Current Obituaries - (We keep the Obituaries on for one week) 
 

Erma Joan Normandin, 75, of Crookston, Minnesota, died at her home Thursday, May 8, 2008.  Erma was born on January 24, 1933 at Terrebonne, Minnesota, the daughter of Aristide Joe and Agnes Marie (Thibert) Cote.  She attended the Midway School in Red Lake Falls, Minnesota.  On September 24, 1952, Erma was united in marriage to Donald James Normandin at Terrebonne, Minnesota.  The couple made their home in Gentilly, Minnesota, for several years before moving to Crookston in 1967.  In 1999 they moved to New Ulm, Minnesota, where they resided until 2003, when they returned to Crookston.  Erma was a loving wife, mother and grandmother.  She had been employed at Happy Joe’s Restaurant in Crookston for seven years and also worked at the RiverView Hospital in Crookston for five years.  She was long-time member of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception parish.
Loving family members include her husband, Donald; three sons and daughters-in-law, Lawrence and Annette Normandin of New Ulm, MN, Francis and Denise Normandin of Belle Plaine, MN and Kenneth and Sandy Normandin of Nicollet, MN; two daughters and sons-in-law, Jean and Terence Rouland of Little Falls, MN and Judy and Randy Radke of Brookston, IN; thirteen grandchildren; one great-grandchild; three brothers and two sisters-in-law, Leonard Cote of Terrebonne, MN, Maurice and Doreen Cote and Myron and Carol Cote, all of Red Lake Falls, MN; two sisters, Mae Trepanier of Seattle, WA and Irene Dessillier of Oklee, MN; and many nieces, nephews and other relatives.  Erma was preceded in death by her parents, Aristide and Agnes Cote and a brother, Vern Cote.
The funeral service for Erma Normandin will be held at 2:00PM, Monday, May 12, 2008, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Crookston with The Very Reverend Robert Schreiner, presiding. Visitation will be at the Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home on Sunday from 5-7PM, with a 7PM prayer service, and at the Cathedral for one hour before the funeral. Interment will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Crookston.

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Monte Aronson, 58, Halstad, MN, died on Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at his residence in rural Halstad, MN. Funeral services will be on Monday, May 12, 2008, at 2:30 pm in the Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hendrum, MN. Burial will be in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, Hendrum, MN.
Arrangements are with Fredrikson Valley Funeral Home, Halstad, MN.

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Violet Pazdernik, 67 of Erskine, passed away on Sunday, April 27^th at Pioneer Memorial Care Center in Erskine following a courageous battle with cancer.  Funeral Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 1 at Grace Lutheran Church in Erskine. Visitation will be on Wednesday, from 5 to 7 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 PM at the Carlin Hoialmen Funeral Home in Erskine.   There will be reviewal for one hour prior to the service on Thursday at the church.

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Royal Ardell Mahlum, 82, of Fertile, MN, died Sunday, April 27, 2008, morning at his home. Royal  Mahlum was born May 21, 1925, on the home farm near Fertile, in Section #15 Sundal Township, Norman County, to George and Idey (Boen) Mahlum. He was baptized by Rev. A.H. Amundson at Concordia Lutheran Church, Fertile, and confirmed at Sundal Lutheran Church where he was a life long member. He attended District #27W rural school and attended Gary High School.
On June 26, 1949, Royal was united in married Ardis Stene at Wild Rice Lutheran Church East of Twin Valley, Minnesota. He and his brother, Werner, farmed for 30 years before retiring in 1976. He received his pilot license in 1954 and was a member of the Minnesota Flying Farmers Association since 1971 and was a charter member of the Fertile Flying Club. He enjoyed his winters in Mesa, Arizona for the last 28 years.
Royal had many friends that he met for coffee every morning in Minnesota and Arizona. He had a gift of storytelling and relating past experiences. Royal enjoyed traveling with his wife through all 50 states. He enjoyed farming but flying his plane was his passion. He also found restoring 32 antique tractors fun and rewarding. Other hobbies included making replicas of tractors out of wood to scale, building model airplanes and making operable, wooden, pendulum clocks from scratch. We will miss his smile, gentle manner and sense of humor.
Royal is survived by his wife, Ardis, Fertie; three daughters: Kleone (Arden) Wangen, Albert Lea, MN; Janelle (Grant) Carroll, China Spring, TX; Crystal (Arvid) Broden, Gary, MN; a sister: Bernice Johnson, Fertile, MN; eight grandchildren: Jeremy Carroll, Pierre, SD; Jerad (Jessica) Carroll, Aberdeen, SD; Justin (Rebecca) Carroll, Waco, TX; Lindsey (Scott) Abel, China Spring, TX; Courtney Wangen, Mankato, MN; Ryan Wangen, Albert Lea, MN; Austin (Marjorie) Broden, Fertile, MN; Kelsey Broden, Fargo, ND; brothers and sisters in-law: Donald and Olive Axdahl, Frazee, MN; Harvey and Corrine Stene, Fertile, MN; Darlene (Pierre) Haumont, Mesa, AZ; six great grandchildren: Makenzie, Mariah and Miranda Carroll; Chelsea Carroll; Logan Carroll; and Kaylie Broden. He was preceded in death by his mother, Idey (1973), his father, George (1982), his sister, Emerald Nolte (1990), his brother, Werner (1997), and an infant sister.
We will cherish his memory!
Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 2, 2008, at 11 am in Concordia Lutheran Church, Fertile.
Visitation will be on Thursday, May 1, 2008, from 5-7 pm with a prayer service at 6:30 pm in the Sundal Lutheran Church, rural Fertile, MN.
Burial will be in the Concordia Lutheran Church, Fertile, MN.
Erikson-Vik Funeral Home, Fertile, MN, is in charge of arrangements

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Leonard Espeseth, 94, of Crookston, Minnesota, died Sunday afternoon, April 27, 2008, in the RiverView Care Center in Crookston. Leonard was born in Eden Township of Polk County, near Fosston, Minnesota, on May 16, 1913, the son of John and Elisa (Osbjornson) Espeseth. He was baptized and confirmed at the Zion Lutheran Church, near Gully, Minnesota, and attended country school in Eden Township. Leonard was drafted into the U.S. Army on February 15, 1942 at Ft. Snelling, Minnesota. He took part in the European Theater of Operations during WWII and was awarded the Victory Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon, and the American Theater Service Ribbon. After his honorable discharge from the Army on January 9, 1946 Leonard returned to area. He settled in Crookston and for many years worked at various jobs in the community. After his retirement Leonard became a resident of the RiverView Care Center. He will be very sadly missed.
Family members include four nephews, Duaine (Hope) Espeseth of Avondale, AZ, Ellsworth (Sharon) Espeseth of Delta, CO, Rodger (Sheryl) Espeseth of Inver Grove Heights, MN, and Gerald (Janet) Espeseth of Fargo, ND; two nieces, Sharon (Roger) Brundin of East Grand Forks, MN and Kathy (James) Highum of Evansville, MN; and other relatives. Leonard was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Thea, Ida, and Selma; and two brothers, Gilbert and Joseph. May God bless Leonard’s memory.
The funeral service for Leonard Espeseth will be held at 10:30AM, Friday, May 2, 2008, in the First Assembly of God Church in Crookston with the Rev. Bill Humiston, officiating. Visitation will be at the church for one hour before the service. Military Honors will be provided by the Crookston Veterans Council. Interment will be in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery, near Gully. The Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home is in charge of funeral arrangements.  

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