It started with Gary Schroeder researching his ancestry and is culminating with he and his wife taking on the tedious task of entering over 2000 names to the Find-A-Grave website for Home Cemetery. All made possible because of the record keeping efforts done by Home Cemetery Treasurer Jane Fischer.

Visit Sleepy Eye Home Cemetery on Find-A-Grave>>>

Here’s the Story as Told by Gary:

I have quite a few relatives at Home Cemetery, the oldest being on my mother’s side 2^nd Great-grandfather, Wilhelm Friedrich Kunze (1832-1895). On my father side it would be my grandfather Fred William Schroeder (1883-1945). 

I contacted Jane Fischer for information back in November 2020 as I wanted to start ramping up to come over in the spring of 2021.

Find -a- Grave had 2132 entered on-line as of 12/30/2020.

 I came over on April 28-30 of this year to photograph/GPS. I got Section 1 done and there was so many that weren’t entered in Find-a-Grave I stopped. I then spoke with Jane to see if she had information on who was buried there. Jane stated she had file boxes of 3 x 5 card with information on them. My wife (Sue) and I scanned over 5000+ cards some had information on both sides.

From June through October, I went through all cards and verified in Find -a- Grave: Taking over 277 hours to complete

1. If person was entered – If not they were entered in
2. Attached the scanned card to each person
3. Alphabetized all cards scanned into

Today there are now 4416 names, 2080 new names entered, with 5444 cards attached.

This project will now provide:

1. Electronic files for the cemetery
2. Fellow researchers will be able to find their relatives without calling Jane to see if they know where they are buried
3. After next spring 2022 all graves will be GPS (currently only 911 are GPS)
4. After next spring 2022 all grave markers will be photographed if they are marked (currently only 1976 are)

Jane Fischer has been the “keeper” of all the information Gary entered onto the Find-A-Grave website. She has spent an incredible amount of time over the years collecting the information and typing up the cards on each person buried in Home Cemetery. Before Jane took over in 2006, Phyllis Larson had the task, and Carol Speckman before her.

If anyone would like to help in the spring 2022 you can contact Gary Schroeder at (507) 254-3024 or email: garylschroedersr@gmail.com  (Gary lives in Rochester, MN)

People can go to Find-a-Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/82548/home-cemetery#

If they register then they can add, submit corrections or request to manage a memorial.

Other FREE sites for researchers:

• Minnesota Official Marriage System: https://moms.mn.gov/
• MN History Center: https://www.mnhs.org/library
• Family Search: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/list/?cqs=Minnesota
• Plat Maps: http://geo.lib.umn.edu/collections/digitizedplatbooks/stateofmn1916.html
  • 1886 – https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4143b.la000367/?r=-0.083,0.301,0.718,0.441,0
  • 1916 – http://geo.lib.umn.edu/plat_books/stateofmn1916/counties/brown.htm

And for those of you interested in the Schroeder, Kunze, Schweiger, Drusch families (and Gary collects items from Bruggeman & Schroeder Implement)

My dad (Milton (Lefty) Schroeder and was born in Fairfax, MN to Fred & Emelia (nee Drusch) Schroeder.  My grandfather (Fred Schroeder) along with L. J. Bruggeman and Otto Buerkle bought the Fred Flor Implement shop in Sleepy Eye in December 1937. Fred passed away in 1945.

My dad was on the Sleepy Eye FD

My mother (Lucille Kunze) oldest of six girls to George & Minnie (nee Schwieger) Kunze.  George was airplane mechanic and pilot.  My mother would fly along with George and take aerial photos.  Mother taught country school at District 22 outside of Sleepy Eye.

My grandmother Minnie O. Schwieger was Valedictorian of Sleepy Eye high school class of 1910.

My 4^th Cousin William Fredrick Kunze, Sr served in the MN House (1911 – 1913), Mayor of Mpls from 1929 – 1931 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_F._Kunze)

I started researching back my family history in 1984. Back then there was no internet. It was contacting my mother and aunts.  My father passed away in 1977 and my grandma Schroeder in 1982. Then in the 1990’s Family Tree came out with floppy drive that had some information still not a lot. I had put together the information I gathered.  Didn’t really do much after that.

Fast forward to 2014 my wife retired, and I started back up researching again. In 2017 my dad’s remaining sister passed away (Ruth Bertrand – She worked for the Sleepy Eye paper).  My cousin Judy Collard asked if I knew a Dick Schroeder from Spokane, WA.  I did not. Judy stated Dick was in her mother’s address book. Judy wrote Dick and informed him that her mother had passed and how he knew her mother. Dick replied that he was our 2^nd cousin. Judy put me in contact with Dick. Before I wrote Dick Judy and I only knew of a few 1^st cousins and that was about it.   

In 2017 when I contacted Dick, he had old obituaries and funeral cards. After researching what Dick had sent, I had found that I have quite of few Schroeder cousins, some still in Fairfax, MN. The oldest cousin is Myron Schroeder (will be 96 in November).  After speaking to Myron and his wife Vivian there had never been a Schroeder reunion. My wife and I started planning a reunion and it would have to be held in Fairfax. So on in July 2017 we had 50 people show up.

I also have a website on the Schroeder’s from Fairfax: https://schroeder-fairfaxmn.weebly.com/

My wife and I have done our DNA through ancestry

Sleepy Eye Medical Center (SEMC) is excited to offer COVID-19 antibody therapy to patients who qualify.

The therapy, known as Monoclonal Antibody Treatment, is for people who have tested positive for COVID-19, have mild to moderate symptoms and are at high risk of getting very sick from COVID-19.

What It Is

Antibodies are proteins that people’s bodies make to fight viruses, such as the virus that causes COVID-19. Antibodies made in a laboratory act a lot like natural antibodies to limit the amount of virus in your body. These are called monoclonal antibodies. Antibodies must be administered through a vein by intravenous (IV) infusion.

In late November 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to permit the emergency use of these treatments after studies suggested that they reduced the risk of hospitalization among people at elevated risk.

“We have safely administered the therapy to several patients already,” said Susan Ahlness, APRN, BC, SEMC. “Our patients have been receptive to the antibody infusions, and we are excited to have another tool at our disposal to help those who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 achieve better outcomes.”

Who is Eligible

Patients must meet one or more of the following criteria to qualify:

• Over age 65
• Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 35
• Chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage IV or greater (eGFR < 30)
• Diabetes mellitus
• Transplant/immunocompromised
• Over age 55, plus one of the following: chronic respiratory disease or cardiovascular disease

In addition, a provider referral is required. SEMC accepts internal referrals as well as those made by outside providers.

Offering Treatment in a Safe, Efficient Manner

Interest in offering COVID-19 antibody therapy has varied amongst healthcare facilities because of the difficulties associated with administering it. First, people eligible for the treatment have active infections, which means staff must treat patients without exposing others. Each infusion also takes approximately an hour, followed by an hour of observation – a timely process requiring ample staff time in the midst of a pandemic surge. In addition, there is a precise window for antibody treatment, which demands fast testing turn around.

“Because SEMC offers the rapid COVID-19 test, we are able to identify positive tests in an efficient manner. In turn, we can deliver timely antibody therapy – within the recommended 10 days of symptom onset for patients who qualify,” said Lori Neidecker, RN, Infection Preventionist, SEMC.

Another hurdle to treatment can be transportation, especially for residents living in long-term care settings. SEMC has adopted processes to ensure continuity of care for these patients.

“We are excited to partner with area nursing homes and assisted living facilities in an effort to ensure efficient, patient-centered care for residents in need,” said Neidecker. “Our trained nurses will bring treatment to residents within these facilities, which removes the hurdle that transportation can be.”

SEMC offers therapy for all other patients in the hospital setting, where health care providers have immediate access to medications to treat any reactions and where emergency medical systems are available, if needed.

According to SEMC, an adequate supply of treatment is currently available. However, this could change, depending on demand across the region and state.

For further information about Monoclonal Antibody Treatment, visit https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/hcp/bamfaq.html or https://semedicalcenter.org/services/antibody-therapy/. To schedule an appointment with an SEMC provider to determine if antibody therapy is right for you, call 507-794-3691. Interested long-term care or assisted living facilities should call 507-794-3691 for additional program information.

Saydi and Nolan Helget with son, Otto

While first-time parents Saydi and Nolan Helget of Sleepy Eye knew they were expecting a little boy, they had no idea he would be the first baby born at Sleepy Eye Medical Center in 2021. Otto Scott Helget entered the world at 12:10 a.m. on January 7, weighing 6 pounds, 11 ounces and measuring 20 inches long. He was delivered by Dr. Adam Armbruster.

“Overall, we had a really good experience. Our nurses were awesome, and Dr. Adam was great and so patient,” said Saydi.

Being pregnant and later delivering during a pandemic had its difficulties.

“It was trying to be pregnant during the pandemic. We had to take precautionary measures,” said Saydi.

Otto Helget, SEMC’s 2021 New Year’s Baby

“It’s challenging now because we’re limited to the number of visitors we can have here (SEMC),” said Nolan.

“But it’s also nice bonding time with it just being us,” added Saydi.

According to Nolan, it did not take long for the new family to bond.

“We both fell in love pretty fast.”

Grandparents to the new bundle include Dave and Tammy Helget, Shane Martinka, step-grandfather Todd Ibberson, and the late Heidi Ibberson.

Sleepy Eye Medical Center gifted the family an assortment of gifts in celebration of Otto Helget; the first baby born at SEMC in 2021.

Problem Viewing?…CLICK HERE>>>