OBITUARIES

Dec 3, 2022

Donita Marilee (Schroeder) Harris, age 64, of Backus, died peacefully on Saturday, December 3, 2022, with her family by her side. She was born March 6, 1958, in Sioux City, IA, the daughter of Richard and Emily (Mitten) Schroeder. She was raised in Marcus, IA, and graduated from Marcus Community High School in 1976. On July 16, 1977, Donita...

Dec 1, 2022

Nick William Phillips, age 64, of Pequot Lakes, MN and formerly of Perham, MN, passed away suddenly on the evening of December 1, 2022. He was born on January 20, 1958, to Donna (Lindemeier) and Robert Phillips in Hutchinson, MN. Nick graduated from Perham High School. He married Denice (Doll) Phillips-Kunze, and they had 4 children together: Stephanie (Gerald)...

Nov 29, 2022

Galen J. Filsmyer , age 83, of Brainerd and formerly Pine River, passed away on Tuesday, November 29, 2022, at the Essentia St. Joseph's Medical Center, Brainerd. He was born September 3, 1939, in Pine River to Norbert and Edith (Berg) Filsmyer. He attended school in Pine River and joined the Army for a brief time. He worked at Standard Oil for...

Nov 24, 2022

A memorial service is planned for Karen Laura Hamilton on June 12, 2023, at Lakeside Baptist Church in Backus, MN. There will be a service at 10 AM followed by a luncheon at 11 AM.

Karen was born on June 26, 1941, to Fay and Lorna Hamilton. She passed away on November 24, 2022, in Duluth, MN, at the age...

Nov 20, 2022

LaVonne Irene (Holley) Tweed

Vonnie Tweed, 93, Pequot Lakes, Minn., died Sunday, November 20, 2022, in Pequot Lakes. She was born March 16, 1929, in Marshall, Minn., the eldest of five children born to her parents, Arlo and Marvel (Maxson) Holley. She was one when her parents bought a dairy farm and moved three miles west of...

Nov 18, 2022

Dorothy Lee Able, age 87, of Pine River, passed away on Friday, November 18, 2022, at her home. She was born to John and Edith Bodie on March 14, 1935, in Charleston, SC. Throughout her lifetime, Dorothy lived in Germany, The Philippines and St. Paul, MN.

Dorothy, aka “Grandma Dotty,” was a volunteer at the Pine River...

Nov 13, 2022

Vernon “Vern” Clifford Irwin, age 94, recently of Edgewood Vista in Brainerd, MN, passed away Sunday, November 13, 2022.

Vern Served in the 11th Airborne Division from December 15, 1950, to December 15, 1952. After serving his country, Vern worked in aircraft manufacturing, law enforcement and transportation while living in California. He remained in transportation after returning...

Nov 9, 2022

Barbara Ann Clair, age 57, passed away at Senior Class Community Assisted Living of Pequot Lakes, MN, on November 9, 2022. Barb was born on December 28, 1964, to Ivan and Lala Fisher in Crookston, MN. She was a graduate of the Texas Institute of Jewelry Technology at Paris Junior College in Paris, TX. She married Kevin Clair and resided in Richardson, TX...

Nov 4, 2022

Donald George Rudquist was born to George and Florence (Demars) Rudquist on August 2, 1943, in Minneapolis, MN. He passed away on November 4, 2022, at his home in Backus.

Donald loved anything to do with the great outdoors, visiting, playing cards, woodworking and being with his family. He was very active in many different ways at...

Nov 1, 2022

Gloria Jean (Ingraham Rudlang) Stewart, age 84, of Brainerd, passed away in her family’s arms on November 1, 2022.

Gloria was a strong, independent woman. She loved to sew quilts and design clothes. Gloria spent most of her life volunteering at the Family History Center in Brainerd. When she wasn’t helping others research their family lines, she...

Oct 31, 2022

Richard (Dick) G. Houston, 83, of Pine River, passed away peacefully October 31, 2022, surrounded by family.  He was born on December 17, 1938, in Minneapolis to Glenn and Dorothy (Kater) Houston.

Dick grew up working for his parents at Houston Motors, which his father founded in 1941. After graduating from Pine River High School, he continued...

Oct 30, 2022

Lynette Nichols, age 66, of Pine River, passed away Sunday, October 30. She was born October 18, 1956. She met Don in Delaware, and they married on June 29, 1996. They shared the last 26 years together.

Lynette worked as an in-home childcare provider since 1994. She loved her family and spending time with her husband of...

Oct 28, 2022

Judith Anderson, age 86, of Backus, passed away on Friday, October 28, at her home. She was born to Louis and Olive Riemenschnieder on April 21, 1936, in St. Paul. Judith earned an Early Childhood Education degree from CLC in Brainerd. She and her husband, David, owned Anderson Furs and Bowen Lake Resort, Judith was a member of American...

Oct 27, 2022

Jane Charlotte (Wood) Gordon, age 101, was born on September 22, 1921, in Champaign, Illinois to Esther June (Richtman) and George Vernon Wood. She passed away on Thursday, October 27, 2022, at Good Samaritan Society Woodland in Brainerd, MN. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Ruth and Patricia, and one brother, Philip.

Jane grew up in rural Rantoul, IL...

Oct 27, 2022

Arlene (Voyda) Courneya, of Crosslake, MN, was born November 9, 1932 and passed away October 27, 2022. Preceded in death by her parents, George and Anna; brother, Donald; and grandson, Amiel. Survived by her husband of 71 years, Eugene; children: Darrell (Celeste), Barbara (Steve) Grams, Carron (Ed) Birkholz, Michele, Gordon (Lynn); 5 grandchildren; and 16 great grandchildren.

...

Oct 26, 2022

Claude Fred Schmidt passed away at his home in Pequot Lakes, Wednesday, October 26, 2022, surrounded by family at the young age of 94. Claude was born on May 8, 1928, in Pequot Lakes to Herman and Susan Schmidt. He left school in 8th grade and began working for his brother-in-law, Lawrence Henderson, at a dairy in Nisswa. In 1944, at the age of 16,...

Oct 23, 2022

Agnes Chapin (Otasek) was born Aug.16, 1919, in Olivia, MN, and passed away on Oct. 23, 2022, at Cerenity Care Center, St.Paul.  She was preceded in death by husband Lawrence Chapin; daughters-in-law, Donaleen and Suzanne; and grandchildren, Michelle and Brenda Stadtler and Larry Chapin. She is survived by children: LeRoy, Gary (Nancy) David (Judy), Dorothy (Richard) Stadtler; grandchildren: Karen,...

Oct 21, 2022

John Carlson, age 74, of Crosslake, passed away on Friday, October 21, 2022, at Essentia St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Brainerd. He was born to Richard and Anna Carlson on March 27, 1948, in Willmar.

John was a masonry contractor in the Brainerd Lakes area for many years and was a member of Crosslake Lutheran Church. He loved...

Oct 21, 2022

Tom ''Showtime'' Hoover, 81, the internationally recognized drag racer and local Minneapolis business owner attended his "last" major event when he passed peacefully from life, through death, to eternal life on October 21, 2022. Hoover began and ended his story in his favored state of Minnesota.

Hoover identified as a ''1941 model'' and a "car guy" due...

Oct 14, 2022

Chip (Leonard David Jr) Nelson had a cardiac arrest on October 14, 2022. He died at his beloved family forest, Tick Hill, in Maple Township, MN. Chip was born on October 23, 1948, on the Naval Base in Guam. He graduated from Roosevelt High School, Minneapolis in 1967. Chip was in the US Navy from 1968-1972 aboard the USS America. He...