Obituary
Betty Suchor
Betty Jean Marie (Freezon) Suchor, the daughter of Balzer and Anne (Leismeister) Freezon, was born on September 6, 1933 in Rugby, North Dakota. She died peacefully at the age of 79 years on Sunday, October 7, 2012 with family members at her side at Manorcare in Minot, North Dakota after a long courageous battle with lymphoma cancer.
Betty was raised in Rugby and received her education at Little Flower Catholic School. On May 6, 1952, she was united in marriage to John Suchor at Little Flower Catholic Church in Rugby. The couple made their home on a small rural farmstead near Denbigh, North Dakota raising a loving family. She was a member of St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church of Towner and a member of the Christian Mothers and the Prairie Rose Homemakers, where she was awarded an honorary lifetime membership. Betty was a very loving mother whose passion was nurturing her family. She was known as the “Betty Crocker” of Denbigh, her specialties were potato salad, cabbage rolls and angel food cake. Betty’s love for family was unconditional and an inspiration for anyone who knew her. She will be sadly missed by all her family, relatives, and friends.
Survivors include three daughters, Marie (Reiny Grosse) Pardon and Marlene Keller all of Minot and Carol (Gary) Mortimer of Reedsburg, WI; six sons, Roger (Denice) and Jerome (Kristi Bethke), all of Towner, John Jr. (Pam) of Larimore, Paul (Sally) of Gillette, WY, Valentine (Tammy) of Redfield, SD and Lavern of Hillsboro; 19 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, John; a daughter, Barbara Jean; two sons-in-law, Danny Pardon and Delvin Keller; one daughter-in-law, Renell Suchor; 5 brothers, Valentine, Anton, Joe, Frank and Balzer Freezon; 7 sisters, Catherine Jones, Clementine Bjora, Anne Killmer, Dorothy Rose, Helen Roher, Barbara Freezon and Margaret Nulph; and her parents.
Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 13, 2012 at the St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church in Towner with burial in the church cemetery. Father Michael Schommer, Celebrant
Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Anderson Funeral Home in Towner with a rosary and vigil prayer service starting at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue on Saturday for one hour prior to the time of services in the Church.
Music: St. Cecilia’s Music Ministry and Carol and Gary Mortimer
Casket Bearers: Grandsons Landon Suchor, Patrick Suchor, Tanner Suchor, Scott Suchor, Gary Suchor, and Shane Keller
Honorary Bearers: all Grandchildren, nieces, nephews and the Prairie Rose Homemakers.
Arrangements with the Anderson Funeral Home of Towner.
obituary
Alice
Jacobson
Alice Jane Jacobson, 86, passed away peacefully on September 27, 2012, surrounded by loved ones at Anderson Plaza, a retirement community in Shoreline, WA. Alice was born on August 29, 1926, in Rugby, ND, to Lewis and Olena (Fjellanger) Jacobson.
After graduating from Rugby High School in 1944, Alice moved to the Seattle area and worked with her brother Alfred in the Lake Washington Shipyards where Naval destroyers were being built for World War II. When the shipyards closed after the war, Alice worked in accounting for the Seattle branch of the Bank of California. Alice was promoted and accepted a position within the bank at the Los Angeles branch in 1964, and Alice and her sister Mabel moved from Seattle to the Los Angeles area. Alice remained in the banking industry until her retirement from the Bank of Hollywood in 1992.
Alice was a longtime volunteer for the Gene Autry Center. She was an active member of the Business and Professional Women of Glendale. She was an active member of Salem Lutheran Church. Alice was recognized as being very modest, polite, considerate and intelligent.
After a fall and injury in November of 2010, Alice returned to the Seattle area to be near her nephew, Lee Fjellanger, at a nearby retirement community.
Alice was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Alfred Fjellanger and Leonard Jacobson, sisters Mabel Jacobson and Edith (Jacobson) Nagele, sister-in-law Carol (Schmaltz) Jacobson, brother-in-law Ernest Nagele, and nephew Duane Fjellanger.
Alice is survived by nieces and nephews: Lee Fjellanger, Dan Jacobson, Kenneth Jacobson, Jay Jacobson, Alfred Jacobson, Gerry Jacobson, Lester Jacobson, Ruth Jackson, Joanne Nagele, Susan Nagele, and Judy Niemela.
Alice was interred next to her sister Mabel at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, CA.
Obituary
Donald
J. Vetsch
Donald J. Vetsch died peacefully Friday, October 6, 2012 at Fountain Springs Health Care, joining his wife, Dona Lou for their 60th anniversary.
Don and his twin sister, Donrose, were born on August 9, 1930 in Rugby, N.D. to Christine (Haman) and Wendell Vetsch.
Don lived his first 35 years on the family farm in North Dakota. He graduated from Towner High School in 1948. He received an Associate’s Degree from Dakota Business College. He married Dona Lou Engebrit at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Towner, N.D. on October 6, 1952. Their five D’s were born from this union. They farmed and ranched Herford cattle until 1964. Due to medical reasons, he had to leave his beloved farm and moved his family to Rapid City, S.D.
Don and Dona Lou developed and operated five successful businesses before retiring in 1998. They enjoyed traveling, Deadwood getaways and following their grandchildren’s activities.
Don was a member of St. Therese Catholic Church, a lifetime member of the Elks Lodge #1187, a past member of the Moose Lodge, and the South Dakota Mobile Home Association.
Everyone knew Don as a gentle, soft spoken and honest man. Strength, generosity, and a sense of humor were just a few of his outstanding traits. As a 50 year diabetic with other medical issues, his strength and perseverance set an example for his family and friends. He showed everyone that it is possible to have a productive and happy life, if you keep a positive attitude. In 2000, his baby sister Paula donated her kidney and gave Don the Gift of Life.
Donald was preceded in death by his wife Dona Lou, his parents and a brother, Gerald Vetsch.
Blessed to have shared his life, survivors include: five children, Debbie (Gary) Sisco of Rapid City, Daryl (Anita) Vetsch of Black Hawk, S.D., Danny (Margie) Vetsch of Piedmont, S.D., Dawn “Punky” (Clint) Harris of Coon Rapids, M.N., Devona “Putsy” (Tabb) Beaton of Anchorage, AK; ten grandchildren, Ryan (Tonya) Murner, Justin Murner, Trenton (Trissy) Murner, Jason (Hope) Vetsch, Tanner Vetsch, Eric (Abby) Harris, Chad Harris, Samantha Harris, Tabitha Beaton and Sarah Beaton; 12 great-grandchildren; two sisters, his twin Donrose (Ray) Sharkey of Westhope, ND and Paula (Larry) Kraft of Rugby, ND; 15 nieces and nephews, and two sisters-in-law, Marlys Sollin of Devils Lake, ND and Muriel (LeRoy) Johnson of Rugby, ND.
In lieu of memorials, the family would like you to consider being an organ donor.
Visitation will be from 4pm to 5pm on Thursday, October 11, 2012 at Kirk Funeral Home with a prayer service and celebration of life at 5pm.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10am on Friday, October 12 at St. Therese Catholic Church in Rapid City with Father Bill Zandri as Celebrant. Burial will follow at Pine Lawn Memorial Park in Rapid City.
Family and friends may sign Donald’s online guest book at www.kirkfuneralhome.com.
Obituary
Joe Binfet
Funeral services were held Friday, October 12, 2012 at Little Flower Catholic Church in Rugby for Joseph “Joe” Statious Binfet, 73, Rugby, who died Saturday, October 6 at the Heart of America Care Center.
Burial was in the Little Flower Catholic Cemetery.
Joe was born March 19, 1939 in Orrin, a son of Michael and Regina Evangeline (Volk) Binfet. They moved to the Esmond area, where he went to school. From 1957 to 1959, Joe was in the US Army, serving in the 92nd Artillery Unit in Germany. He worked at a General Motors plant in South Gate, Calif., after briefly moving back to North Dakota. On August 20, 1960 he married Paula Totora in Compton, Calif., and they moved to North Dakota in August 1965. They farmed and raised Red Angus in Esmond until 2010, when they moved to Rugby.
Joe was a member of the Esmond School Board, the Esmond Township board, the Volunteer Fire Department, the Sportsman Club, the St. Boniface Catholic Church in Esmond, the Little Flower Catholic Church in Rugby, and he was a Third-Degree member of the Esmond Knights of Columbus Council #6666.
He is survived by his wife, Paula; children, Patty Fanter, Rapid City, S.D.; Joseph M. Binfet, Graham, Wash.; Rena Hutchinson, Lafayette, Colo.; Nina Bachman, Minot; mother, Regina Binfet, Rugby; 11 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and brothers and sisters, Jerome, Mesa, Ariz.; Albert, Elgin; Ruddy, Devils Lake; Michael, Denver, Colo.; Mark, Overland Park, Kan.; Clyde, Devils Lake; Gloria Kleinhans, Ithaca, Mich.; Alice Streifel, Williston; Shirley Volk, Devils Lake.
He was preceded in death by his father, and brother, Martin.
Rev. Thomas Graner, Rev. Keith Streifel, and Rev. Brian Bachmeier officiated. Military honors were provided by the Clarence Larson Post #23 American Legion and the North Dakota Military Honors Detail.
Casketbearers were his brothers, Norman Streifel and Ralph Volk. Honorary bearers were his sisters, Charles Volk, Chad Duchscher, Ed Volk, Jerald Jaeger, Ralph Schmidt, Joyce and Doug Meier, Victor Wolf, Lucille Volk, Don and Charlotte Stevenson, and members of the Esmond Knights of Columbus, Harvey Eagles and Harvey American Legion.
Arrangements by Niewoehner Funeral Home of Rugby.
Wesley
Walsh
Funeral services were held Monday, October 8, 2012 at Valle Lutheran Church in Rolette for Wesley Glen Walsh, 83, Rolette, who died Friday, October 5 at the Rolette Community Care Center.
Burial was in Ox Creek Lutheran Cemetery.
Wesley was born January 14, 1929 in Rolette, a son of Howard and Edna (Johnson) Walsh. He was raised on a farm near Mylo. He graduated from Rolette High School in 1946, attended North Dakota Agricultural College in Fargo, and graduated from a telegraphy school in Minneapolis in 1948. He worked for Dayton’s Department Store while there. He returned to Mylo and started farming on the family farm. On October 20, 1951 he married Shirley Ann Holmly at Ox Creek Lutheran Church. In 1996 they moved to Rolette after retiring from farming in Island Lake Township.
He was a member of the Rolette County ASCS Board, the Mylo School Board, the Mylo Lutheran Church, and the Valle Lutheran Church, where he also served on the church council.
Wesley is survived by his wife, Shirley; children Linda Parrill, Bottineau; Evelyn Brennan, West Fargo and Dennis Walsh, Harvey; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two infant grandsons, and brothers Wayne and Ronald.
Rev. John K. Hesford officiated. Music was provided by LaVonne Ivey, organist.
Casketbearers were his grandchildren, Curtis Walsh and Wayne Stevenson.
Arrangements by Niewoehner Funeral Home of Rugby.