Author: admin

Loving Wife, Mother, Grandmother and Great-GrandmotherElaine Grono, age 84 of Forest Lake passed away peacefully in her sleep on June 17, 2017.
Elaine loved wildlife and nature, but most of all her children and grandchildren. Her children will remember her for the fearlessness she instilled in them.
Preceded in death by son-in-law, Marvin Hossalla.
Survived by husband of 66 years, Edmund; children, David H. (Carole Jean) Grono, Margaret Ann Hossalla, Susan Elaine (Kevin) Miller; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; siblings; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
A Celebration of Elaine’s Life will be 11 a.m. Thursday, June 22nd at Messiah Lutheran Church, 807 Hwy 97 SE, Forest Lake with visitation beginning at 10 a.m. until time of service. Interment in Lakeview Cemetery, Mahtomedi. Memorials preferred to Messiah Lutheran Church.

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Kathleen Dianne (Gibbs) Koch, passed away peacefully and surrounded by love, on June 8th, 2017.
She is preceded in death by parents Bob and Ruth Gibbs.
Kathy is survived by her loving husband, John W. Drongeson, children Scott Taylor, Gwen Edwards (Robert), Lynn Betzold (Joe), 11 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, brothers Michael Gibbs (Jan), Steve Gibbs (Susie) and five nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, June 27, 2017 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 9185 N. Lexington Avenue, Circle Pines, MN 55014. Family will greet guests at 6 p.m.; service begins at 6:30 with a reception to follow.

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By Kathy Lohmer – Guest Columnist
I’d like the opportunity to respond to a recent ECM editorial and correct some misinformation regarding the conclusion of the 2017 Legislative Session – most specifically Gov. Dayton’s decision to eliminate funding for the Minnesota Legislature.broadstreet.zone(48036);
Let’s be clear. The only reason we are in this position is because Gov. Dayton once again did not want to negotiate in good faith with the Legislature.
Last year, Gov. Dayton said he would approve a tax relief proposal if the Legislature agreed to some of his proposals. After lawmakers did that, he went back on his word and vetoed the plan.
This year, he once again indicated he would support a tax relief proposal. Then Gov. Dayton said he would have vetoed the tax relief proposal had the Revenue Departments’ funding not been contingent upon its enactment.
Does this sound like someone who negotiates in good faith?
To avoid the usual last-minute negotiating headaches,

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Submitted photoAfter a homecoming football game, Environmental Club members Maria Valentin, Irene Manning, Elsa Manning, William Potry, Ashley Rahmeyer and Jorden Duda spent two hours cleaning up garbage, streamers and food from underneath the bleachers. They collected five bags in total.
Summer Schwintek may have only taken on the role of Forest Lake Area High School Environmental Club president in May, but her dedication to protecting the environment is longstanding. She plans to use her new position to promote her club’s efforts to the community and make Forest Lake a more Earth-friendly place to live.
“We are a collection of about 30 students who are passionate about protecting the environment,” she said. “We meet once a week for a half hour to discuss projects and plans to increase environmental awareness in our school and our community.”broadstreet.zone(48036);
One major initiative that put the club on many people’s radar screens was the implementation of a

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Lyle Anthony “Tony” Willette was born in Pierz, MN on March 26, 1938 one of the seventeen children of Theodore and Theresa (Zimmerman) Willette. He died at St. Anthony’s Hospital in St. Louis County on June 5, 2017 at the age of 79. He is survived by his wife Judy (Knox) Willette, De Soto; one son: Stephen Willette, Cambridge, MN; three daughters: Linda (Pete) Torres, Brownsville, TX, Brenda (Robert) Anderson, Harris, MN, and Diane (Christopher) Friend, Wyoming, MN; ten grandchildren: Kyle Willette, Alexandra Willette, Sabrina Willette, Pete Torres, Jr., Amber (Jason) Mummert, Savannah (Matt) Coleman, Tabatha (Tyler) Anderson, Timothy (Liz) Anderson, Stephanie (Jesse) Lapinski, and Valarie Friend; seven great-grandchildren: Sawyer, Riley, Jocelyn, Jaden, Payton, Larae, and Brooklyn; five sisters: Therese (Jerry) Degendorfer, Forrest Lake, MN, Mary (the late Joe) Provost, Spring Lake Park, MN, Ellen (Jody) Lance, Rock Creek, MN, Bonita (Steve) Ouverson, Stanchfield, MN, and Susan Willette, Coon Rapids,

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Laura (Lynn) Schave, age 62, of Wyoming, passed away peacefully after a courageous battle with ALS on June 14, 2017.
Preceded in death by father, James Edward Bolenbaugh.
Survived by husband, Warren; daughter, Dianna; foreign exchange daughter, Andrea (Ivan) de Uribe (Gaytan); mother, Jane Bolenbaugh, brother, Gary (Elaine) Bolenbaugh, and many other extended family members.
Celebration of Life Service Sunday, July 9th, 4 p.m. at Linwood Covenant Church. Visitation at 2:30; reception to follow service. Memorials preferred to the ALS Association: www.alsmn.org

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Delores Ramona “Dee” Rasmussen, 88, passed away peacefully on Monday June 12, 2017 surrounded by her children.
She was born on May 7, 1929 to Reuben and Caroline Larson in LaCrosse, WI. After graduating from Logan High School she attended State Teaching College for two years before moving to Minneapolis, where she went to Patricia Stevens Modeling School.
On July 6, 1952, she married Duane A. Rasmussen. After residing in Baltimore, MD for five months following Duane’s enlistment in the Army, they moved to Panama while he served active duty in the Canal Zone. They returned and lived in Austin, MN from 1954 until 1965 when they moved to Greenville, OH. In 1968 they relocated to Forest Lake, where Delores was divorced from Duane and remained for 49 years.
Delores was a devoted mother and grandmother and enjoyed her many close friends. She never met a stranger and was known most for her

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Steve was born on October 3, 1941 and died on Father’s Day, June 18, 2017. Steve was originally from Forest Lake, MN. He and his wife, Melanie, and their sons, lived in Beldenville, WI prior to Melanie’s death in 2007. Due to complications from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Steve moved to an assisted-living facility in Andover, MN to be closer to family. Steve was preceded in death by parents, Bert and Elsie Vogel; and beloved wife, Melanie. He is survived by sons, Brian (Adele) and Matt (Ghillian); sisters, Mary (Norm) McGraw and Joanna (Chuck) Warren; nephews, Michael, David, and John McGraw, and Eric and Mark Warren; niece, Rebecca Hudoba; and their spouses and children. Per Steve’s request, no services will be held. Arrangements entrusted to Thurston-DeShaw Funeral Home of Andover (763) 767-7373 www.thurston-deshaw.com

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Roger, age 75, of Center City, died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family on June 17, 2017.
A Celebration of Roger’s Life will be 11 a.m. Saturday June 24th at Roberts Family Life Celebration Home, 555 SW Centennial Dr., Forest Lake with visitation beginning at 10 a.m. until time of service.

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