Lester H. Green, 85

Lester Henry Green, 85, died Saturday, March 22, 2003, at Season's Hospice, Rochester.

He was born April 21, 1917, in Mora, to Hiram and Edith (Richardson) Green. He was raised in Mora and later moved to the Austin area.

On May 27, 1939, he married Ellen M. Bates in Austin.

Lester retired from Hormel Food Corporation after 37 years of employment. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Austin. He served in the Navy during World War II. Lester enjoyed farming, fishing, flowers and NASCAR racing.

Survivors include son, Jack (Betty) Green, Austin; daughter, Janet (Lyle) Engelhardt, Austin; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; brother, Pat (Dorothy) Green, Vandalia, Ill.; sister, Florence (Ervin) Botkins, California.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, three brothers and one son.

Visitation: 5 to 8 p.m. today, March 24, 2003, at the funeral home and Tuesday at the church for one hour before the service.

Service: 1 p.m. Tuesday at the First United Methodist Church in Austin with Rev. Leland Bissinger officiating.

Interment: Greenwood Cemetery with military honors by the Hayfield American Legion Rothie Post #330.

Funeral Home: Czaplewski Family Funeral Home, Brownsdale.

Oliver W. Hillier Sr., 85

Oliver W. Hillier Sr., 85, of Austin, died Sunday, March 23, 2003, at St. Marks Lutheran Home.

He was born Sept. 15, 1917, in Austin, to George and Martha (Beattie) Hillier. He grew up on the family farm in the Austin Township. He maintained the family farm his entire life.

On May 3, 1941, he married Grace Wheeler in Hayfield.

Oliver served on the Austin Township Board for 21 years and was a part of the Mower County Planning Commission for nine years. He was a member of the Church of Christ, Austin.

Survivors include his wife, Grace Hillier, Austin; sons and daughters-in-law, Oliver Jr. and Joanne Hillier, Redwood Falls; David and Carolyn Hillier, Austin; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Marian Hillier and Caroline Ziemer; brother, James Hillier; and son, Ronald Hillier.

Visitation: 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, 2003, at the mortuary and Wednesday at the church for one hour before the service.

Service: 2 p.m. Wednesday at Church of Christ with Pastor David DeFor officiating. Casket Bearers will be Craig Hillier, Chris Hillier, Cindy O'Neil, Travis O'Neil, Jon Hillier and Annette Hillier.

Interment: Oakwood Cemetery, Austin.

Funeral Home: Clasen-Jordan Mortuary, Austin.

Lillie M. Gordon, 87

Lillie M. Gordon, 87, of Austin, died Saturday, March 22, 2003, at the Austin Medical Center.

She was born March 7, 1916, in East Stroudsburg, Pa., to Charles and Stella (Dunlop) Muffley. She graduated from East Stroudsburg High School.

In 1936, she married Arthur S. Gordon.

Lillie worked as a floral designer for Bender Gardens and Howells Greenhouses in Pennsylvania. She worked as an assembler for GE. She also worked some time as a secretary.

She liked spending time with her family, plants and flowers, and playing cards.

Survivors include son and daughter-in-law, Donald and Marie Gordon, Austin; two grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; brother and sisters-in-law, Jess and Betty Muffley, Stroudsburg, Pa.; Fran Muffley, Geneva, N.Y.; nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, two brothers and two sisters.

Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, 2003, at the mortuary with a 6:15 p.m. Prayer Service with the Rev. Glenn L. Monson officiating.

Interment: Prospect Cemetery, East Stroudsburg, Pa.

Funeral Home: Clasen-Jordan Mortuary, Austin.

Gail A. Meister, 68

Gail A. Meister, 68, of Rochester, died Saturday, March 22, 2003, at her home.

Gail A. Kittelson was born Feb. 10, 1935, in Austin, where she grew up.

She met Vern Meister in 1952 and they were married on Sept. 27, 1953, in Austin. After their marriage, they moved to Rose Creek, then to Pine Island in 1979. In 1985, they moved to Rochester.

Gail was employed for 16 years in Mayo Clinic's medical lab department.

She was a member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Rochester.

Gail liked sewing, quilting and gardening. She also enjoyed traveling, spending time with family and was very interested in genealogy.

Survivors include her husband, Vern Meister; daughter, Melani Meister, Minnetonka; son, Darrin (Missy) Meister, Pine Island; three grandchildren; brother, Loren Kittelson, Austin.

She was preceded in death by her parents and one sister.

Visitation: 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, 2003, at the funeral home and Wednesday at the church for one hour before the service.

Service: 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Rochester with the Rev. Thomas Koelln officiating.

Interment: Little Cedar Cemetery, Adams.

Funeral Home: Ranfranz Funeral Home, Rochester.

Nelvina G. Zicafoose, 82

Mrs. Nelvina Zicafoose, age 82, of Austin, Minn., formerly of Alton, Iowa, passed away Wednesday, March 19, 2003, at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minn.

There will be a funeral service on Tuesday, March 25, at 1 p.m., at the First Reformed Church in Orange City, Iowa. The Rev. Chris Holck will officiate. Interment will follow at West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. Visitation will be after 6:30 p.m. Monday, with family present from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

Nelvina Geraldine was born July 11, 1920, near Alton, Iowa, the daughter of Gerrit and Reka (Top) Van Es. She graduated from the Newkirk, Iowa High School, attended Northwestern College in Orange City and Minnesota State University in Moorhead, and received her masters degree in library science from the University of Minnesota.

In August of 1943, she married Lawrence Earl Zicafoose in Nebraska. They made their home in Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota, where Nelvina was an elementary school teacher. In 1976, she retired as the Brooklyn Center, Minn. High School librarian.

In retirement, Nelvina and Lawrence spent their summers at their lake home in Starbuck, Minn., where Nelvina liked to entertain family and friends. They spent their winters in their mobile home in Homestead, Fla. Lawrence passed away April 25, 1993, in Austin.

Nelvina enjoyed fishing, crocheting, and reading her Bible, daily devotionals, and Christian periodicals. In later years, she often played table games with family members, including some of her great-grandchildren.

Survivors include her three stepsons and their wives, Earl and Alice (Hansen) Zicafoose of Austin; Darrell and Shirley (Krueger) Zicafoose of Spencerport, N.Y.; and Harvey and Thelma (Dahl) Zicafoose of Austin; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; a brother and his wife, Jack and Pat (Johnson) Van Es, and a sister and her husband, Winifred (Van Es) and Ivan Muilenburg, all of Orange City; and nephews and nieces.

Bertha O'Groske, 83

Bertha O'Groske, 83 of LeRoy, died Saturday, March 22, 2003, at her daughter Betty's home of kidney failure.

She was born April 24, 1919, to Jasper Burma and Martha Schulte Burma in Buffalo Center, Iowa.

On Feb. 16, 1947, she married Walter O'Groske in Wells. They lived in Wells, Dexter and Ostrander. After Walter died in 1970, Bertha lived in Ostrander, Minneapolis and, for the last 19 years, in LeRoy.

Bertha loved reading and making scrapbooks, gardening, garage sales, casinos, traveling, church activities and tea with her daughter, Betty.

Survivors include her children, Rolland (Bernice) O'Groske, Rochester; Carol Louks, Stewartville; Melvin (Charlene) O'Groske, Ostrander; Maggie (Rob Widga) O'Groske, Minneapolis; Marlys (LeRoy) Rowe, Wykoff; Sue O'Groske, Spring Valley; Betty (Larry) Boehmer, LeRoy; daughter-in-law, Alice O'Groske, Byron; son-in-law, Clint Smith, Mitchell, S.D.; 24 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; sister, Katie (Harold) Walters, Mentor; six sisters-in-law; nephews and nieces.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; sons, Walter Jr. and Randy; daughter, Diane; five brothers and two sisters.

Visitation: 5 to 8 today, March 24, 2003, at the funeral home and Tuesday at the church for one hour before the service.

Service: 2 p.m. Tuesday at LeRoy Lutheran Church in LeRoy.

Interment: Ostrander Cemetery.

Funeral Home: Hindt-Hutchins Funeral Home, LeRoy.

Wendell K. Hamlin, 84

Wendell King Hamlin, 84, died March 23, 2003, at the Parkview Nursing Home, Ostrander.

He was born Oct. 11, 1918, in Forestville Township, to Fred and Nellie (Grabau) Hamlin. In 1935, the family moved to the farm north of LeRoy. Wendell farmed with his parents until 1951, when he began working for Hormel, where he was employed for 31 years.

On Aug. 19, 1951, he married Ruth Jacobson at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. The couple lived in Austin for 47 years.

Wendell enjoyed his cars, playing music, and traveling. He lived at the Ostrander Nursing Home for three years.

Survivors include his brother, Dean Hamlin, LeRoy; nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife; parents; and sister, Frances Norby.

Visitation: 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, 2003, at the funeral home and Wednesday at the church for one hour before the service.

Service: 1 p.m. Wednesday at the LeRoy Lutheran Church in LeRoy with the Rev. Thomas Kolden officiating.

Interment: LeRoy Lutheran Cemetery.

Funeral Home: Hindt-Hutchins Funeral Home, LeRoy.