DEATH NOTICES

John F. Harder
January 2, 1932 • September 5, 2019

John F. Harder, 87, died Thursday evening, September 5, 2019 at the Rice Care Center in Willmar, Minnesota.

Visitation will be held from 1:00-2:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 11, followed by a funeral service at 2:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Benson. Interment will follow the service at the Benson City Cemetery.

John F. Harder was born January 2, 1932, in Trimont, Minnesota, the son of Anton F. and Helena Golden Harder. As a teen he moved with his family to Atwater, and in 1948 he moved to Sunburg.

November 28, 1981, John was united in marriage to Donna Mae Collins at Trinity Lutheran Church in Benson. This union was blessed with over 37 years of marriage.  John farmed, worked at Jennie O in Willmar, and sold Trojan Seed corn. He enjoyed metal detecting and collecting.

Morris W. Steckman
February 20, 1951 • September 1, 2019

Morris W. Steckman, 68, of St. Cloud, Minnesota, passed peacefully surrounded by loving family Sunday, September 1, 2019 at the St. Cloud Hospital.

Funeral services were Saturday, September 7, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Peace United Church of Christ, St. Cloud. Visitation was from 9-11 a.m. Saturday at the church.

Morris was born February 20, 1951 in Le Sueur, Minnesota to Willard and Eva (Horneman) Steckman. He graduated from Le Sueur High School in 1969. Morris Willard Steckman served his country, beginning March 19,1970, with the USAF 764th Radar Squadron at Saint Albans AFS in 1970-1971. Morris transferred to Hahn AFB in Kirchberg, Germany until returning stateside in 1973. Sgt. Morris Steckman was discharged March 18, 1976.

Betty Lou Loechner
February 9, 1939 • August 31, 2019

Betty Lou Loechner, 80, was born February 9, 1939, in Lancaster, California, the daughter of Charles and Mary Elizabeth (Woodworth) Washburn. She was baptized in California and confirmed on her birthday in 1944. She grew up in California, graduated from high school and completed one year of college.

She was united in marriage to William Loechner, March 7, 1983 in Northridge, Los Angeles, California. She lived most of her life in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California. She was an independent contracted accountant and she served as a courier business for several corporations.  She moved to Benson and lived with her granddaughter Michelle and her husband Nefi Ibarra.

Dr. Douglas Coy, formerly of Danvers, MN, died August 10; he was 91 years old.  

Dorothy Frances Demo was born on April 29, 1927, in Benson, MN,. to Alice Nina (née Buroker) and James Bernard Demo. She spent her early years on the Swift County farm of her parents and grandparents, where she and her twin brother, DeWayne, were the oldest of ten children. In the early 1940’s, she moved to St. Paul, MN, with her family and attended Mechanic Arts High School, graduating in 1945. After graduation, Dorothy worked as a hostess for Rene Boursier’s Restaurant in downtown St. Paul. She attended Minnesota School of Business, later working as a secretary at Johnson High School in St. Paul and George T. Walker Company in Minneapolis, MN.

Darrell Hovland
May 18, 1929 • August 14, 2019

Darrell Hovland of Alexandria, Minnesota and formerly of Montevideo, passed away Wednesday, August 14, 2019 at Bethany on the Lake Assisted Living in Alexandria at the age of 90.

Memorial services were held Monday, August 19, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at Anderson - TeBeest Funeral Home in Montevideo with Pastor Jeff Fitzkappes officiating.  Burial was in Hope Lutheran Cemetery in Minneota.

Darrell was born May 18, 1929 in Minneota, Minnesota to Louis and Sara (Severson) Hovland.  He attended and graduated from Minneota High School.  Following high school he farmed at home, and also spent a year working at Boeing in Washington while living with his sister, Lila. 

Phyllis Flaten (Hammargren) passed away peacefully on Friday, August 16, 2019. 

Dennis Roger Plucker, Sr., 81, of rural Murdock, Minn., died Saturday, July 27, 2019, at his home. 

Cory Lynn Braaten, 46, of Benson, Minn., formerly of Carlos, died Sunday, August 11, 2019, surrounded by her loving family, at Knute-Nelson Care Center in Alexandria. 

Robert “Bob” Otto Young, was born on March 26, 1941, in Benson, Minnesota, the son of Walter Ernest Leonard and Agnes Margaret (Larson) Young. He was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Benson.