March 2013

During the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Saturday, March 17, 2012, people lining the parade route were wearing t-shirts and shorts. The temperature was nearing 80 degrees.

Just the day before the high had hit 79 degrees setting an all-time record high for the month. As it reached mid-afternoon and the parade began winding its way down 13th Street, the temperature again hit 79 degrees in Benson. A good-sized crowd lined both sides of the street with parents bringing their young children out to gather the candy that would be thrown from the floats.

What a contrast to the 2013 St. Patrick’s Day parade!

With the temperature at 10 degrees – 69 degrees colder than the previous year – the parade route had far fewer people willing to brave the cold, made even more frigid by a 15 mph wind out of the north. The days high of 27 degrees was shortly after midnight, after which it steadily declined.

Marvin Edward Zurn, age 90, of DeGraff, died Thursday, March 7, 2013, at the Swift County Benson Hospital.     Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 A.M., Wednesday, March 13, 2013, at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church in DeGraff, with Father William Sprigler Officiating.  Visitation will be held Tuesday, March 12th from 4:00 – 7:00 P.M. at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church with a Parish Prayer Service at 4:00 P.M. and a Rosary at 6:30 P.M.  Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church.  Burial will be in the St. Bridget’s Catholic Cemetery.  Arrangements are with the Zniewski Funeral Home in Benson, MN.
    
Marvin Edward Zurn was born in Grace Township, Chippewa County, Minnesota to Effie Mae (Payne) and John William Zurn on January 24, 1923.  He was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church and attended school in Grace Township.  He grew up and lived his entire life in Grace Township, Chippewa County.

Robert “Bob” Curtis Lachmiller, age 85, of Clontarf, died Sunday, March 3, 2013, at the Glacial Ridge Health System in Glenwood.             Funeral services will be at 1:00 P.M., Thursday, March 7, 2013, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Benson, with Rev. Dennis McManus Officiating.          Friends may call for one hour prior to the service.  Arrangements are with the Zniewski Funeral Home in Benson, MN.
    
Robert “Bob” Curtis Lachmiller was born in Good Thunder, MN to Lila (Kaul) and Frederick Lachmiller on July 17, 1927.  He was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church and grew up in Good Thunder attending Sterling Public School.  Bob served in the Korean War from 1950 - 1952 as a private first class and radio operator in the US Army.