Hansen Funeral Home

Serving Heron Lake, Okabena and Lakefield

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Hansen Funeral Home

321 Plum Street, Lakefield

507-662-6464

526 Main Street, Heron Lake

507-793-2255

Virgil Rossow

Virgil Bert Rossow, son of Herbert and Erna (Kraft) Rossow, was born on October 21, 1925 on his parent’s farm in Heron Lake Township, Jackson County. Virgil grew up on the family farm and attended country school. Following his education, Virgil farmed. He entered the U.S. Navy on January 6, 1945 and served 18 months in the South Pacific and was later honorably discharged as seaman first class on July 13, 1946. When Virgil returned home, he married Shirley Yvonne Rue on February 27, 1949 at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Heron Lake Township. Following their marriage, the couple milked cows, farmed and and enjoyed their ranch in Wyoming. Shirley passed away on April 9, 1999 and Virgil continued to live in their home.

Virgil was a member of St. Peter Lutheran Church and proudly served his church as a Chairman, Trustee, Secretary, on the Building Committee and sang in the church choir. He was a charter member of the Lakeshore Saddle Club, belonged to Lions and was on the Ag Center Board of Directors. He enjoyed horses, watching his grandchildren play sports and all their activities, fishing and hunting deer, coyote and fox. He also drove school bus from 1965 for St. Peter Lutheran School until he retired in 2002 from SW Coaches.

Virgil passed away Friday morning May 9, 2008 at the Royal C. Johnson Veterans Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He was 82 years 6 months and 18 days old.

Virgil is survived by his children Blake and his wife Gloria Rossow of Lakefield and their children Hilary (Danny) Blundell, Loni Rossow, Lexi (Shane) Titterington and Hatty Rossow, Brent and his wife Lori Rossow of Lakefield and their children Breanne (Luke) Lundt, Amery (Shane) Phillips and Maceylyn Rossow, Ginny Rossow of Bondurant, Wyoming and her children Jesse (Bridget) Miller, Terra (Steve) Miller and Tessa Miller, Jon and his wife Cindy Rossow of Mapleton and their children Kelsey, Haley, Whitney and Jace Rossow and Terri and her husband Kent Bargfrede of Alpha and their children Kyndra, Kylla and Trevon Bargfrede; nine great grandchildren; two brothers Warren and his wife Ione Rossow and Eugene and his wife Shirley Rossow both of Lakefield and a sister-in-law Luene Rue of Lakefield.

Virgil was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, a sister Loris and numerous sisters and brothers-in-law.

Funeral services will be Wednesday May 14, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Heron Lake Township, Jackson County. Rev. Bart Mueller will officiate. Burial, with military honors, will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held at Hansen Funeral Home in Lakefield on Tuesday May 13, 2008 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and again at the church one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday.

 

Larry Jochims

Larry Otto Jochims, son of Ervin and Mildred (Bunning) Jochims, was born on May 25, 1950 at Windom, Minnesota. He was baptized on July 2, 1950 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sioux Valley and later confirmed in the Lutheran faith on May 17, 1964 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lakefield. Larry grew up on the family farm in Sioux Valley Township until moving into Lakefield in 1958. He attended Immanuel Lutheran School and graduated from Lakefield High School in 1968. He then attended Southwest State University in Marshall and graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1972. Following his education, Larry taught high school in Madison, Minnesota and later attended Emporia State University in Kansas. He received a M.A. in History and joined the staff of the Kansas State Historical Society in 1978. Larry became the first "classified" historian and served many years as Research Historical and later as Preservation Historian. He was responsible for numerous articles and monographs and served on several local, state and national committees and councils. He was especially proud of his field work and research of older bridges ( in Kansas under contract with the Kansas DOT). His seminal work on the Marsh Arch Bridge type has been used as a background reference for many other states. In recent years, Larry was employed by the Dolgen Corp. and most recently by Payless Shoes.

Larry was a past member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lakefield. He enjoyed cooking, antiques and photography.

Larry passed away Monday afternoon May 12, 2008 at Stormont-Vail Hospital in Topeka, Kansas. He was 57 years, 11 months and 17 days old.

Larry is survived by his mother Mildred Jochims of Lakefield; his brother Gary and his wife Lois Jochims of Lakefield; two nieces Erika and her husband Ryan Freking and Leah and her husband Travis Rossow; a nephew Jeremy and his wife Jamie Jochims; two grand nephews Grant Freking and Michael Jochims and three grand nieces Alana Freking, Ava Jochims and Reanna Rossow.

Larry was preceded in death by his father.

Funeral will be Saturday May 17, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. at Hansen Funeral Home in Lakefield. Rev. Jonathan Nack will officiate. Burial will be in Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be held at Hansen Funeral Home on Friday May 16, 2008 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and again at the funeral home one hour prior to the service on Saturday.

Merlin

Burmeister

Merlin Delmar Burmeister, son of Albert and Ida (Rossow) Burmeister, was born on December 31, 1925 on his parents’ farm in Heron Lake Township, Jackson County. He was baptized at St. Peter Lutheran Church by Rev. G. Kohlhoff and his sponsors were Ella Rossow, George Pohlman and Herman Burmeister. He was later confirmed in the Lutheran faith at St. Peter Lutheran Church. Merlin grew up on the family farm and attended District 17 country school and later St. Peter Parochial School. He married Marion Kraft on May 2, 1948 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lakefield. Following their marriage, the couple farmed in Heron Lake Township and Merlin also worked at the Farmers Elevator. They remained on the farm following retirement until moving to Colony Court Assisted Living in Waseca. In February of 2007, he entered  Lakeshore Inn Nursing Home in Waseca and had resided there since.

Merlin was a member of St. Peter Lutheran Church. He enjoyed having his grandchildren at the farm, raising hogs and milking cows, hunting fox and

raccoon, fishing, raising and showing horses, raising beagles, playing softball and spending time at sale barns. He was also a charter member of the Lakeshore Saddle Club.

Merlin passed away on Wednesday afternoon May 14, 2008 at the Lakeshore Inn Nursing Home in Waseca. He was 82 years, 4 months and 14 days old

Merlin is survived by his wife Marion Burmeister of Waseca; his children Larry Burmeister of Lakefield, Audrey (Ron) Burmeister-Hicks of New Hope, Mary Ellen Burmeister of Askov, Carol (Mike) Ulschmid of Waseca, Jolaine (Greg) Burmeister-Pittman of Waseca and Rae (Jodie) Burmeister of Hines; eleven grandchildren Christian, Dustin, Erin, Anna, Max, Nels, Mckenzi, Nicholas, Jed, Erik and Courtney; five great grandchildren; a brother Albert (Marianne) Burmeister of Lakefield; two sisters LaPearl (Iven) Thoreson of Lakefield and Leola (Donald) Rogers of Brewster and two sisters-in-law Gilda Burmeister and Ida Burmeister both of Lakefield.

Merlin was preceded in death by his parents, a grandson Hans August Burmeister Hicks, three brothers Erwin, Arnold and Lowell and a sister Ellen Norgrant.

Funeral service will be Saturday May 17, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Peter Lutheran Church, rural Lakefield. Rev. Jonathan Nack will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held at St. Peter Lutheran Church Friday May 16, 2008 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and again at the church one hour prior to the service.