Sandra Helen Eitreim, 80, Fridley, formerly of Luverne, died Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, of multiple health issues while in hospice at White Pine of Fridley.
A family private burial will take place at a later date.
Sandra Eitreim was born March 15, 1940, in Sinai, South Dakota. She grew up in Luverne, where she was confirmed at Grace Lutheran Church. She graduated from Luverne High School in 1958 and then attended Nettleton College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
She moved to Mankato where she worked many years at MRCI Sheltered workshop. She transferred to Lifeworks, where she enjoyed the opportunity to pursue her love of art. She sold many of her drawings and stationery featuring her best work. She was also skilled in creating beaded jewelry. She enjoyed creating Barbie doll and GI-Joe outfits for her niece and nephews.
Sandra’s love of travel began with a trip to Norway with her parents. She later became a member of the Mankato LEEP program and enjoyed traveling to Hawaii and Washington, D.C., among other destinations. She also was fond of spending time in Florida with her sister Barbara and brother-in-law Jim at their condo.
Sandra moved to Minneapolis to be closer to relatives. She looked forward to casino trips with her sister Barbara. Sandra also enjoyed a good sense of humor and was known for her “knock, knock” jokes.
Sandra is survived by her sister, Barbara (James) of Minneapolis; four nephews, Mark (Ann), Steven (Tara), David, and Michael; one niece, Carolyn (Brendan); five great-nephews, Michael (friend Angela), Matthew (Robyn), Scott, Ryder, and Charlie; great-niece Caitlin (Paul); great-great-nieces and nephews; and her best friend Bonnie Gosewisch.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Harvey and Bernice Eitreim.
Memorials are preferred to Harvey G. Eitreim Dollars for scholars, Minnesota Disability Law Center, or Autism Speaks.
Arrangements were provided by Dingmann Funeral Home of Luverne,
dingmannandsons.com
(0204 F)

Herman Lupkes, 86, Luverne, died Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, at the Pipestone County Hospice.
Arrangements are pending with Dingmann Funeral Home of Luverne, dingmannandsons.com.
 (0204 DN)

Alvera “Polly” Martinson, 102, Alliance Township of Moody County, South Dakota, died Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, at her home.
Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 4, at the Jasper Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jasper. A prayer service will follow at 12:30 p.m. at the church. Interment will be at the Jasper City Cemetery. Mask wearing and social distancing are required.
Arrangements are provided by Hartquist Funeral Home Jasper Chapel, www.hartquistfuneral.com.
 (0204 DN)

Luverne Rotary Club was among 13 local clubs that received a grant from the District Rotary 5610. The check for $2,200 was donated to Luverne Community Education to lessen the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on community education’s budget. Rotary Clubs across southwest Minnesota, northwest Iowa and northeastern Nebraska were invited to apply for grants to help organizations within their communities with the disaster relief funds received by the District. Rotary member Emily Crabtree (far right) wrote the grant and Rotary president Tammy Loosbrock (second from right) presented the check Monday to Luverne Community Education administrative assistant Cindy Arends (far left) and director Lisa Nath.

Local children’s author Kathie Hendricks has had two more books published, “Please Don’t Eat the Cupcakes” and “Backyard Hockey.”
Featuring the same 8- and 11-year-old characters, Bean and Tommy, the cupcakes story is about kids helping to make cupcakes with frosting at Gramma Rosie’s house, and the cupcakes talk.
Backyard Hockey is appropriately based on the Hendricks family’s experiences when Kathie and Bruce Hendricks’ sons played hockey in Luverne.
“I learned to skate when I was a kid, and still skate today,” she said.
The back cover describes the setting. “Kids in Minnesota couldn’t wait for the weather to turn cold,” it reads. “With the cold weather that means turning some backyards into rinks. Backyards are flooded, then turned into ice hockey rinks. Kids would skate and play hockey till the ice melts in the spring!”
Two additional books are currently at the publishers awaiting release: “A Day at the Beach,” and “My Friend Andee.”
This time, Bean and Tommy are excited to go the beach and wonder if they’ll see a shark.
Hendricks said one part of the story recreates a mishap in 2015 when her grown children helped her escape the pull of crashing waves on a California beach.
The other book follows the adventures of Bean’s imaginary friend, Andee, who is based on an imaginary friend that Hendrick’s daughter spoke of in childhood.
“When we moved to Luverne, Andee moved to New York City,” Hendricks recalled about 4-year-old Stephanie.
Her latest releases join two other books already on the market.
“Here Come the Leprechauns” was released just ahead of St. Patrick’s Day in 2019, and her first book, “Walleyes and Watermelon: the Story of Summer at the Lake,” came out in January 2019.
Hendricks, a licensed in-home child care provider, said she had long dreamed of writing a children’s book, but it wasn’t until she had back surgery in 2017 that she found the time and motivation to do it.
By the end of her 10-week recuperation, Hendricks had written nine more children’s books, all neatly recorded in a stack of manuscripts ready to share with her publisher.
“Once I get an idea in my head, it doesn’t take very long to write,” she said. “It’s not a novel; children’s books are 20 pages or less.”
She publishes under the pen name, “Kate Henry,” through Christian Faith Publishing in Meadville, Pennsylvania.
Her books are available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and in bookstores.

The following appeared in The Rose History in 1911.
 
Rock County Village (continued from 01-28-20 edition of the Star Herald)
 
         But Bruce refused to entirely forfeit its lease of life. There were few signs of activity during 1890, but none of a nature that assured a regeneration. J. N. Jacobson, upon moving to Hills, resigned as postmaster of Bruce, and was succeeded in May by F. T. Miller. Mr. Miller laid plans for the opening of a general store but did not put them into execution. A store was established, however, by Hans N. Kjergaard. Postmaster Miller served only a few months in that capacity and withdrew in favor of Mr. Kjergaard, who has ever since held the office. For six months, during 1890 Bruce came in to prominence as a wholesale center. Two liquor firms, Hickey & Mecknemar and the North Star Drug company, which were forced from South Dakota by prohibition laws, located for business at Bruce, the first town over the state line, but their career was run within a short period.
         All later efforts to “boost” Bruce have ended in failure. During the spring of 1893, N. T. Burroughs, of  Cherokee, Iowa, who was interested in the townsite, proposed to once more establish the place on a firm footing.13 But the hopes thus awakened never saw fulfillment. A year prior to this the two grain warehouses at Bruce became the property of Edmonds & Londergan, and were converted into elevators. Disaster visited Bruce on the morning of October 16, 1900, when fire destroyed the Illinois Central depot, which was later rebuilt on a smaller scale.
         The town of Bruce is today virtually controlled by one man, Hans N. Kjergaard, who is postmaster, only merchant, proprietor of the two elevators, stock buyer and station agent. He was one of the few who refused to leave Bruce in the day of its crisis, and largely through his determination to stay, Bruce has maintained its place on the map.
         13T. F. Shannon and T. E. Munger, officials of the Illinois Central railroad, and N. T. Burroughs, of Cherokee, were in town Tuesday on townsite business. Mr. Burroughs proposes to start Bruce up again and will make a first-class country town of it. Mr. Burroughs is a man of great wealth and he intends to offer every inducement he can to business enterprises which he can get started at this place, and there is no doubt that in a short time Bruce will be one of the best country towns in this section of the country. We will have three good general stores running within a month from now.”—Correspondence in Rock County Herald, April 21, 1893.
 
Kanaranzi
         Numbered among the half dozen smaller villages of Rock county is Kanaranzi, named after the township within which it is located. Stated specifically, it is situated on the southeast quarter of section 3, seven miles from the county seat on the Watertown-Ellsworth branch of the Rock Island railroad. The business town consists of a store, elevators and shops that derive their support from the agricultural country adjoining.
         The building of the Burlington railroad into Rock county in 1884 brought with it the possibility of new towns, and among the places to materialize was the station in Kanaranzi township. The grading of the proposed  line was hardly commenced before there were negotiations between the railroad authorities and representatives of the farmers and landowners of Kanaranzi township in regard to locating a town, which it was expected would satisfy a long felt want for a more convenient market.14
         But a whole year was allowed to pass before the agitators’ hopes were realized. In August, 1885, the townsite company connected with the railroad took action. A survey was made during that month by LeRoy Grant, from which a town plat of nine blocks was made. The dedication occurred Septmeber 28, 1885, and on October 14 the instrument was placed on record.15 The land on which the town was located was originally the property of Charles Thompson.
         14“The people here have not yet given up all hopes of obtaining a depot in Kanaranzi township. The distance from Luverne to some good location will be about ten or eleven miles, and the country around here will support a good town, as it will get much of the trade that now goes to Adrian and Rock Rapids. We believe the railroad company is working for its own interest, and, allowing this to be a fact, we see no reason why we should feel in doubt.”—Correspondence in Rock County Herald, May, 16, 1884.
         15One addition has been attached to the original townsite of Kanaranzi: Kanaranzi Village Outlots, by G. S. Snover, December 27, 1904.
 
         The story of the village of Kanaranzi will continue in the Feb. 11 edition of the Star Herald.
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
 

The Luverne gymnastics team improved to 2-1 with a 125.350-124.550 victory over Pipestone Area in Luverne on Monday, Feb. 1.
In the vault competition, it was Amira Cowell coming in first with a score of 8.900.
Fellow eighth-grader Ella Reisdorfer finished second with a score of 8.700.
Tiana Lais finished fourth with a score of 8.500.
In the bars, it was Reisdorfer finishing first with a score of 8.350.
Cowell placed second behind her teammate with a score of 8.050.
Sarah de Cesare finished fifth with a score of 6.975.
On the beam it was Reisdorfer taking home second place with a score of 7.925.
Cowell placed fifth with a score of 7.300.
Reisdorfer was first in the floor routine with a score of 8.950.
Cowell placed second with a score of 8.600.
Coming in fourth place was Kianna Woods with a score of 8.100.
Overall it was Reisdorfer taking home first place with a score of 33.925.
Cowell came in third with a final score of 32.850.
The gymnastics team will be back in action on Thursday, Feb. 4, when they host Jackson County Central.

After dropping a Top 10 battle against Rochester Lourdes 4-2 last week, the Luverne Cardinals bounced back by winning both of their games to improve to 3-1 overall.
Luverne opened the week with a 5-2 road victory over Minnesota River on Friday, Jan. 30.
They then wrapped up the week with a 9-0 victory over Morris-Benson Area on Saturday, Jan. 31, at Blue Mound Ice Arena.
 
LHS 5, MN River 2
The Bulldogs struck first on an even-strength goal from Darbi Dunning.
Regan Feit evened the game for the Cardinals by scoring a power-play goal. Mallory Nelson recorded the assist on Feit’s goal.
Peyton Behr put the Cardinals up 2-1 when she scored a power-play goal in the second period. Kamryn Van Batavia notched the assist on Behr’s goal.
The Bulldogs answered right back with a goal to tie the game at 2-2.
Reghan Bork scored the first of her three goals in the game to put Luverne up 3-2 in the second period. Behr and Van Batavia each recorded an assist on Bork’s goal.
Bork opened the scoring in the final period to put Luverne up 4-2. Van Batavia notched her third assist of the game on the goal.
Bork picked up the hat trick by scoring the final goal of the game to put Luverne up 5-2. Van Batavia recorded her fourth assist of the game on the goal.
 
LHS 9, Morris/Benson 0
The Cardinals had three players record hat tricks during their shutout victory over the Storm on Saturday, Jan. 31.
Luverne’s offense erupted for five first-period goals to put the game out of reach for the visiting team right out of the gate.
Bork opened the scoring to put Luverne up 1-0. Behr and Van Batavia both recorded an assist on the goal.
Van Batavia scored the next two goals to put the Cardinals up 3-0.
Bork scored her second goal of the period to put the Cardinals up 4-0. Behr and Van Batavia both notched an assist on the goal.
Roz Oye wrapped up the scoring in the first period to put Luverne up 5-0. Nelson recorded the assist on the final goal of the period.
Oye scored a short-handed goal in the second to put the Cardinals up 6-0. Bork and Nelson both recorded assists on the goal.
Van Batavia scored her third goal of the game when she opened the scoring in the third period. Bork recorded the assist on the goal.
Bork scored her third goal of the game to put Luverne up 8-0. Van Batavia recorded the assist on the goal.
Oye wrapped up the scoring by notching her third goal of the game. Rylee Gee and Sophie Holmberg both recorded assists on the goal.
Mallory Von Tersch recorded 11 saves in the win.
The Cardinals will look to win their third straight game when they host Minnesota River on Tuesday, Feb. 2.
They’ll then wrap up the week when they hit the road to take on Dodge County on Friday, Feb. 5.

The Luverne Cardinals boys’ basketball team opened the season with a 3-0 start. That early success was halted, however, by a 59-42 loss to the sixth-ranked Marshall Tigers on Thursday, Jan. 28.
Marshall scored the first five points of the game and appeared ready to run the Cardinals out of the gym.
The Cardinals responded by going on a 10-2 run to take a 10-7 lead.
Marshall outscored the Cardinals 14-6 to close out the first half to take a 21-16 lead into the locker room.
“We held them to 21 points in the first half and we were really frustrating them with our defense,” Luverne head coach John Sichmeller said.
“Our defense stayed strong in the second half, but we didn’t make enough shots and had too many turnovers to get the win.”
In the second half, Marshall outscored the visiting Cardinals 38-26 to pick up the win.
“I was really happy with our effort,” Sichmeller said.
“Sometimes you play a team like Marshall and make a couple of turnovers and heads go down and kids give up. Our guys kept fighting the whole game and kept it within striking distance until about seven minutes to go.”
Sichmeller said that the matchup against the Tigers was a good litmus test for his team to see where they stack up.
“This was a good game for our kids,” Sichmeller said. “To have to play against a very good team will make us better in the long run.”
Bailey Cowell led the Cardinals with 14 points. The senior guard also dished out five assists.
Gannon Ahrendt scored 12 points, grabbed five rebounds, and blocked four shots.
The Cardinals will play their first home game of the season on Tuesday, Feb. 2, when they host Redwood Valley.
Luverne will wrap up the week by hosting Pipestone Area on Friday, Feb. 5.