Swanson Peterson Funeral Home

Public Visitation: Tuesday, January 5, 2021, 4-8 PM at Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home, Cokato. Covid 19 restrictions will be in place (mask and social distancing of 6 feet apart).
James Craig Martinson, age 64, of Cokato, passed away Saturday, December 19, 2020.

James was born in Litchfield, MN on January 6, 1956 to Arnold & Pauline (Clements) Martinson. He attended Elim Mission Church. While in school he was active in 4-H, Boy Scouts and various sports. He graduated from Dassel-Cokato High School in 1974. He attended some classes at Northwestern Bible College and then went on to Hutchinson Vocational Technical College and studied Automotive. On November 3, 1979 he married his High School sweetheart Debra (Berg) at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Dassel, MN. They made Cokato their lifelong home and have settled just south of Cokato. The union was blessed with three children, Jimmy, Jessica and Joey.

Jim worked for Moberg Motors as an Auto Mechanic for several years. He spent 32 years working for the family business, Martinson Construction. Afterwards, he worked a variety of jobs including driving bus for DC which he really enjoyed.

He worked hard being a public servant. He served on the Cokato Fire Department for 30 years and the Cokato Ambulance for several of those years. He achieved many ranks in the Fire Department, retiring as a Captain. One of his greatest joys was serving on the department with his eldest son Jimmy. He was a lifetime volunteer at the Cokato Corn Carnival.

Jim was a general handyman, loved auto mechanics, classic cars, auto body, race cars, wood working, and collecting baseball memorabilia. He loved to spend time with his family and grandchildren. Jim always loved time spent at the family cabin in Effie, MN; fishing and swimming with the kids and grandchildren. He loved heading to car swap meets with the crew. Jim always loved a good breakfast at the DQ or Northwood’s Inn. He always loved family vacations spent in Arizona and Duluth.

Jim fought a hard battle with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. He first started showing symptoms in 2014 and his health gradually deteriorated before receiving a lung transplant in 2017. Though his health went back and forth after, Jim was grateful for the additional time he was able to spend with his friends and family.

Jim is survived by his wife, Debbie; three children, Jimmy (Janell) Martinson of Cokato, Jessica (Austin) Engelsmeier of Brownton, Joey Martinson (Shawna) of Monticello; seven grandchildren; Easton, Emma, Addison, Ellie, Gracelyn, Abram, Callan; two brothers John (Kristie) Martinson, Bruce (Shelley) Martinson and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents.

Berg, Kevin Lindsey
age 63, of Winsted and formerly Cokato, passed away December 17, 2020. He was born on December 23, 1956 in Cokato, MN to Ferdinand and Mavis (Johnson) Berg. He was confirmed and baptized at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cokato and graduated from Dassel-Cokato High School in 1975.
Kevin was a fantastic volleyball player who enjoyed photography and had a knack for the computer and electronics. He also cared for and was a dedicated dog owner.
Preceded in death by his parents, brother, Julian, infant brother, Henry C. and niece, Whitney Berg.
He is survived by his brothers, Paul, Henry (Joyce), Stanley (Nancy), and Jeffrey (Rita), along with several other relatives and friends.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, December 21, 2020 at Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home & Cremations Services in Cokato, www.swansonpeterson.com 320-286-2534

James Deiter, age 81, left this life on Tuesday, December 8th at his home in Howard Lake, Minnesota. With him were Nancy, his wife of over 58 years and other family.

He was born in Redfield, South Dakota on June 19, 1939 to Clarence and Malinda Deiter. Raised on a farm near Frankfort, South Dakota, he attended the Rosebud school through 8th grade. His high school years were spent in Frankfort where he graduated in 1957.

In 1961 he moved to Benson Minnesota where he met Nancy Dokken, his wife to be. They married in 1962 spending the next 7 years on the family farm near Frankfort. During those years, Robin and William were born.

In 1969 they moved to Minnesota where they remained the rest of his life. A son Jason was born in 1973 and for the last 42 years they lived in Howard Lake.

“Jim” worked for Eaton Corporation in Eden Prairie for 32 years, retiring in 2001. His favorite hobbies were fishing, hunting and country music. He taught himself to play a guitar and passed it on to his children. His greatest pleasure was his family and he worked his whole life to care for them.

Preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Malinda Deiter, sister Marian West, parents-in-law Garfield and Jonnette Dokken and his sister-in-law Gretchen Hellie. He is survived by his widow, Nancy, his children, Robin, William(Carol), and Jason(Sheri). He is further survived by grandchildren Dana Deiter, Jeremiah Smith, Ellie Deiter, Chase Deiter, Sabrina Hill and Joseph Hill, 9 great grandchildren, 5 great-great-grandchildren and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, December 14th at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Howard Lake beginning at 11am. Visitiation at 10am. Internment will be in the spring at Greenlawn Cemetery in Redfield, SD near his parents. Memorials may be directed to Ridgeview Hospice or the music department at St. John‘s Lutheran Church of Howard Lake, MN. The family was served by Swanson-Peterson Funeral Homes of Howard Lake.

Gene Allen Spurzem age 46, of Rosemount, MN passed away Friday, December 4, 2020 at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, MN. He was born December 11, 1973 in Robbinsdale, MN to Ray and Arlene (MacDonald) Spurzem. Gene grew up north of Cokato and graduated from Dassel-Cokato High School in 1993. He was a truck driver for 20 years.
Gene very much enjoyed people, as well as camping, cooking, working on cars, motorcycles, and scooters. He raised miniature horses and enjoyed the Minnesota State Fair.
Survived by his daughter, ShyAnne Spurzem, parents, Ray and Arlene, sister, Toni Stone, twin brother, Terry (Stacy) Spurzem, 4 nieces, 5 nephews, one great niece, and special friend, Lynette Endres and children.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Arrangements by Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Cokato, MN 320-286-2534 www.swansonpeterson.com

Jeanette passed away peacefully in Buffalo, MN on December 3, 2020, due to complications from a recent diagnosis of cancer. She passed away with her children by her side.

The family will hold a celebration of life service in honor of Jeanette, at a later date in spring 2021 in South Dakota. Jeanette’s final resting place will be with her husband Ted, at the Ortley Cemetery in Ortley, SD.

Jeanette was born on October 30th, 1945 to her parents Rose Ann and Reinhard Tesch in Webster, South Dakota. She was baptised at Zion Lutheran Church in Waubay, SD. Jeanette and her family lived on a farm north of Waubay. She spent her summers working at her family’s resort on Lake Minnewaska near her family’s farm. Jeanette went to Waubay Country School, then Waubay High School where she later met her husband Selmer (Ted) Utne at a Basketball game there.

Jeanette and Selmer (Ted) were united in marriage on April 4, 1964, at Zion Lutheran Church in Waubay. The couple made their home in Minneapolis, MN after marriage. To this union three children were born; Paul, Lisa, and Julie. Jeanette and Ted moved to Howard Lake, MN in the 1960’s where Jeanette worked as a school cook, at St. James Lutheran School for many years. She was a part of the Howard Lake Women’s Auxiliary, Bowling Leagues, and spent countless hours at the Howard Lake Fire Dept. with other fireman wives.

Jeanette and Ted relocated back to their home town of Waubay, SD to build their dream log cabin home on Blue Dog Lake, in 1993. She became a substitute school cook at the Waubay Public School. She enjoyed seeing students everyday, and she loved to use her cooking skills to keep everyone happy and full. Jeannette was apart of the Waubay’s Women’s Auxiliary, Bowling leagues, Waubay’s Senior Citizens Center as a cook, Nutrition Center in Webster as a cook, and many card leagues throughout the week.

Jeanette was known as a very generous, kind, and caring woman. Her house was always open to fisherman, hunters, family, and friends. She loved to have her house full of guests, made sure no one left hungry, and always made everyone feel welcome. Jeanette kept herself busy by doing many things she enjoyed. She loved cooking, baking, playing cards, Bingo, and driving to watch buffalo graze near her home. Jeanette also loved to go out fishing, attend her church’s bible study, travel with her sister, and receive phone calls from family and friends.

Jeanette will be forever loved and greatly missed by her son; Paul (Jodi) Utne of Howard Lake, MN, daughters; Lisa (Mark) Koller of Howard Lake, MN, and Julie (Darin Manthie) Utne of Annandale, MN. She will also be greatly missed and never forgotten by her 10 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild, and her 2 great-grandchildren on the way. She leaves behind her sister; Linda (Pat) Lee of Sioux Falls, SD, Brother; Lawrence Tesch of Hot Springs, SD, and many other extended family members and friends.

Jeanette is preceded to death by her parents, husband, and brother.

“You may be gone from my sight, but you will never be gone from my heart. I may not be able to see your face, but I will always see your sweet smile. I may never hear your voice again, but you will forever echo in my soul.” — Henry van Dyke