Swanson Peterson Funeral Home

Peggy Ann (Hoffmann) Lounsbury was born on June 21^st, 1950, in Clements, MN to Arthur and Adeline (Forster) Hoffmann. Peggy spent her childhood growing up in various places such as the family farm in Clements, the family resort on Lake Miltona, and in Glencoe, MN. Although Peggy worked at 3M in Hutchinson for a short amount of time, her true calling was the various cleaning jobs that she held (heaven forbid anyone use a washcloth more than once) for Mcleod County Social Services, The Oaks Assisted Living, and INH Properties.

Peggy was fortunate enough to find not one but two loves of her life. The first was her late husband, Rocky. Peggy and Rocky spent almost two decades together when he suddenly and unexpectedly passed away in 2018. In 2019, Peggy had an accident while dancing (no, she did not break a leg but instead she broke a hip). For part of her recovery, she went to the nursing home in Dassel, MN and, for any of you wondering, that is a place where true love is found. It was there that she met Mr. Gayle Mattson. They were together only three short years but, during that time, he showed her things that she had never seen, taken her places that she had never been, and loved her unconditionally. It was like a teenage romance all over again; they took off on a cross country road trip for about five months and never turned back. Gayle helped to reintroduce Peggy to a relationship with God and it is believed that they were the best thing that could have happened for each other after both being recently widowed.

In March of 2022, Peggy was diagnosed with Stage Four Pancreatic Cancer. She did not let that diagnosis hold her down. She went in fully swinging and held every belief that she was going to beat it. In July, Peggy came home on at-home hospice care, and it was believed that she would not make it more than a couple of days. She made it well over a month. As her oldest grandson said, “She went all Mike Tyson on that cancer.”

For those who knew Peggy, you know that she had a love like no other for her children and especially her grandchildren. She believed in where she was going but did not want to leave her grandkids to live a life without her. Peggy passed away peacefully at her and Gayle’s home on the morning of Saturday, September 3^rd, 2022, with her daughter by her side.

Peggy is survived by her significant other Gayle Mattson of Dassel and his children Spencer (Michael) Mattson and Leslie Erickson, her children Chad Moehring (Bess Clifford) of St. Cloud, Laura (Dan) Dooley of Hutchinson and their children Logan Dooley, Braeden Dooley, and Calin Dooley, Adam (Ashley) Tabberson of Cokato and their children Everly and Colby, her sister Sandy (Eddie Gould) Olson of Glencoe, her sister Marilyn (Vern) Showalter of Hutchinson, her brother Steve Hoffmann of Glencoe, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Peggy is preceded in death by her husband Rocky Lounsbury, her father Arthur Hoffmann, her mother and stepfather Adeline and Bill Harpel, and her brother Joey Hoffmann.

Services will be held on Sunday, September 11^th, 2022 at 3 PM at the Lamson Evangelical Free Church located at 22246 CSAH 4, Dassel, MN 55325. Pastor Bjorn Bakke will be officiating with services provided by Swanson Peterson Funeral Home and cremation services of Cokato, MN www.swansonpeterson.com 320-286-2534

Burial will be at Oakland cemetery in Hutchinson, MN on Monday, September 12, 2022 at 11:00 AM. Peggy and Rocky will be placed in their resting place together.

Family is requesting that you dress comfortably and try to wear purple if you are able as that was Peggy’s favorite color.

Robert James Arneson Jr. age 62, passed away on Friday, August 26, 2022 at his home in Howard Lake after a year long battle with cancer.

Rob was united in marriage to Michelle McLaughlin on September 23, 2006 in Redwood Falls, MN. He worked as a truck driver for the last 16 years, most recently employed by Ruan Transportation, He enjoying seeing the country and brining his dogs along for the ride. Rob loved spending time with his kids and grandkids, fishing, and his favorite past time was being out on 2 wheels on his Harley, riding with his boys, friends, or out on his own.

Survived by his wife, Michelle, daughter, Melanie (Alex) Henning of Buffalo Lake, MN, sons, Andy Arneson of Buffalo Lake, Robby (Heather) Arneson of Bird Island, MN, and T.J. Caron (Brittany) of New Ipswich, NH, grandkids, Justin Maryott (19), Brooklyn (11), Gavin (10), Lilly (9), Huntley (7), Axel (3), Sophia (2), Brooks (1), and Spencer (5 mos.), brother, Steve Arneson, of Winsted, MN, niece, Christina Posusta, of Burnsville, MN, nephew,  Bobby Hayden (fiancé Allison Gregg) of Nicollet, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Preceded in death by his father, Robert Arneson, Sr. mother, Mary Arneson, sister, Debra Arneson, sister-in-law, Renae Arneson, uncles and aunts.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, September 9, 2022 at the New Journey UCC in Hutchinson, MN with visitation 1 hour prior to services at the church. Burial will follow at Round Grove Lakeside Cemetery in Stewart, MN. Arrangements by Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Cokato & Howard Lake, MN 320-543-3401, www.swansonpeterson.com

Barbara Jean (Kespohl) Bakeberg, 83, of Howard Lake, MN, formerly of Waverly, died peacefully on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022, at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis following a brief illness.

Barb was born on June 19, 1939, to Clarence and Helen (Galvin) Kespohl. She was the oldest of four children including Patrick, Sharon and Ann.

Barb graduated from Buffalo High School in 1957.

She was joined in holy matrimony to Vernon Bakeberg on May 17, 1958. They lived on the family farm in Woodland Township where Barbara remained until 2016.

Barb moved to the Heritage Square Senior Apartments in Howard Lake where she enjoyed building gatherings. She created many wonderful relationships with her neighbors, where they looked after one another.

She enjoyed many hobbies including gardening, and her favorite was cooking for others.

Barb spent many years working at Marketplace in Cokato, MN.

She was proud of her Irish heritage and enjoyed her three trips to Ireland.

Barb was a devoted Catholic and enjoyed sharing her faith by regularly volunteering to deliver the Eucharist at Ridgeview Hospital and the Cokato Nursing Home. She went on several trips to Lourdes in France with her daughter Donna and was able to attend a mass with Pope Benedict. She was honored when she obtained her medal for five years of volunteer services at Lourdes.

She was preceded in death by husband Vernon; son Ron; her parents; brother Pat and his wife Sandy; son-in-law David Schliep; and brother-in-law Bob DeWolfe.

Barb is survived by her sisters Sharon Bateman and Ann DeWolfe; her children Donna, Robert (Gale), Ralph (Patty), Denise Schliep and Rande (Kim); 16 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews.

A visitation will take place at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Waverly on Friday, September 16^th from 4-8 p.m. with prayers at 7:30 p.m.

Mass of Christian Burial will take place Saturday, September 17^th at 10:30 a.m. with visitation from 9:30 – 10:15 AM at St. Mary’s, Father Kenneth O’Hotto and Deacon Ralph Bakeberg will be officiating. A luncheon will immediately follow.

Private interment at Howard Lake Cemetery.

Arrangements by Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Howard Lake, MN www.swansonpeterson.com, 320-543-3401

JoAnn Marie Onnen (Thorland) passed away August 18, 2022, after a long, courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. JoAnn was born July 1,1946, in Forest City, Iowa, and into the grace-filled Christian home of Rodney Harold and Geneva Marie (Reines) Thorland, on a farm in Thompson, Iowa. She attended Bethany Lutheran Church with her family, including her brothers Eddie and Rodney. In 1968 she graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. JoAnn was joined in marriage to Tony Onnen on June 13, 1970. Tony and JoAnn enjoyed more than 52 years of growing in God’s grace together. Tony treasured JoAnn’s wisdom, intelligence, and listening ear.

JoAnn was foremost a teacher. She first taught in the Minneapolis school district in the 1960s, and then taught kindergarten and first grade in Cokato (including a time where she taught in a one-room school house!) She loved teaching her own children how to read, cook, develop their own opinions on any topic, make their own decisions as they got older, and let them know that it would be okay even when they failed.

She later was blessed by the opportunity to teach children at Lambs Christian Daycare in Cokato. JoAnn left that teaching role when her granddaughter Gracie was born. Gracie had lots of extra needs due to the health issues that often accompany Down Syndrome, and JoAnn counted it a privilege to provide daycare for Gracie and later on Tysen, Amelia, and Cole. She followed that by helping provide child-care for her granddaughters, Sophia, Corinne, and Naomi. She was in Africa to be with Esther, Maria, and Elayna when Timmy was born. She spear-headed a project to turn her basement into an apartment where she has hosted missionary families and others who were dear to her. During her fight with cancer, nothing gave her greater joy than the countless visits from all of her children and grandchildren, including her four newest and youngest, Harley, Haylee, Stevie, and Leona.

Woven throughout her teaching of her children, grandchildren, and all of her students at Lambs, were lessons of God’s love for each of us – that He sent His own Son to die for our sins so that we might be saved. Nothing mattered more to JoAnn than that those she taught and loved would come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior.

JoAnn was a good friend to those around her. She grew closer to the Lord with her friends – and in particular, friends who did Bible Studies together in the 80’s and up until the weeks before her death. When around her college friends, cousins, or sisters-in-law, she was instantly a 20-year-old girl again, giggling and mischievous. An avid football, basketball, and baseball fan, it was best to be a few feet away from her during a game so that you didn’t suffer hearing loss from her loud cheers.

Since 1985, JoAnn enjoyed worship and fellowship with dear friends at Good Shepherd Free Lutheran Church in Cokato, MN. She found comfort and strength here throughout life’s joys and sorrows.

JoAnn was preceded in death by her mother and father, her brother Edward, her nephew Gregg, and a child she lost to miscarriage.

JoAnn is survived by her husband Tony, her children Jennifer (Jeromie), Kristin (Paul), Matthew (Rosemary), Ruth (Steven) and Lori (Matthew), as well as several grandchildren: Grace, Tysen, Amelia, and Cole; Esther, Maria, Elayna, and Timothy; Haylee, Harley, and Steven; Sophia, Corinne, Naomi, and Leona; her sister-in-law Darla, her brother Rod and his wife Lynda, and nieces and nephews Erik (Nicole), Jon (Kati), Jamie (Brian) , and Joel (Amber), as well as grand-nieces and nephews.

The family is working to be able to present any memorials received to the Virginia Piper Cancer Center Buffalo, MN, in JoAnn’s name.

A funeral service will take place at 11:00 AM on Saturday, August 27, 2022 at Good Shepherd Free Lutheran Church in Cokato. Visitation will be from 4-8 on Friday 8/26 and continue 1 hour prior to services on Saturday, all at the church. Arrangements by Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home of Cokato, www.swansonpeterson.com, 320-286-2534

A funeral service will take place at 11:00 AM on Saturday, August 27, 2022 at Good Shepherd Free Lutheran Church in Cokato. Visitation will be from 4-8 on Friday 8/26 and continue 1 hour prior to services on Saturday, all at the church. Arrangements by Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home of Cokato, www.swansonpeterson.com, 320-286-2534

Burkstrand, Duane Craig

age 72 of Cokato, passed away August 12, 2022. He was born July 8, 1950 in Cokato, MN to Clifford and Eleanor (Johnson) Burkstrand. He graduated from Cokato High School in 1968 and was united in marriage to Nancy Wozniak on August 22, 1970. Duane owned his own insurance agency, Burkstrand Agency in Howard Lake, MN. but his passion was farming. He was involved in various public activities, such as Lion’s, Ridge Runners snowmobile club, Jaycee’s, baseball association, and the Howard Lake Business Association. Duane was also an avid hunter, bowler, golfer, and softball player. More than anything else, he loved his children and grandchildren.

Survived by his wife, Nancy, children, Brent (Jennifer) Burkstrand, Stacy Burkstrand, and Pete (Kristi) Burkstrand, grandchildren, Julia “Ja-Ja”, Claire “Bearsie”, Sophia “Sophers”, Elayna “Schnookums”, Lydia “Sunshine” (Orrin Grangroth), Grayson “Loodie”, Braxton “Chumbly”, Henry “Hank”, Molly “Mol”, and Jillian “Jilly Bear”.

A memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, August 24 at Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home in Cokato, 320-286-2534, www.swansonpeterson.com Reception will take place at the Howard Lake Legion at 5:00 PM