Public Notices

Wednesday, November 14, 2007 Obituary Notices for the Week of November 14, 2007 George Vakoc A Mass of Christian Burial was held for George Joe Vakoc, 94, of Clarissa, on Saturday, November 10, 2007, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Clarissa. George passed away on Tuesday, November 6, at the Central Todd County Care Center in Clarissa. George was born on a snowy Easter Sunday, March 23, 1913 to Henry and Christina (Smida) Vakoc in Iona Township. He attended District 115 Country School and the Clarissa High School through ninth grade. George married Betty Katterhagen on November 12, 1938 at St. Mary of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Long Prairie. He farmed his entire life until 1982, when they moved into Clarissa. George was on the Iona Township Board and the Eagle Valley Co-op Oil Board for over 30 years each. He served on the Memorial Fund Board at the Central Todd County Care Center since 1977, recently as president. George was the 2002 Senior Citizen of Todd County. He was a lover of the land, first as a farmer, then as an in-town gardener, as was evident by his huge pumpkins, hundred of tomatoes, beautiful lawn and flowers. He made so many crocks of dill pickles he became lovingly known as "Pickleman PaPa" by his great-grandchildren. George's family and church were the center of his life. He was a lifetime member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church. One of his favorite things besides gardening was fishing with his sons-in-law and going to the lake in Park Rapids. He enjoyed cooking and tried many a recipe on his two daughters. George was a good card player and enjoyed the camaraderie with his friends at the senior center. Watching the Twins play baseball was always a favorite past time. He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty, on July 8, 2000; a son, Gregory; his parents; two sisters; and one brother. He is survived by his daughters, Kathryn (Richard) Lee of St. Cloud, Georgiann (Patrick) Moore of White Bear Lake; six grandchildren: Gregory, Deborah, Stacie, Scott, Tera, Charlie; and eight great-grandchildren. George was a kind and gentle man and his presence in our lives will be sorely missed. Interment was at Christ the King Catholic Cemetery in Browerville. Linda Johnson A funeral service for Linda M. Johnson, 60, of Long Prairie will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at the Stein-Dingmann Funeral Chapel in Long Prairie. She passed away on Thursday, November 8 at St. Benedict's Care Center in St. Cloud. Pastor Cordell and Mary Carol Strug will officiate. Friends may call from 3-8 p.m. on Tuesday at the Stein-Dingmann Funeral Home in Long Prairie. Linda was born on December 1, 1946 in Long Prairie to Vernon and Myrtle (Steinka) Kolstad. She grew up in Eagle Bend and graduated from Eagle Bend High School. Linda moved to Minneapolis and attended the Minnesota School of Business and became a key punch operator. She worked for Billy Graham for a time and later worked for Litton Company, Microsoft and Sears & Roebuck Company. She was also a cook at Birch Grove Elementary School in Brooklyn Park. She volunteered at the Brooklyn Park Lutheran Church. Linda entered the nursing home in 1998. She was a member of Eagle Bend VFW Post #6318 Auxiliary. She enjoyed crossword puzzles, word find puzzles and gardening. She was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her children, Todd (Jean) Johnson and Chris (Danielle) Johnson, all of Oak Grove; sisters and brothers, Glenda Kolstad of Long Prairie; Jean (Jay) Tougas of Kindred, North Dakota; Brent (Shirley) Kolstad of Rapid City, South Dakota; Larry (Pam) Kolstad of Fergus Falls; four grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Casket bearers will be Jim May, Luke May, Levi May, Scott Kolstad, Evan Kolstad and Corey Kolstad. Burial will be at the Pleasant Mound Cemetery in Clotho. Hildagard Winter A memorial service for Hildagard Catherine Winter, 77, of Frazee, was held on Thursday, November 8, 2007 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Frazee with Father Joe DeCrans officiating. Hildagard passed away on November 4 at the Frazee Care Center. Hildagard Catherine Moenkedick was the first born, on March 4, 1930, to Herman and Mary (Guck) Moenkedick. Also, a part of her family were two brothers, Ambrose (LaVern) and Henry (Maxine). She grew up in rural Perham attending Riesenberg Country School and Perham High School. She met Joseph Fink in 1953. They married on August 3, 1953 and made their home in the village of Luce. It was there that they raised their two children, Patrick and Susan. She had a good life and was happy until the sudden death of Joseph in 1973. In 1976, Hildagard met Henry P. Winter (Hank),who made a new life for her in rural Frazee. They did a lot of traveling after her retirement from the Swift Plant in Frazee. They liked gardening and fishing and enjoying each other's company until Hank's passing in 1990. Hildagard was active in senior citizen groups, with her family and with life in general. Preceding her in death were her husbands, parents, a grandson James Fink and her brother Henry Moenkedick. She is survived by her son Patrick (Debra) Fink of Perham; a daughter Susan (Dale) Johnson of Bertha; her brother Ambrose Moenkedick of Perham; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Burial was in the St. Henry's Catholic Cemetery in Perham.