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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013
POST-BULLETIN • www.PostBulletin.com
Obituaries
I
Comments? Local news editor Mike Klein/[email protected]
Frieda W. Williamson — Zumbrota
Vernon D. Behnken — Byron
Charles D. Knight, M.D. — Shreveport, La.
Frieda W. Williamson, 89, of Zumbrota, formerly of Mazeppa,
died Monday, Sept. 9, 2013, at the Zumbrota Health Services.
The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m.
Saturday, Sept. 14, at St. John’s Lutheran
Church in Mazeppa, with Pastor Alan Horn officiating. Burial will be in Mazeppa Cemetery.
Visitation will be on Saturday for one hour
prior to the service at the church.
Frieda Wilhelmina Betcher was born Nov. 12,
1923, in Chester Township, Wabasha County,
to Fred and Malinda (nee Carlon) Betcher. She
grew up on the family farm and attended country school. Frieda worked on the family farm
Williamson
until she married Leo Sommerfield in March
4, 1943. They farmed together and were later
divorced. On June 12, 1962, she married John Wettern at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Hay Creek. They farmed, and John
was killed in a motor vehicle accident on Dec. 8, 1975. On Oct.
20, 1996, she married Paul Williamson, and he died on March 25,
1999. Frieda started working for Nybo’s Restaurant in Red Wing
in the early 1960s, and after Nybo’s closed, she started working
at the Red Wing Care Center. Frieda retired in 1988.
Frieda enjoyed canning, baking, cooking, embroidery, playing
cards and bingo and spending time with her family, especially
her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Frieda was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church and American Legion Post
#588 Auxiliary in Mazeppa.
Frieda is survived by her son, Larry Sommerfield of Beldenville, Wis.; daughters, Alberta (Harold) Strusz of Red Wing, Lois
(Rick) Mann of Kasson, Barbara (Dale) Post of Zumbrota and
Jacqueline (Brian) DeHut of Oconto, Wis.; 16 grandchildren; 20
great-grandchildren; and brother, Vern Betcher of Mazeppa.
Frieda was preceded in death by her two sons, LaVern and
Dale Lee; husbands, John Wettern and Paul Williamson, parents, an infant twin brother and five sisters, Lorraine Sommerfield, Mathilda Sommerfield, Alice Arendt, Esther Kennedy and
Bertha Kennedy.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. John’s Lutheran Church.
Arrangements are with the Mahn Family Funeral Home ‑ Larson Chapel in Zumbrota. mahnfamilyfuneralhomes.com
Graveside services for Vernon D. Behnken, 92, of Byron, will
be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013, at East St. Olaf Cemetery in Rock Dell. A luncheon will follow at
the Douglas United Methodist Church.
Vernon Daniel Behnken was born May 2,
1921, in Viola Township, Olmsted County, to
Daniel and Antonia (Fenske) Behnken. He
died Monday, Sept. 9, 2013, at Prairie Meadows
Senior Living in Kasson where he lived since
2006.
Vern helped on his brother’s farm as well as
other relatives farms. At the age of 47, Vern
worked at the Carlton Inn in Rochester until
Behnken
he retired in 1986. He lived with his brother and
family on the farm near Byron.
He was loved by everyone. He was always there to lend a hand
were it ever needed. Even though Vern was never married, he
enjoyed being with family, and everyone knew him as Uncle
Vern. He enjoyed watching the Twins, Vikings and WWE wrestling.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Carl and his sister,
Minnie.
Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes, 5421 Royal Place N.W.,
Rochester, MN 55901, 507-289-3600, ranfranzandvinefh.com.
Dr. Charles Daniel Knight, prominent Shreveport, La., surgeon, passed away at his home Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013, at the age
of 91, following a long, courageous battle with
Alzheimer’s disease.
A memorial service to celebrate Charlie’s
life will be held Wednesday, Sept. 11, at 3 p.m. at
Noel Memorial United Methodist Church, 520
Herndon Street in Shreveport, with Dr. Pat Day,
Dr. Wyrbra Price and the Rev. Mimi McDowell
officiating. Interment will be 2 p.m. at Forest
Park Cemetery, St. Vincent Avenue prior to the
service.
A visitation will be held today, Sept. 10, from
Knight
4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral
Home, 1815 Marshall Street in Shreveport.
Charlie was born Aug. 21, 1922, in Shreveport, La., to Charles Pearl Knight and Blanche
Weldon Knight.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years,
Dorothy Willius Knight “Dot,” and four sons, Dr. Charles Daniel
Knight, Jr., Dr. Fredrick Willius Knight and his wife, Pam, Dr.
Daniel Robert Knight and his wife, Summer, all of Shreveport,
and Dr. John Thomas Knight and his wife, Elissa, of Los Angeles, Calif.
Dr. Knight (Charlie) graduated from C. E. Byrd High School in
1938, where he was a member of the Louisiana State Championship Debate team and played trumpet in the band. He graduated
from Centenary College of Louisiana Summa Cum Laude in
1941. While at Centenary, he was selected “Outstanding Freshman,” President of the Freshman Class, member of “Kollege
Kapers,” member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity (social fraternity) and Alpha Chi (honorary fraternity). Charlie graduated
from Tulane University Medical School in 1944 where he was a
member of Phi Chi (social fraternity), ODK (honorary leadership fraternity), and AOA (honorary medical fraternity). He was
President of the Sophomore and Senior Classes and President
of the “Owls Club.” Upon graduation from Tulane Medical
School, he received the “Sidney K. Simon Award for Academic
Excellence.”
In 1941, during his freshman year of medical school, he was
inducted into the U.S. Naval Reserve, and upon graduation in
1944, he was commissioned Lt. JG. After nine months of internship at Shreveport Charity Hospital, he was called to active duty
in the U.S. Navy during World War ll. He was stationed at the
U.S. Naval Hospital in Seattle, Wash., for three months. Then he
was assigned to a Sea plane tender with the Pacific Fleet and
later was assigned with the U. S. Marines in Tientsin, China.
Upon his honorable discharge from the military, he started a
residency in surgery at Shreveport Charity Hospital. He had one
and a half years in residency, when in 1948, he was notified of
his acceptance of a four-year Fellowship in Surgery at the Mayo
Clinic in Rochester. While at Mayo, he received a master of
science degree in surgery from the University of Minnesota. It
was during this time that he met his wife, Dot, who was working
in the Publications Department of the Mayo Clinic. They were
married July 6, 1951, in Rochester.
Dr. Knight returned to Shreveport in 1952 and started his long
affiliation with Highland Clinic, where he practiced general,
thoracic and vascular surgery for 50 years. One year after starting his surgical practice, he was called to active duty as a captain in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He
was stationed at the 500 bed Air Force Hospital in Wiesbaden,
Germany, as “Chief of Surgery.” He returned to his surgical
practice at Highland Clinic in August, 1954.
Dr. Knight was “Attending Surgeon,” Confederate Memorial
Medical Center (1952-1970); Chief, Division of General Surgery,
Confederate Memorial (1963-1970); Consulting Surgeon, Barksdale Air Force Hospital (1954-1974); Staff Surgeon, Schumpert
Memorial Medical Center (1952-1992); Staff Surgeon, Highland
Hospital (1952-1992); Medical Director, Highland Hospital; (19932000); Medical Director, Cigna Health Plan of N.W. Louisiana.
Among his academic appointments, Dr. Knight was Clinical
Associate Professor, Dept. of Postgraduate Medicine (1958-1967);
Clinical Associate Professor, Dept. of Surgery (1967-1971); Clinical Professor, Dept. of Surgery, (1971-1992), LSU Medical Center,
Shreveport, LA. Dr. Knight was President of the Medical Staff
of Confederate Memorial Medical Center (1971-1972) and President of the General Faculty, LSU School of Medicine (1972-1974).
Charlie was honored in June 1992 for his long association and
service provided to the Department of Surgery at LSU Medical
Center and its predecessor, the Confederate Memorial Medical
Center. His former residents commissioned an oil portrait done
of him which now hangs in the Surgery Dept. A professorship
in the Dept. of Surgery was named in his honor in 2005.
Dr. Knight’s professional accomplishments include: Governor
of the American College of Surgeons, President of the Priestley Society (Mayo Clinic Surgical Alumni), President of the
Shreveport Medical Society, President of the Southern Society
of Clinical Surgeons, President of the Surgical Association of
Louisiana, President of the Louisiana Chapter of the American
College of Surgeons. He was a member of the Southern Surgical Association, Southeastern Surgical Congress, Society for
Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons, and Collegium Internationale
Chirurgiae Digestivae, International Society of Surgery.
In addition to writing over 30 articles for publication, Charlie
became recognized internationally for his innovation of a “stapler technique” for extended low colorectal anastomosis. This
gained him recognition at the First Annual European Congress
of Viscero-Synthesis that took place in Luxembourg in 1988.
Dr. Knight was a lifetime member of Noel Memorial United
Methodist Church, serving as Chairman of the Official Board
from (1965-1967). He served on the Centenary College Board of
Trustees from 1964 to the present and the Highland Hospital
Board from (1980-1988).
Dr. Knight was President of the Caddo chapter of the American Cancer Society (1959-1961), Board of Directors of the Community Chest (1963), United Fund Budget Committee (1965-1971),
Shreveport Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors (19691971), and Shreveport Charter Revision Committee (1970).
Among his many honors: Distinguished Service Award from
the Shreveport Medical Society (1992); Jr. Achievement Business
Hall of Fame Laureate (1999); C.E. Byrd High School Alumni
Hall of Fame (2002); and Centenary College Alumni Hall of
Fame (2004).
Surviving Dr. Knight are 11 grandchildren: Emily, Alice,
Kathryn and husband David Wood, Matthew, Davis, Will, Evans,
Coco, Renee, Noah and Nixon; and two great-grandchildren:
Caroline and Camille Wood.
Honoring Dr. Knight as pallbearers are William M. Allums,
M.D., Brian L. Dockendorf, M.D., Davis C. Knight, Thomas
Evans Knight, William F. Knight, Gordon M. Mead, M.D., David
Maxwell, F. Dean Griffin, M.D., Steven C. Whited, M.D., and
David Wood.
Honorary pallbearers are Wynton Carroll, M.D. and the Highland Clinic physicians.
With warmest regards, a very special thanks is extended to
Dr. Charlie’s private nurse, Frankie Williams. Also Dr. Knight’s
family wishes to express their sincere thanks for the loving care
of his private caregivers, Mark Jefferson, Shirley Baldwin and
Sheila Alexander, as well as the nurses and staff of Gamble Hospice Care, Shari Powell, Cassandra Walker and Donna Williams.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials may be made
to Centenary College, 2911 Centenary Blvd, Shreveport, LA
71104 or Noel Memorial United Methodist Church, 520 Herndon,
Shreveport, LA 71101.
Shirley J. ‘Pete’ Peterson — Rochester
Shirley J. “Pete” Peterson, 87, of Rochester, passed away
peacefully at home Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013.
Pete was born Sept. 7, 1926, in Skyberg, the
son of John and Annetta Peterson. He served
in the Air Force in World War II in Okinawa
and Misawa Air Force Base in Japan. He married Carol Jean Steege on Nov. 10, 1951, at St.
Paul’s Lutheran Church in Pine Island. They
made their home south of Rochester. Pete
drove truck for Gamble Robinson and later
was a serviceman for Skelgas. He and Carol
drove semi-truck for International Transport
throughout the United States and Canada for
Peterson
many years. He also farmed locally.
Pete loved farming and farm animals, but
most of all he found joy in the company of
his family. Through the years, he frequently
enjoyed a cup of coffee and conversation with
friends at Hanson’s Truck Stop, Subway in
Stewartville and McDonalds on 48th Street.
He is survived by his wife, Carol; children, Ron (Betty) Peterson, Rochester; Kathy McLaughlin, Rochester; and Lisa Johnson, Pine Island; grandchildren, Jennifer (Guy) Durkee, Springdale, Ark.; Jacqueline (Chad) Erickson, Blaine; Kyle (Coralie)
Peterson, Racine; Joanna (Marvin) Billings, Rochester; James
(Emily) McLaughlin, Rochester; and Amanda Johnson, Pine
Island; and 12 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by a sister, Avis Johnson of Hutchinson; and a brother, Floyd (Arlene)
Peterson of Rochester.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Arvin Peterson and sister, Frances Weeks.
Visitation will be held at Mahn Family Funeral Home ‑ Rochester Chapel, 1624 37th St. N.W., from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday,
Sept. 12, and for one hour prior to the service on Friday.
The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13, at
Zumbro Lutheran Church, 624 Third Ave. S.W. in Rochester, with
the Rev. Jason Bryan-Wegner officiating. Internment with military honors will take place at Oakwood Cemetery at 3:45 p.m.
Friends may share a memory at mahnfamilyfuneralhome.
com.
Helen L. Torkelson — Zumbrota
Helen L. Torkelson, 91, of Zumbrota, died Tuesday, Sept. 10,
2013, at Zumbrota Health Services.
She was born June 20, 1922, in Minneola
Township, Goodhue County, to Martin and Lizbeth (Bremseth) Nygren. Helen was baptized
and confirmed at United Lutheran Church in
Zumbrota. She attended country school and
graduated from Zumbrota High School. Helen
worked at several places, including Banitt’s
Store as a clerk, Penney’s in San Francisco, and
also at Honeywell in Minneapolis. On June 23,
1945, she married Oswald Torkelson at United
Lutheran Church in Zumbrota. Together they
Torkelson
farmed on the Torkelson farm in Wanamingo.
Helen enjoyed sewing, working puzzles and
attending church activities. She was a member of Emmanuel
Lutheran Church—Aspelund.
Helen is survived by her son, Daniel of Wanamingo; three
daughters, Linda Torkelson of Minneapolis, Lois (Jerry) Bengtson of Pine City and Lavonne (Ken) West of Columbia Falls,
Mont.; eight grandchildren; two great-granddaughters; and
many nieces and nephews.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Oswald, who
died Feb. 26, 2004; son, Dean Torkelson; sister, Myrtle Mickelson;
and brother, Albert Nyrgren.
Memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at
Emmanuel Lutheran Church ‑ Aspelund, with the Rev. Martin Horn officiating. Private burial will be in Lands Lutheran
Church Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.
Arrangements are with Mahn Family Funeral Home ‑ Larson
Chapel, Zumbrota.
mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com
Obituary Policy
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Notices of death
Merle Herbert Johnson, 84, a lifelong resident of Cannon Falls,
died Monday at Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester. A memorial
service will be Friday at 11 a.m. at First English Lutheran Church in
Cannon Falls. Lundberg Funeral Home, Cannon Falls.
Micki Kirtz, 82, of Lake City, died Tuesday at the Lake City Care
Center. Mahn Family Funeral Home, Anderson-Peterson Chapel,
Lake City.
Shirley J. “Pete” Peterson, 87, of Rochester, died Tuesday
at his home. The funeral service will be 2 p.m. Friday at Zumbro
Lutheran Church in Rochester. Mahn Family Funeral Home,
Rochester Chapel.
Samuel P. Strecker, 32, of Austin, died Saturday at his home.
A memorial service will be 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Worlein Funeral
Home Chapel in Austin. Worlein Funeral Home, Austin.
Emmett Earl Sweazey, 78, of Austin, died Sunday at North
Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale. Funeral services will be 1:30
p.m. Thursday at the Worlein Funeral Home Chapel in Austin.
Worlein Funeral Home, Austin.
Helen L. Torkelson, 91, of Zumbrota, died Tuesday at
Zumbrota Health Services. Memorial service will be 2 p.m.
Saturday at Emmanuel Lutheran Church ‑ Aspelund. Mahn Family
Funeral Home ‑ Larson Chapel, Zumbrota.
James LeRoy Underdahl, 75, of Cannon Falls, died Monday
at his home. A gathering for family and friends will be Friday
from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Lundberg Funeral Home in Cannon Falls.
Lundberg Funeral Home, Cannon Falls.
Janice J. Wagaman, 67, of Dexter, died Tuesday at her home.
Griffin-Gray Funeral Home, Stewartville.
Frieda W. Williamson, 89, of Zumbrota, formerly of Mazeppa,
died Monday at the Zumbrota Health Services. The funeral
service will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in
Mazeppa. Mahn Family Funeral Home ‑ Larson Chapel, Zumbrota.
DEATHS ELSEWHERE
Cal Worthington, famed car dealer
LOS ANGELES — He said he would eat a bug to get you
to buy a car. He promised that he would even stand upon his
head until his ears were turning red if you would just, “Go
see Cal.”
Whether Cal Worthington actually did those things is
uncertain.
But one thing is not: In car-obsessed Southern California
in the 1950s, where automobile pitchmen would slam vehicle
hoods, kick tires, scream into television cameras and give
themselves names like “Mad Man,” adding they were crazy
to make a deal, Worthington stood taller and lasted longer
than any of them.
Worthington, who died Sunday at age 92, sold more than a
million cars during his lifetime by his account. He was the
nation’s top-selling Dodge salesman in the 1960s and at one
time he owned nearly two dozen car dealerships, stretching
from Alaska to Texas. In recent years he had cut back to just
four.
Worthington, who had remained active until his death,
died after watching football with his family at his Big W
Ranch in Orland, Calif., said Dave Karalis, general manager
of Cal Worthington Ford in Long Beach. The cause of death
has not been determined, family attorney Larry Miles said.
Chicago talk radio host Don Wade
CHICAGO — Don Wade, a longtime Chicago morning
radio personality who made the transition from rock ‘n’ roll
deejay to talk radio host, has died of brain cancer. He was
72.
WLS-AM announced his death Sunday on its website.
Wade died Friday in Florida with his wife, Roma, at his side.
Chicagoans woke up to their husband-and-wife show,
“Don Wade and Roma,” for more than two decades on WLS.
The team interviewed politicians and turned the microphone over to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who
served as a guest host after his impeachment.
In December, the couple gave up their radio show to focus
on Wade’s health.
WLS radio host Roe Conn told the Chicago Sun-Times
that Wade was “one of the first guys to do conservative talk
with a heart.”
Philanthropist Suzanne Scott
OMAHA, Neb. — Omaha philanthropist Suzanne Scott,
whose name adorns many prominent projects alongside her
husband Walter, has died,
Bill Cutler at the Heafey, Heafey, Hoffman, Dworak and
Cutler funeral home said Scott died Monday morning at age
83. Funeral arrangements were pending.
Suzanne Scott led the Omaha Zoological Foundation
from 1984 to 1988, and the zoo’s impressive new aquarium is
named in honor of the Scotts.
Scott was married to Walter Scott for more than 25 years.
The two met while she worked for the zoo and he led the
zoo’s board.
Billionaire Walter Scott is the chairman emeritus of
Peter Kiewit Sons Inc. and the current chairman of Level
3 Communications. He also serves on the board of Warren
Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and several other firms.
The Scotts have been generous donors to the University
of Nebraska at Omaha, the University of Nebraska Medical
Center and Colorado State University.
— From news services