Janet Mary (Weis) Gibson, 88, of Luverne, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on Jan. 13, 2026, at Good Samaritan Village in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Janice Carol Schei, age 86, of Luverne, Minnesota, died on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at the Luverne Hospice Cottage.

Arlene Mae Kooistra, age 91, of Hills, died Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills. 

Hendrene Veldkamp Van Wyhe, age 88, of Edgerton, Minnesota, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at the Hospice Cottage in Luverne, Minnesota.

Richard "Rick" Elert Wenzel, age 72, of Garretson, South Dakota, died on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, at his home.

Visitation will be Thursday, Jan. 22, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Hartquist Funeral Home - Luverne Chapel.

Wanda Mae Kafka, age 85, of Luverne, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at the Avera-McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

More than 30 Luverne Middle School students joined roughly 300 students in 17 districts from across southwest Minnesota last week for the annual Young Writers Conference in Marshall.

I cannot believe we are in the New Year already. Over the last year—four times to be precise—we have explored the vivid imagery of Hebrews 12:1-2, which describes the Christian life as a race. We have learned that we run surrounded by a "cloud of witnesses" who prove God is faithful.

St. Catherine Catholic Church

203 E. Brown St., Luverne

St. Catherine Ph. 507-283-8502; www.stscl.org

Father Joshua Miller, Pastor