Swanson Peterson Funeral Home

Kathryn (Kay) Mabel Stenberg was born in Middleville Township, MN on February 11, 1933, the child of Clarence and Margaret Lundeen. She grew up in Cokato, graduating from Cokato High School. In 1954, she married Sydney Stenberg. They lived in Minneapolis where their five children were born. In 1968, the family moved to Howard Lake.
In addition to rearing five children, one of whom had physical disabilities, Kay worked for more than thirty years at the Good Samaritan Society in Howard Lake. She started as a nurse’s aide and worked her way up to bookkeeper.
Kay was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Howard Lake. She was active in many ways, including serving as church treasurer, a church cleaner, and a frequent visitor of shut-ins. For years, she wrote a column, Kay’s Corner, for the Howard Lake Herald.
Kay loved her family! She was always ready to serve them in any way possible. She hosted countless family gatherings in her and Syd’s home, but she and Syd were always the first to go and help a family member—whether close by or hundreds of miles away. Kay is remembered for her quiet nature, strength, work ethic, and most of all her strong Christian faith.
In so many ways, Kay worked quietly behind the scenes to make an impact. She volunteered for organizations like March of Dimes, Easter Seals, Michael Dowling School, Gillette Children’s Hospital, and Meals on Wheels. With her husband, she ran what some came to lightheartedly call Syd and Kay’s House of Charity. They were always willing to open their home to young people going through tough times, offering them a place to stay and a good meal. For years, Kay “looked after” at least a half-dozen people who needed help on a long-term basis. She and her late husband Syd received the 2011 Minneapolis Aquatennial Honorary Commodore Award, given to individuals that have demonstrated the spirit of volunteerism.
Kathryn passed away at age 87 on March 29, 2020 at the Good Samaritan Society in Howard Lake. She is survived by her children: Stephen (Joni), Thomas, Kimberly (Brian) Beecken, Julie (Dan) Kleve. Grandchildren Jeremy and Sarah; Samantha (Kyle) Shelstad, Alexander, Charles (Courtney), Cody, and William (Priscilla); Benjamin (Katlyn), Kathryn, Emma (Sam) Johnson, Jacob, and Macie Beecken; Nathan; Morgan (Troy) Scherping and McCall Kleve; eleven great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by her spouse Sydney, parents, son David, grandchildren Madeysen Kleve and Christopher Stenberg.
There will be a private burial service with a memorial service announced at a later date.

Ruby Sand of Cokato, Passed away at Cokato Manor on March 18, 2020. A memorial service will take place at a later date.

Ruby Delilah Viola Peterson was born in a log house on October 31, 1923 to Edwin and Cornelia Peterson near Rice Lake, Minnesota. Until she applied for a passport in 1973 and needed a copy of her birth certificate she thought her birthday was on October 30th. Surprise! Ruby graduated from Cokato High School in 1941 and from St. Cloud State Teacher’s College in 1943 with a 2-year teaching certificate. She taught for several years, both before and after getting married, at Howard Lake Schools. After starting a family she also worked in the school cafeteria for many years with her cousins Mae Forsman and Queenie Sieg. Some of the recipes they used are still made at family gatherings today.

Ruby met Milton Sand at a hi-league social at Stockholm Lutheran Church and married him on June 12, 1948 at the age of 24. They started their family in Rice Lake and in 1960 moved to Cokato with their three children. In 1989 Ruby decided it was time to scale down their living space so they sold their home on Borg Road and moved into the Cokato Apartments across from the post office. She lived there with Milton until he moved into the nursing home in 1991 and continued living there on her own until 2016. She moved into Brookridge Assisted Living in May at the ripe age of 92 and moved into Cokato Manor a year and a half later where she continued to delight the staff and other residents with her sweet and smiling nature.

Throughout her life Ruby enjoyed traveling with her friends and family. Prior to meeting Milton, Ruby took a three-week bus trip with her cousin Gloria Bednar and Gloria’s cousin Fern Peterson out to the West coast to visit relatives. She also took a train trip with her cousin Lyla Munson out to New York to visit their boyfriends who were on leave from the war (not Milton!). After marrying Milton they took many trips together, often with her cousins Mae and Norman Forsman.

Ruby also loved spending time with her family at home. Over the years she hosted many of her extended family’s holiday and birthday gatherings. After her grandchildren were born, Ruby watched them before they were old enough to go to school and her home served as a base for them and their friends in Cokato until they went off to college. Ruby enjoyed jigsaw puzzles, watching Lawrence Welk and Jeopardy, coffee with the ladies at the apartment, walking with her friend Vivien Wicker, baking, and gardening. But Ruby’s favorite thing to do was watch the birds and flowers, look out over the lake, and spend time with the dog at her daughter Linnea’s house in the country. The chair she always sat in will forever be known as “Ruby’s Chair” to those she left behind.

Ruby is survived by her daughter, Linnea (Ron) Holm of South Haven; grandchildren Melissa (Will) Holm of Buffalo, and Michael (Christy) Holm of Big Lake; great-grandchild Soren Holm of Big Lake; and sister-in-law Elaine Peterson. She was preceded in death by her husband, Milton; son John Sand, and daughter Judi (Craig) Simon; and by brothers Laurel Peterson and Lloyd Peterson.

Norman Delbert Stewart
age 98, of Cokato passed away Friday, March 13, 2020 at Lakeside Care Center in Dassel, Minnesota. Norman was born November 17, 1921 in Kerkhoven, Minnesota to James and Ruth (Nichols) Stewart. He spent his life as a farmer, first in Stanley, Wisconsin where he was united in marriage to Lucy Wiethoff on December 8, 1943 and later in Cokato, Minnesota.
While in school, Norman was a member of FFA, and later in Cokato a member of the Lions Club, Holiday Ramblers Club and an active member of the Methodist Church in Howard Lake until it closed. He was Cokato Co-op president in1970. He was forced from milking in 1988 when the barn burned, he then raised young stock for a short period of time. When his wife passed from the Lakeview Ranch in 2009 he was trained in as a volunteer at the home. In 2005, he was an honored guest at the Minnesota State Fair. Norman was a member of the Minnesota Gopher State Horseshoe Pitchers Association and in 2011 received the badge for Most Improved Sanctioned Horseshoe League Player.
Preceded in death by his parents, brother, Orville and sister in-law, Marion, sister June Hillmyer and brother in-law, Bud Hillmyer
Survived by his Son, Bob Stewart, Daughter, Ruth (Willard) Block, granddaughters, Michele (Shawn) McLane, Angie Fleece, Ronda Young, and Cassandra (Cory) Boe, 5 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great-grandchildren, nephews, Jim (Irene) Stewart, Monty (Lynn) Hillmyer, and Robin (Char) Hillmyer, great nephews and nieces, and other relatives and friends.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 at the Dassel Covenant Church. Visitation will be Tuesday, March 17 from 5-7 PM and continue 1 hour prior to services on Wednesday at the Church. Arrangements by Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Cokato, Minnesota, www.swansonpeterson.com 320-286-2534

Marilynn L.(Ring) Martin at the age of 93, passed away peacefully in the presence of loved
ones, Wednesday, March 4, 2020. Marilynn was born on April 26, 1926 in Cokato, Minnesota to
Hilma Christine Erickson and Carl August Ring, two hardworking parents of Swedish descent.
Her parents raised Marilynn and her two older brothers, Courtney and Grant in a Christian
home. They attended Elim Mission Church. Marilynn’s steadfast faith in her Lord Jesus Christ
was rooted both in her church and in her parents’ example.
As a child Marilynn was expected to work hard helping her mother around the house, but she
could also let her hair down. Her diary revealed a very active social life with her childhood
friends. She recalled playing with her dog, Jep, having picnics in “Dead Man’s Woods,” and
adventures with friends on their farms. As a youth, Marilynn worked seasonally at the corn
canning factory and also at the city hospital, where she said she was sometimes the only staff
present through the night.
Marilynn graduated salutatorian from Cokato high school, and then left her hometown to study
at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree and
began work as a medical technologist at Fairview Hospital, where she set a hospital record by
working there over fifty years. She often marveled at the changes in medical technology over
the decades, recalling the days when they waited for an injected rabbit to die as a test for
pregnancy.
Marilynn attended First Covenant Church and sang in its choir, where she met her husband,
Lester L. Martin. They had three daughters, Ann, Elaine, and Carolyn. She hosted many
luncheons, coffee parties, and dinners for family and friends from church, work, the
neighborhood, Cokato. Marilynn was loyal and compassionate, and her friends were all very
dear to her.
In her mid-forties as a single mother after a divorce, Marilynn continued to work hard at home
and part time at the hospital. She was very active in Minnetonka Community Church. As her
children left the nest, she moved to Greenbrier condominiums in Minnetonka. Her grandkids
and kids remember her radiance and joy in those days they came to play tennis and swim at
her condominium’s pool, and her fun-loving spirit the nights her brother and sister in law and
others played Rook cards around the table. How she hated losing! Her dessert would soften
the blow and complete the evening. She attended Wooddale Church during those years,
making new dear friends, and praying faithfully for the members and for their mission outreach.
Marilynn loved music. She sang in choirs and could harmonize like none other. She played tuba
in the high school band because “they needed one.” She loved listening to her brother, Grant,
play jazz on the piano when he’d come home from college. Later, she attended many MN
orchestra concerts and St. Olaf Christmas festivals. In her last years at Jones Harrison
Residence, she surprised the family by calling out for the pop song, “Five foot two, eyes of
blue” whenever the pianist asked for requests.
Even in her last decade, Marilynn had a youthful glow, enjoying the company of her late-in-life
special friend, Norris Halver. She brightened both Jones Harrison and Northfield Retirement
Community’s staff members with her smile and kind words. She was heartbroken when her
daughter, Ann, died in 2015 after a seven year battle with cancer. Marilynn cared deeply about
the well being of her family, and wanted nothing more than for them to be safe, secure and at
peace with God. She spent countless hours in prayer, entrusting them to her Maker. Now she
rests in her Savior’s arms, having lived a life of faith, hope and love.
Marilynn was preceded in death by her parents, Hilma Christine (Erickson) and Carl August
Ring; her brothers, Courtney and Grant; her sister (who died shortly after birth) Elaine; her
daughter, Ann (Robert) Schultz. She is survived by her daughters Elaine (Scott) Nesbit of
Northfield, MN and Carolyn Bizien of Rochester, MN; grandchildren Mark Hibbard, Laura
Thomas, Kate (Eric Emmons) Nesbit, Stina Nesbit, Simon (April) Bizien, Celia Bizien, and
Mallory Bizien; and great grandchildren Zahra and Lila Thomas, Violet Hibbard, and Violeta
Bizien.

A funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM Friday, March 13, 2020 with visitation 1 hour prior to services at Wooddale Church (6630 Shady Oak Rd, Eden Prairie, MN 55344). Internment will follow lunch at the Cokato City Cemetery at 3:00 PM. Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home & Cremation Services is privileged to be of service.

Alvina Marie Kotila age 81, of Litchfield, MN passed away on March 2, 2020, at the St. Cloud Hospital. She was born January 15, 1939, in Litchfield, MN at home. Alvina was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Litchfield, MN. She grew up on a farm near Litchfield and Grove City, and attended country school District 38 Grove City, and Grove City High School. She married Donald Kotila, Sr. on March 22, 1958, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Litchfield.
Alvina was a long-time member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Howard Lake, MN (since 1969) where she taught Sunday school for 16 years. Alvina also served as a Cub scout den leader for 6 years. Alvina retired in 2004 after working for 25 years at Wright County Social Services.
Alvina lived in the Cokato area from 1960 until moving to Meeker Manor in Litchfield in 2015. Her favorite pastimes were gardening, bowling, camping, fishing, making quilts, cooking, baking, and collecting cookbooks and recipes. Alvina loved to color and created a number of beautiful craft projects. She was also a puzzle solver and loved to play Scrabble and cribbage.
Alvina is survived by brother Richard (Kathy) Reinke; sister-in-law Minda Reinke, both from Darwin. She is also survived by sons Donald Jr. (Colleen) Kotila, Litchfield; Doug (Carmen) Kotila, Dassel; Dwane (Lisa) Kotila, Dassel; Dwight (Toni McHale) Kotila, Hugo; 10 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and her friends at Meeker Manor.
She was preceded in death by her husband Donald Kotila Sr., parents Alfred and Wilma Reinke, brother Alvin Reinke, and great grandson Ashtan Suess.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 7, 2020 with visitation 1 hour prior to service at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Howard Lake. Arrangements by Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Howard Lake, www.swansonpeterson.com, 320-543-3401