Obituaries

Gary Charles Schmiesing, 76, of Backus, MN, passed away May 26, 2023 at Good Samaritan in Pine River, MN. He was born to Charles and Lucille Schmiesing on March 15, 1947.

Arlita (Uhlig) Gregory passed away on May 29, 2023. She was born November 9, 1933, to Victor and Rose Uhlig. She was raised on their farm in rural Backus. After graduating from Backus High School, while working at the Backus Bank, she met her future husband, Manford Gregory, while he was working at the Backus hardware store. They were married at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Backus on April 11, 1953. While living and working in Minneapolis and St. Cloud during their early years of marriage, they had three children and returned to the Pine River/Backus area in 1959 where they lived the remainder of their lives.

Samuel Earl Alcock, age 23, of Fargo, ND, formerly of Merrifield, died on May 28. He was born on August 31, 1999, to Brad and Kari (Hagen) Alcock.

James (Jim) Leslie Vaux, of Pequot Lakes, passed away on Sunday May 28, 2023. Services were held on Friday June 2nd at Pequot Lakes Baptist Church.

Gary Johnson, age 78, passed away March 20, 2023, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Tucson, AZ. He was born to farmers Harold and Dorothy Johnson on June 4, 1944, in Chokio, MN. He graduated from Pine River High School in 1962. He worked in construction for a few years and then spent the rest of his working career at Arvig Telephone Company. Gary spent his last 12 years in Green Valley, AZ where he volunteered at White Elephant and enjoyed puzzles and crafts.

Marilyn J. Chamberlain, age 94, of Pine River, MN, passed away on May 27, 2023. She was born to Oliver and Petra (Simonson) Flategraff on April 13, 1929, in Minneapolis, MN. Marilyn married Emil Wolkenhauer on April 17, 1948, in Pequot Lakes, MN. Emil preceded her in death on April 14, 1985. She later met and married Fred Chamberlain on March 19, 1994. Fred preceded her in death on June 17, 2020.

LeRoy Clifford Nordby, 93, of Nisswa, MN passed away on May 21, 2023.

Arla Lenora (Heath) Myers, age 99, passed away on May 13, 2023. She was born on November 4, 1923, in a log home on the family’s farm in Jenkins, MN. Her grandmother, Addie Heath, delivered her. There she lived with her mother and father, Merle and Laura (Schwartz) Heath and older brother, Kenneth. She graduated from Pine River High School in 1941 and later became a schoolteacher in a one room schoolhouse in Hillman, MN.

Terry Clellie Steele, age 74, died on Friday, May 12, 2023, from bladder cancer while under hospice care at his winter home in Texas.

Gary Lee Wilson, age 69, life-long resident of Pequot Lakes, passed away peacefully at home on May 16, 2023, surrounded in the loving embrace of his family. His death is a result of a 3-year, hard fought battle with cancer.

A memorial service is planned for Karen Laura Hamilton on June 12, 2023, at Lakeside Baptist Church in Backus, MN. There will be a service at 10 AM followed by a luncheon at 11 AM.

Michael Griep, age 73, of Pine River, passed away Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at the St. Cloud Hospital. He was born to Erwin and Pauline Griep on December 27, 1949 in Minneapolis. Mike was a Vietnam veteran, serving in the U.S. Army and was a member of the Pine River American Legion and also the Pine River Fire Department. He married Carol Harrison on August 25, 1973. He and Carol owned and operated Griep’s Jewelry in Pine River for many years.

May 20, 1933 - March 2, 2023

Nov. 2, 1937 - Dec. 18, 2022

Mary Adeline “Addie” Johnson, age 94, passed away on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Brainerd, MN after a very brief illness. Addie was born to Henry and Alma Sauter on January 29, 1929, in George, Iowa.

On Monday, May 8th, 2023, at the age of 90, the Holy Spirit called Charles “Charlie” Ruesken of Nisswa, MN home to the halls of eternity. After several years of declining health, Charlie passed peacefully with his daughters Belinda and Gail by his side.