Evelyn Huisenga Balk, 89, Worthington, died Thursday, Dec. 19, 2002, at Luverne Hospice Cottage.
Services were Monday, Dec. 23, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Worthington. The Rev. Larry Brixius officiated. Burial was in Calvary Cemetery in Wilmont.

Evelyn Huisenga was born to Claus and Eva (DeVries) Huisenga on Sept. 1, 1913, in Sibley, Iowa. In 1918, her family moved to Rushmore. She attended elementary school in Rushmore and graduated from Worthington High School in 1931. She worked in her dad’s grocery store. When her father retired in 1941, the store was turned over to her and her sister, Bilda.

She worked in the store until she married Alfred Balk on Sept. 1, 1943, in Wilmont. After their marriage, the couple farmed on the Balk family farm south of Wilmont until 1978 when they retired and moved to Luverne. In 1983, they moved to Worthington. Mr. Balk died on June 26, 2000. She moved to Luverne Hospice Cottage in September 2002.

Survivors include three children and their spouses Joyce (Jim) Broesder, Adrian, Jim (Linda) Balk, Albert Lea, and Kathy (Marlin) Mitchell, Rushmore; seven grandchildren, Deb (Jon) Neitzell, Becky (Steve) Michaletz, Joe (Vicki) Balk, Mike Balk, Shawn (Tammi) Wittry, Bobbi (Myron) Ruesch and Nicki Wittry; eight great-grandchildren; and one sister, Nellie Siemon, Mobridge, S.D.

Mrs. Balk was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Alfred, one brother, LeRoy Huisenga, and three sisters, Leona Alberg, Dena Wulf, and Bilda Mahan.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Luverne Hospice Cottage.

Dingmann Funeral Home, Worthington, was in charge of arrangements.

Services for Pearl Aning will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26, at First Presbyterian Church in Luverne. The Rev. John Pehrson will officiate. Burial will be at Luverne Memorial Gardens, rural Luverne. Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday at the church.

Pearl Anna Aning, 68, Luverne, died Saturday, Dec. 21, 2002, in Luverne Community Hospital.
Pearl Aning was born to Jacob and Geessien (Dammer) Aning on Aug. 10, 1934, in Ellsworth. She attended country school in rural Ellsworth and also Luverne. She lived in the Nobles and Rock County area all her life. She moved to Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center in Luverne in 1986.

Ms. Aning was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Luverne. She enjoyed working at Luverne D.A.C. She loved her teddy bears.

Survivors include two brothers, Benard Aning, George, Iowa, and Menno (Eleanor) Aning, Luverne; three sisters, Dena Tholen, Rushmore, Jennie Johnson, Luverne, and Mary (Ray) Harsma, Worthington, and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Ms. Aning was preceded in death by her parents, one brother and two sisters.

Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne, was in charge of arrangements.

Irene Schlapkohl, 97, Luverne, died Friday, Dec. 27 at Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center, Luverne. Visitation will be Monday, Dec. 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne. Graveside services will be Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 10 a.m. at Maplewood Cemetery, Luverne, with Rev. Bart Fletcher officiating.

Valeria M. Logghe, 84, Worthington, died Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2002, at South Shore Care Center, in Worthington.

Memorial services were Saturday, Dec. 21, at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Worthington. The Rev. Robert Schulze officiated. Burial was in Worthington Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Valeria Rusche was born to Edward and Bertha (Leu) Rusche on May 12, 1918, in Ocheyedan, Iowa. She graduated from Ocheyedan High School in 1935. After graduation she lived on farms outside Round Lake and north of Worthington. In her later years she lived at the Atrium until she moved to South Shore Care Center in 2001.

She married Julius Logghe in 1952 and moved to Worthington. She worked part-time at a number of local businesses, including Michael’s Supper Club and Gordon’s Coffee Shop.

Mrs. Logghe was active in Ladies Aid at St. Matthew Lutheran Church and VFW Ladies Auxiliary where she was president for several years. She was an avid and loyal fan of all sports, especially the Minnesota Twins. Other favorite hobbies included needlework, gardening and quilting, creating quilts for each of her children as well as the framed works that decorated her walls.

Survivors include 10 children, Mary Gross, Ft. Madison, Iowa, Dennis Reed, Round Lake, Lyman Reed, Hubbard, Ore., Richard Haack, Minnetonka, Sean Logghe, Rochester, N.Y., Corby Logghe, Newport, Danna Brophy, Colorado Springs, Colo., Erin Muller, Fairmont, Kevin Logghe, Germantown, Md., and Robyn Vogel, Tarpon Springs, Fla.; 14 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and one brother, John (Ruth) Rusche, Redwood Falls.

Mrs. Logghe was preceded in death by her husband, Julius, one son, James Reed, one infant, and one brother.

Dingmann Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Worthington, was in charge of arrangements.

Erling H. Jensen, 75, Luverne, died Monday, Dec. 16, 2002, at Merrill Pioneer Community Hospital in Rock Rapids, Iowa.

Graveside services were Friday, Dec. 20, at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne. The Rev. Maurice E. Hagen officiated.

Erling Jensen was born to Jens and Anna (Benson) Jensen on Feb. 15, 1927, in Luverne. He grew up on the family farm and attended country school through the eighth grade.

He married Joyce Dubbe on Oct. 3, 1945, in Luverne. The couple farmed southeast of Luverne. He retired from farming in September 1995 and became a resident of Lyon Manor Nursing Center in Rock Rapids.

Survivors include two sons, Stanley Jensen, Beaver Creek, and Mark Jensen, Mankato; three daughters, Rhonda Smiens, Luverne, Julie (Larry) Back, Hartley, Iowa, and Ruth (Paul) Kokenge, Sioux Falls, S.D.; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; two sisters, Sylvia Salvesen, Monroe, N.Y., and Julia Skyberg, Luverne; several nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Mr. Jensen was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Joyce, on July 12, 1983, one brother, Ralph, and one sister, Esther.

Engebretson Funeral Home, Luverne, was in charge of arrangements.

Emmet Heikes, 79, Luverne, died Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2002, at Luverne Community Hospital.
Services were Saturday, Dec. 21, at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. The Rev. Maurice E. Hagen officiated. Burial was in Grand Prairie Cemetery, Ellsworth.

Emmet Heikes was born to Peter and Grace (Brommer) Heikes on Jan. 12, 1923, in rural Ellsworth. He attended country school in rural Ellsworth.

He married Helen Bohnart on June 30, 1942, in Viola Township, Osceola County, Iowa. He was drafted into the service in 1944. He served in the Merchant Marines in the Philippines. After the war, he worked as a mechanic at Heikes Motors in Ellsworth. He later began farming in different locations in Rock and Nobles County. He retired from farming in 1985 and moved to Luverne for three years. They moved to Sibley, Iowa, in 1988 and later moved to Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne in 2000.

Mr. Heikes was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. He enjoyed fishing and small carpentry projects.

Survivors include his wife, Helen Heikes, Luverne; four children and their spouses, Liela (Bill) Jackson, Mitchell, S.D.; Sharon (Neil) Dohlmann, Magnolia, Gary (Sue) Heikes, Montevideo, and Ronald (Gloria) Heikes, Parkston, S.D.; 11 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; two brothers, Melvin (Leona) Heikes and Lawrence (Mildred) Heikes, all of Luverne; and three sisters, Arlene (George) Groen, Rock Rapids, Iowa, Mildred (Ralph) Lais, Magnolia, and Ruth Weirtzsma, Bird Island Mission, Ky.

Mr. Heikes was preceded in death by his parents, five brothers, Marvin, Raymond, Clarence, Elmer and Glen, and one sister, Margaret.

Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne, was in charge of arrangements.

Ray Binford, 90, Luverne, died Sunday, Nov. 10 at the Tuff Memorial Home, Hills. Visitation will be Tuesday, Nov. 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Engebretson Funeral Home. Services will be Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, Luverne. Burial will be at Maplewood Cemetery.

Margaret Winter, 77, Luverne, died Sunday, Nov. 10 at Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Home, Luverne. Visitation will be Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Engebretson Funeral Home, Luverne. Services will be Thursday, Nov. 14 at 10:30 a.m. at St. John Lutheran Church, Luverne. Burial well be at Maplewood Cemetery.

Lorraine Overgaard, 83, Luverne, died Saturday, Dec. 28 at Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls. Visitation will be Monday, Dec. 30 from 7 to 9 a.m. at Engebretson Funeral Home. Services will be Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 11 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, Luverne, with Rev. Dell Sanderson officiating.