Robert Loosbrock, 80, of Luverne died Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at the Dougherty Hospice House, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, at the Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne, and one hour prior to the service at the church.
Service will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, at St. Catherine's Catholic Church, Luverne. Burial will be in Maplewood Cemetary, Luverne.
Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne, is in charge of arrangements.

A Christmas lighted train engine will again highlight Luverne’s 2022 community holiday plans, which kick off with fireworks Nov. 27 in Luverne City Park where individuals, businesses and organizations have been decorating lighted displays.
Ellis and Eastern Railroad will transport Santa and Mrs. Claus through several communities on Sunday, starting in Rushmore at 11:30 a.m. with stops in Adrian and Magnolia before ending in Luverne.
The jolly couple will meet families and pose for photos at the Omaha Depot on Freeman Street from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
At 6 the city park will open to let cars into the park to watch fireworks, which will begin at 7 p.m. The first 300 children to enter the park will each receive a gift.
A fireworks display will begin at 7 p.m. and the grand park lighting will be at 7:30.
Luverne Chamber Director Jane Wildung Lanphere encourages people and families to experience the holiday tradition.
“We have so many individuals, organizations and businesses that have stepped up to the plate to make this special event possible by sponsoring the fireworks, decorating the park and putting together gifts for children,” she said.
“Luverne is a great community where everyone pitches in to make magical things like this happen.”
More information is on the Chamber website or by calling 507-283-4061.

Cory Bloemendaal of Buffalo Ridge Insurance announced last week that his agency is buying the Estenson Company insurance business from Dave Gangestad, who is retiring.
Bloemendaal said the business move is the result of a healthy business relationship between the two agencies.
“Dave and I have been competitors — and he’s been a good competitor,” he said.
“But Dave and I have always maintained a relationship where we could talk to each other about what’s happening in the business.”
Buffalo Ridge Insurance clients will receive letters this week about the news.
“Both companies have been local, independent insurance agencies providing similar lines of insurance, clientele and partner companies, making this an excellent fit,” Bloemendaal wrote in the letter.
“We remain committed to you and will continue to provide the best insurance value and service available.”
He said current clients of both Buffalo Ridge and Estenson Co. won’t notice changes during the acquisition, which becomes effective Jan. 1.
“All services provided to you in the past will continue to be offered in the future,” Bloemendaal wrote in the letter.
He said the Buffalo Ridge staff remains the same, with the addition of Lisa Diekmann of the Estenson Company.
“Lisa brings 37 years of experience, and we are grateful to have her assistance for a smooth transition,” Bloemendaal said.
“She’s really sharp and knows her way around the insurance business. The Estenson customers should be comforted to know she’ll be there to add stability for them.”
For the first several months of 2023, Diekmann will continue working from the current Estenson office as a Buffalo Ridge agent.
“So, if an Estenson customer stops in there, they probably won’t notice anything different,” Bloemendaal said.
“For our part, Estenson allows us to grow and become stronger, and customers can expect more options and the same level of service they’ve been getting.”
Tim Knoll, who has 27 years of experience with Estenson Company, purchased the Medicare and health insurance business from Estenson and will continue serving those clients through his new business, Knoll & Associates.
He’ll lease space from Tim Gust at 222 East Main Street between Heidebrink Insurance and Cardinal Fuel on the south side of the street. It opens Jan. 3. (See the related story.)

Longtime Luverne businessman Tim Knoll announced this week that he will open a new business, Knoll & Associates, starting Jan. 3.
He'll specialize in Medicare plans, individual and group health insurance, life insurance and annuities.
“Medicare can be difficult to understand and navigate,” Knoll said. “But with my experience, I can ensure clients receive a policy that’s right for their situation and at an affordable cost.”
He has over 27 years of insurance experience in Luverne and surrounding communities through his work with The Estenson Company.
Knoll recently purchased the Medicare and health insurance business from The Estenson Company and will continue to service those customers with no interruption to their policies.
“I’m grateful for those who have trusted me with their insurance needs over the past two decades,” Knoll said. “And I look forward to continuing those relationships.”
His business launch coincides with Buffalo Ridge Insurance buying the Estenson Company from Dave Gangestad. (See the related story.)
With that transaction, 37-year Estenson insurance agent Lisa Diekmann will continue her part-time duties as a Buffalo Ridge Insurance employee.
Since 2000, the Estensen Company had been leasing space in the small brick building owned by Gene Cragoe on East Main Street.
Knoll & Associates will lease space from Tim Gust at 222 East Main Street between Heidebrink Insurance and Cardinal Fuel on the south side of the street.
His first day of business in the new location will be Tuesday, Jan. 3. However, in letters mailed this week, Knoll is reminding his clients to stay in touch with him ahead of the Dec. 7 Medicare enrollment deadline.
“I will continue to be your agent with no interruption to your policy or service,” he wrote. “Everything will transfer with me and remain as is.”
He can be reached at 605-929-4277 or 800-350-0952.

After more than 45 years Alan Stroeh is retiring from the automotive business and is selling his Stroeh’s Auto Center on East Main Street.
And, after more than 40 years of turning wrenches for service shops and racing pit crews, Stroeh’s serviceman Doug Flier is going into business for himself.
“Owning my own auto repair business has been a goal of mine for quite some time,” said Flier, Valley Springs.
He is buying the East Main Street business after working the past nine years for Stroeh.
The Luverne Economic Development Authority has assisted Flier with local business financing, which was approved this month.
Flier was approved for LEDA “gap financing” to purchase Stroeh’s business, which will be renamed Doug’s Auto Repair.
EDA director Holly Sammons praised Flier’s business plan in email correspondence prior to the Nov. 14 meeting.
“I’m really excited for your new venture,” she wrote. “Your loan request was one of the best applications I’ve seen, and it was very well put together. I greatly appreciate your organization and communication.” 
Flier is purchasing the existing Stroeh’s business, making some improvements, and will continue to provide complete service of automobiles and repairing and maintaining all types of vehicles, ranging from cars and SUVs to full-size pickups.
He’s also been working with the Small Business Development Center to compile the financial package and loan request for the business acquisition project.
The total acquisition and start-up costs will be funded through owner equity, bank financing and a gap loan in the amount of $17,000 from the LEDA.
It’s a seven-year loan, to be secured by mortgage, at 4 percent interest.
The LEDA’s revolving loan fund guidelines state that the equity participation must be at least 10 percent and gap financing should not exceed 20 percent of the total project cost.
Doug’s Auto Repair meets requirements for the loan, and closing on the business purchase is set for Jan. 3.
“It’s been great working for Al over the past several years,” Flier said. “And it’s been a rewarding experience to buy his business from him.”
For Stroeh, selling his Stroeh’s Auto Center represents an end of an era.
He started in the industry in 1975, working for Herman Motor when it was located downtown Luverne. He worked there until 1990 when he went to work for Lyle Nelson at Nelson Automotive on West Main Street (where Schomacker Cleaning is now located).
In 2004 Stroeh bought Nelson’s business and also Bush’s 66 from Eldon Bush and combined the two businesses into one at the current Stroeh’s location.
Stroeh said he’s looking forward to retirement but will continue farming northwest of Luverne.
“I’ll be 63 in March, and I’d like to just farm,” he said. “Someone once told me, ‘You’ll know when it’s time to retire when it’s time.’ … Well, it’s time.”
Flier said he’ll retain current employees and will look to hire another automotive technician.
Sammons is also assisting Flier with a new logo and signage, which will go up in January.

If members of Luverne’s National Honor Society follow Ron Honken’s advice, they will read every day, help find solutions, stay local, and give back to their communities.
Honken was the guest speaker for the 2022 induction ceremony Nov. 14 in the Luverne Middle-High School performing arts center.
Fifteen new members joined the nine seniors inducted to the society last year.
New members include seniors Emma Beyer, Brady Bork, Lauren Hansen, Camden Hoven, Camden Janiszeski, Ethan Nath, Isabella Oye, juniors Brynn Boyenga, Jenna DeBates, Henry Hartquist, Julia Hoogland, Patrick Kroski, Tori Serie, Elizabeth Smidt and Sarah Stegenga.
They joined existing members, seniors Parker Carbonneau, Ross Bergman, Tori Hemme, Anja Jarchow, Logan Ommen, Averill Sehr, Christina Wagner, Elizabeth Wagner and Jamie Graham.
Honken, an LHS 1983 graduate, used personal experiences and offered some sage advice after returning to southwest Minnesota two years ago with his wife, Cathy, also an LHS alum.
“If I can leave you with a little gold nugget that will come to you at the right time and allow you to make a great decision, I am going to feel really good about that,” he said.
Using the NHS pillars of leadership, service, scholarship and citizenship, Honken used knowledge gained from almost 40 years working in the business world.
“Learn how to disagree without being disagreeable. It will serve you well in life,” Honken said. “If you do that, it will set you apart.”
A part of learning to disagree is a daily education in what’s happening around the world and locally.
“If you spend ten minutes a day just reading the national and international news, local news, you’re going to be way ahead,” he said. “The other thing that’s better is to read opinions from someone who you don’t agree with.
“You can learn from them — you don’t have to agree with them.”
Honken’s noticed in his career in banking and finance is that people are more eager to become angry, wanting to prove themselves right.
“When dealing with issues, take the person out of the problem and deal with only the problem,” Honken said. “I’ve found focusing on the problem versus not the person, we can get some things done.”
As future leaders, Honken said it’s easy to be caught in the trap of putting oneself first. Effective leaders do the opposite.
“Share the credit and bear the blame. That’s hard for people to do but raise people up and celebrate with them,” Honken said.
With today’s technology, being a leader within an international business doesn’t mean leaving southwest Minnesota to accomplish their dreams.
Honken works as the chief growth officer for Aon, an international insurance brokerage and consulting company. He works from his home in Leota.
“Today you guys don’t have to go anywhere to go somewhere. You can stay in this area if you so choose and accomplish all your dreams,” Honken said.
Effective leaders also give back — time, talent and treasure.
As an example, Honken offered to be a contact for each of the 24 LHS National Honor Society members.
“This is a tremendous thing you have done but don’t let this be your finest moment. Your finest moment is coming and I look forward to reading about you and hearing about you and connecting with you in the future and helping you,” he said.
“This is just the beginning for you.”

The Luverne girls’ hockey team wasted no time getting the 2022-23 season rolling when they ripped off three wins in a row in their first week of play.
Coming off last season’s section championship and state tournament appearance, Luverne took down New Ulm on the road Tuesday, Nov. 15, blanked Windom 8-0 in the home opener Thursday, Nov. 17, and beat Minnesota River on the road Saturday, Nov. 19.
The Cardinals, now 3-0 on the season, will play their next game Tuesday night, Nov. 22 in Fairmont against the Cardinals.
 
Luverne 4, New Ulm 1
The Luverne Cardinals girls’ hockey team opened the season on the road Tuesday, Nov. 15, against conference rival New Ulm.
The hometown Eagles and Cardinals battled back and forth and headed into the first intermission knotted at 0-0. Shots on goal were in favor of the Cardinals 12-8.
The Cardinals got on the board just 8 seconds into Period 2 when Minnesota State Division 1 commit senior Kamryn Van Batavia got one past New Ulm goalie Ava Brennan to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead  with Ella Apel assisting on Van Batavia’s goal.
A total of 22 shots on goal were fired on Brennan and Luverne goalie Mallory Von Tersch, but Luverne carried the 1-0 lead into Intermission 2.
In the final period Luverne increased its lead to two when senior Mallory Nelson found the back of the net with the assist going to Payton Behr early in the period.
Taking advantage of a Cardinal penalty New Ulm finally scored on Von Tersch and cut the Cardinals’ lead to one just two minutes into Period 3.
New Ulm went back on the power play midway through the period, and Kamryn Van Batavia took a Rylee Kurtz pass and gave the Cardinals a 3-1 lead on the shorthanded goal.
Luverne’s final goal of the game came from the sister connection of seventh-grader Ellie Van Batavia, who recorded her first varsity goal on a pass from big sister Kamryn to give the Cardinals a 4-1 lead and a Cardinal victory to open the season.
Von Tersch finished with a rock solid 25 saves for the Cardinals. Luverne outshot New Ulm 37-25 in the game.
 
Luverne 8, Windom 0
The Cardinals welcomed the Windom Eagles to the Blue Mound Ice Arena in Luverne Thursday, Nov. 17, for their home opener of the season.
Luverne wasted no time netting four goals in the opening period.
Kamryn Van Batavia scored a couple of unassisted goals, and Izzy Steensma scored her first two varsity goals in Period 1 to give the Cardinals a commanding lead after Period 1. Kassidy Saarloos assisted on one of Steensma’s goals.
Shots on goal for Period 1 were in Luverne’s favor 19-4.
Van Batavia would get her hat trick to give the Cardinals a 5-0 lead in Period 2.
Rylee Kurtz netted her first career varsity goal on an assist from Payton Behr to take a 6-0 lead into the period break. Luverne held a 15-6 advantage on shots on goal in Period 2.
Sophomore Payton Behr buried a couple of third-period goals to make it 6-0, and the Cardinals rolled to 2-0 on the season.
Steensma and Greta McClure each had an assist in the last period. Senior goaltender Mallory Von Tersch recorded the shutout, making 11 saves in the victory. Shots on goal for the game ended in the Cardinals’ favor 44-11.
 
Luverne 5,
Minnesota River 1
The Cardinals girls’ hockey team went on a weekend road trip to Le Sueur to take on the Minnesota River Bulldogs Saturday.
Neither team could net a goal in Period 1 so the two took a 0-0 score into the intermission. Shots on goal for Period 1 were 11-8 in favor of Luverne.
Luverne’s Greta McClure got the Cardinals on the board just 1:12 into the second period, with assists going to Payton Behr and Izzy Steensma.
Three minutes later the Bulldogs responded by beating Luverne goalie Mallory Von Tersch to tie it at 1-1. Kamryn Van Batavia scored an unassisted goal at the 9:07 mark to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.
Just over a minute later Payton Behr made it 3-1, with the assist going to Steensma. Luverne held a slim lead in shots on goal at 12-7 at the end of the second period.
Kamryn Van Batavia scored her second and third goals of the game in the final period, and Von Tersch blanked the bulldogs to give the Cardinals a 5-1 road victory.
Ellie Van Batavia and Payton Behr each picked up an assist on Kamryn’s goals. Von Tersch finished with 19 saves and Luverne ended with a 37-20 advantage in shots on goal.

Luverne Public Schools will receive an additional $450,825 in 2023 from the local tax levy.
The State of Minnesota Department of Education tabulated the 12.02 increase, which local school board members accepted at their Sept. 22 meeting.
The increase brings the local levy for Luverne Schools to $4.2 million, up from $3.75 in 2021. The district’s total annual budget is $17 million.
Board members set the district’s Truth in Taxation hearing for 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, at the school. The hearing allows the public to provide input into school expenditures as district officials review budget decisions.
Also at the Sept. 22 meeting, board members accepted the new two-year contract with the district’s custodian union. The board and union used a mediator to reach the agreement for 2022-23 and 2023-24.
The agreement included no percentage increase the first year due to a restructuring of the current pay scale.
In the contract agreement, the top three pay steps were removed and three additional steps were added to the bottom of the scale.
Depending on years of service, the district will add an additional $300, $550 or $800 to the retirement fund.
A 90-cent pay differential remains in the agreement for shifts between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
In year two of the contract, custodians receive a 2.75 percent pay increase.

The 2023 levy was increased by 4.5 percent in action taken recently by the Rock County Commissioners.
The increase adds $294,041 to bring the total county portion of the tax levy to $6.8 million.
The county’s 2023 budget is anticipated to be $12 million.
A Truth In Taxation hearing is Tuesday, Dec. 13, in the commissioners’ room. The hearing starts at 6 p.m.
The board will adopt the final levy amount at its Dec. 27 meeting. At that time, the levy percentage may be decreased but not increased.
The county is currently in union negotiations, and final contract amounts have not been determined.