Obituaries

Marcia Drazkowski, 95, Mantorville

Marcia Ruth Drazkowski died of natural causes peacefully in her sleep at her residence in Mantorville on Jan. 8, 2017. Marcia Nelson Drazkowski was born Feb. 6, 1921, to Harry and Christine Nelson in Wyeville, Wisc. She was the youngest of seven children and spent her childhood in rural Wyeville....

Lewellyn James “Lun” Sprenger, 78, Kasson

Lewellyn James “Lun” Sprenger, 78, of Kasson, Minn. passed away at Mayo Clinic Hospital, St. Marys Campus Jan. 10, 2017. He was born Nov. 1, 1938 in Lake City, Minn. to Frederick Jacob Sprenger and Katherine Helen Braun Sprenger. He was the oldest of five children and graduated from Lake City High...

Donald A. Heser, 94, Kasson

Donald Heser, 94, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017, at his residence in Kasson, Minn. He was born and raised in Wolf Point, Montana. He married and lived in Oostburg, Wisconsin for a brief period before moving to Jackson, Minnesota. Donald worked first in the well drilling business...

Phyllis Dorschner, 85, Kasson

Phyllis Eileen (Shumski) Dorschner, 85, was welcomed to heaven Jan. 7, 2017. Phyllis passed on as she had lived, with courage and grace. Her final days were spent surrounded by family at Samaritan Bethany in Rochester, Minn., where she lived briefly following a leukemia diagnosis. Phyllis was born...

Nacia Olson, 44, Dodge Center

Nacia Rochelle Olson, 44, of Dodge Center, passed away Jan. 9, 2017, at Seasons Hospice in Rochester after a long and well-fought battle with cancer. She was truly a warrior in this battle, just like her father, who lost his battle with cancer last May. Nacia was born May 7, 1972 in Winona, Minn....

Nanda Reber, 83, Pine Island

Nanda A. Reber, 93, of Pine Island, Minn., passed away Jan. 5, 2017 at Cottagewood Senior Communities in Rochester. Funeral services were held Monday, Jan 9, 2017 at Mahn Family Funeral Home – Mahler Chapel with Pastor Daniel Ashpole officiating. Visitation was held Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017 at the Mahn...

Ellen Polzin Niski, 85, Austin

Ellen Polzin Niski, 85, of Austin, Minn., died Wednesday Jan. 4, 2017 of natural causes at Mala Strana Rehabilitation Center in New Prague, Minn., where she had been a resident since 2009. Ellen Eloise Uptagrafft was born Nov. 12, 1932, in West Concord, Minn., to Claude and Sarah (Babcock)...

Wallace John (Doc) Emholtz, Mantorville

Wallace John (Doc) Emholtz passed away at St. Mary’s Hospital on Jan. 5, 2017 after a heart attack. Wally was born on July 24, 1935 in Mantorville, Minn., to Walter and Amelia (Gronert) Emholtz. He grew up in the Mantorville/Pine Island area. He joined the Navy on July 28, 1952 and served in the...

Duane Pietrzak, 79, Byron

Duane J (Jim) Pietrzak died Dec. 25, 2016 at Mayo Clinic Hospital – St. Marys Campus in Rochester, Minn. He was born on Oct. 12, 1937 in Addison, New York, to Frank and Frances (Horsman) Pietrzak. Pietrzak grew up in Kasson, Minn., and graduated from Kasson-Mantorville High School. He attended...

Lowell (Ed) Dutton, 87, Kasson

Lowell (Ed) Edward Dutton, 87, died at home surrounded by family Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016, after a lengthy illness. Ed was born April 5, 1929 on the family farm near Wanamingo, Minn., to Clair and Lena (Erma Kramer) Dutton, and started elementary school at age four in rural Goodhue County. His...