonlive.com/obits

Published in The Oregonian from Jan. 16 to Jan. 19, 2020

Teacher > James Reiter

James “Jim” Lloyd Reiter, age 81, passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 14, 2019, in his home at the Ebenezer Care Center, Minneapolis.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Sunday, December 22, 2019, at the Thompson-Doughtery Historic Funeral Home in Minneapolis. A reception will follow the service. He was interred at Kinkead Cemetery in Alexandria beside his son, Noel.

Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service.

Jim was born on December 27, 1937 in Mankato, Minnesota to Margret B (Jones) and Adrian Randolph Reiter. He spent his youth in Plainview, Minnesota, graduating from Plainview High School in 1956. Post-graduation, he attended the University of Minnesota where he graduated with a BA in Education. He served in the Navel Reserves as an Aviation Electronic Technician and student taught in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

Jim married Gayle Avis Harrington on July 16, 1961 and moved to Alexandria, Minnesota, where he taught in the Business Department of the High School until his retirement. Jim and Gayle had two children, Noel James and Evan Lloyd. They divorced in 2002. In 2008, Jim moved to Prescott, Wisconsin. In November of 2016, Jim suffered a severe brain injury that eventually landed him at the Ebenezer Care Center, his final home.

Jim was a passionate lover of dogs, grooming dogs as a side job and always devoted to his own canines. He loved music, particularly choir, which he actively sang in for much of his life. He played the clarinet and was involved in community theater. At various times in his life he enjoyed boating, skiing, road tripping, model railroading, snow plowing, skating, wine making, snowmobiling, drawing and painting, dog breeding, and line dancing. Above all, his greatest past time was conversation.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Adrian and Margret Reiter; son, Noel Reiter; and former wife, Gayle Harrington.

Jim is survived by his son, Evan Reiter and his wife, Tanya Gajewska; and two cousins, Marcia (Jones) Richards and Kay (Jones) Jacobson.



https://www.lindfamilyfh.com/notices/James-Reiter

Classmate > Leslie D Okerlund 11.19.2019

Leslie David Okerlund

January 15, 1949 ~ November 19, 2019 (age 70)

Leslie David Okerlund was born on January 15, 1949, in Alexandria, MN the son of David and Julia (Zeithamer) Okerlund.
He grew up in Garfield and graduated from Jefferson High School.  Les married Peggy Betterton in 1972 and from this unity they had Lisa, Skip and Jamie. 
Les started working for Ray Strom hauling gravel and driving school bus right after high school Les started Okerlund Gravel in 1969. 
Work was always a priority in Les’ life but he also enjoyed driving stock cars at a young age and did a little hunting and fishing when he could get away.
Leslie was united in marriage to the former Loretta Hanson in 1994.  Les & Loretta enjoyed casino runs and hosting large Christmas gatherings.
Les Okerlund is survived by sister, Joyce Klug, daughter, Lisa (Kevin) Behrens, sons: Skip (Erin) Okerlund, Jamie Okerlund; grandchildren Tasmine, Carrigan, Lauren, Trent, Quynn, Ayden, Nathan, Riley & Skyler. 
Les was preceded in death by his parents, David & Julia, brother in law, Duane Klug.
Visitation will be held on Friday, November 22, 2019, from 4:00 – 7:00 PM at the Anderson Funeral Home with a Time of Sharing at 4:00 PM