Marjorie Marie (Swenson) Schmidt was born June 4, 1919 to Frederick and Emily (Steege) Rachow at Sumner Iowa. She taught many years at one room country schools. She graduated from Bemidji State College having earned a degree in Education and finished her career at the Deer Creek Elementary School. Marjorie was united in Marriage with Arthur H. Swenson on January 15, 1949 in Watertown MN. Art passed away on Oct. 22, 1976. She was united in Marriage with Paul Schmidt on Nov. 18, 1978 in Wadena. Paul passed away November 17, 1995. Marjorie enjoyed gardening, dancing, square dancing and crocheting. She moved from her home to the Fair Oaks Lodge in Wadena in Dec. of 2010. Marjorie was preceded in death by her husbands Arthur Swenson and Paul Schmidt, Parents Frederick and Emily Rachow and Sisters Mildred Crever, Eleanor Hille, Dena Olsen, Helen Hall and Renee Jelinik. She is survived by many nieces, nephew and step-children. Interment in the Greenlawn Cemetery in Verndale MN.(Obituary From Schuller Family Funeral Home Website June 14, 2016. )
Grace Brasel (1917-1996) - third grade
Roy Fraki (1923-2006) - music teacher
Roy A. Fraki, 82, died Saturday, February 18th at his home in Sun City. He was born September 15, 1923, to Oscar and Hilma (Raattama) Fraki in Leaf Lake Township. He was raised on a farm near New York Mills, Minnesota and graduated high school in 1941. He was employed by Marshall-Field before entering the military, served two years during World War II and was honorably discharged. In 1950 he received his B.S. degree from Moorhead State Teachers College, and spent twenty-six years teaching instrumental and vocal music at Fosston, Minnesota; Ordway, Colorado; and Deer Creek, Minnesota. Following his retirement he moved to Hendersonville, North Carolina where for many years he was handyman for the Flat Rock Playhouse and helped his sister Leona at The Merry Miller, her natural food store and cafeteria. The last six years he lived in Sun City near his sisters. Roy Fraki followed current events and politics, enjoyed puttering around the house and yard, and could be persuaded to share memories of the good old days with interested family members. He was a devoted observer of nature, from the birds in his own backyard to residents of the San Diego Zoo where he was a member. He shared his passion for music with everyone. All varieties from opera to Broadway musicals, big bands and Ella Fitzgerald could be heard in the house. He nurtured music appreciation in his nieces and nephews as well. The following excerpt from Pueblo Star-Journal of Ordway Colorado (April, 1955) captures the essence of this teacher and music-lover: Fraki virtually lives his music. His quiet manner, level gaze, enthusiastic interest and outstanding ability have earned him the respect and admiration of students and school patrons in Ordway. He is a teacher who is interested in helping all of the children, not only the outstanding few with natural musical ability. Admirers of Fraki have said that if a child can toot, whistle or chirp, he or she is given an opportunity to develop potentialities under this remarkable man. He was preceded in death by his parents, four sisters (Siiri Majava, Ethel Alston, Elsie Crum, Leona Farquahr) and four brothers (Orville, Rufus, Reino, Bruce). He is survived by two sisters: Alice (Chuck) Varns and Nona (John) Schumacher of Sun City, and fourteen nieces and nephews. He will be dearly missed by family and friends. Services were held Monday, February 27, 2006, at Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, California. Memorials are preferred to: Hospice Program, 9961 Sierra Ave. 3A, Fontana, CA 92335; or your local hospice.
Marcella Stone (1926-2019) - school nurse
Marcella (Blashack) Stone died on Saturday, June 15, 2019 at the age of 93. Mass of Christian Burial is 11 a.m., Wednesday, June 19, 2019, at St. Edward Catholic Church in Henning with Fr. LeRoy Schik officiating. Interment will take place at St. William’s Catholic Cemetery in Parkers Prairie. A visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Tuesday at St Edward Catholic Church in Henning and will continue one hour prior to the service. Marcie was born on June 15, 1926, at her home in Eastern Township, Otter Tail County to Louis and Mary (Hastreiter) Blashack. She graduated from 8th grade country school, then Parkers Prairie High School in 1944, St. Cloud Hospital School of Nursing as an RN in 1947, and finally Bemidji State College in Community Health in 1975. She began her nursing career in Brownsville, Texas as a private duty nurse while she received training as a military nurse. The war ended at that time and Marcie moved back to Minnesota to work at Lady of Mercy Hospital in Alexandria. On August 9, 1949, Marcella married William Stone at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Bertha. They were married for sixty-five years. They were early members of St. William’s Catholic Church, Parkers Prairie, where she was a member of the Christian Mothers’ Society and church choir. They farmed in Elmo Township from 1949-1984, then moved to a home close to the farm until they moved to East Battle Lake in 1991. In 2009 they moved to Willow Creek in Henning, where she died peacefully within the care of her family, Willow Creek staff, and Knute Nelson Hospice. Her nursing career included school tuberculosis testing in schools for the State of Minnesota, nursing at Henning Nursing Home, private duty nursing, school nursing at Henning, Deer Creek and Parkers Prairie Schools from 1966-1985, and finally home health care. She was active in several professional nursing organizations. Over the years she belonged to Homemakers Club, was a 4-H leader; participated on a softball team and bowling league; she also enjoyed fishing, golfing, square dancing, playing cards and traveling the world with Bill. To be honest, Marcie would play cards and games at anytime, anywhere! Her family was the joy of her life and she enjoyed family gatherings and calls and visits from them.Marcie was preceded in death by her parents; four siblings, and her husband Bill in 2015. She is survived by her children; Bruce (Arleen) Stone of Perham, Ethel (Tom) Muchlinski of Plymouth, Sheila (James) Seelhammer of Deer Creek, Pat (Jodi) Stone of Shasta Lake, California and Mark (Camille) Stone of Wadena; 15 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren Pallbearers are Marcie’s granddaughters; Shannon Tempel, Rachel Carriveau, Kristina Taylor, Sara Stone, Katherine Mitchell, Greta Garcia, Laura Johnson, Kara Kules and Kayla Olson. Honorary Pallbearers are Marcie’s grandsons; Ryan Stone, Jacob Seelhammer, Joshua Seelhammer, Ross Seelhammer, Casey Seelhammer, and Matthew Stone
Florance Wardien (1931-2019) - cafeteria
Florance Voge Funeral services for Florance Voge of Deer Creek were held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 28, 2019 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Deer Creek with Pastor Donald Wagner presiding.Florance, 87, passed away peacefully with her family at her side on Friday, June 21, 2019, at the Perham Living Center, Perham, MN Florance was born to Carl and Esther (Peterson) Paulson on August 2, 1931, in Parkers Prairie, MN. She grew up on a farm outside of Parkers Prairie and attended school nearby. She was united in marriage to Earl Wardien on February 15, 1949, at the First Evangelical Church in Parkers Prairie. She was the head cook for the Deer Creek Public School, and was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Ladies Aid, LWML, 4-H Club, and Spoon & Needle Homemarkers Club. In 1986, Florance was united in marriage to Alan Voge at the United Methodist Church in Deer Creek. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, and sewing. She found solace in tending her garden and canning the fruits of her labor. She was an avid Twins and Shockers baseball fan. Preceding Florance in death were her husbands, Earl Wardien on September 10, 1979, and Alan Voge in February 2000; parents, Carl and Esther; daughter Lori Perkins; siblings, Harry, Lloyd, and Leonard Paulson; sister-in-law, Beverly Paulson; and son-in-law, Kenneth Koep. Florance leaves loving memories for her children, Wayne (Connie) Wardien of Myrtle Beach, SC, Arvin (Cindy) Wardien of Long Prairie, Linnea (Steve) Gray of Deer Creek, Diane (Randy) George of Deer Creek, Debbie Koep of WA, Greg (Kathleen) Voge of Chugiak, AK, son-in-law, Wayne (Lisa) Perkins of Deer Creek, and son Jeff Voge of Deer Creek; brother, Vernard (Neva) Paulson of Lafayette, MN; sisters-in-law Doris Paulson of Parkers Prairie and Darlene Truax of Deer Creek; along with 24 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren.Active pallbearers were Florance's grandchildren. Burial was in Oak Hill Cemetery next to her first husband Earl, in Deer Creek, MN.