Marjorie Ann Davis Simon, age 92 and a longtime resident of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on March 19, 2023, at Divine Providence Home. A visitation will be held Sunday, March 26, 2023, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Sturm Funeral Home, Sleepy Eye Chapel. A funeral service will be held Monday, March 27, 2023, at 1:00 PM at Sturm Funeral Home, Sleepy Eye Chapel with visitation continuing one hour prior to the service. Pastor Tom Drury will be the officiant. Interment will be held at Fort Ridgely Cemetery in Fairfax. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.

Marge was born on December 14, 1930, and her parents were Clarence “Olie” and Clara Davis of Sanborn, MN. She married William “Bill” Simon on December 19, 1948, and they made their home on a farm north of Sleepy Eye where they raised their nine children. Marge was known for her huge garden and being a great cook. Jams, pies, fresh bread, and holiday meals made her kitchen a popular gathering place for family and friends.

She had a love for her farm animals including pygmy goats, dogs, cats, calves, and her appaloosa horses. She and Bill enjoyed taking their horses on trail rides, wagon trains and riding in the Black Hills. Marge enjoyed family time with Bill, her children, and grandchildren as well as time with her sisters.

Marge was a woman of faith and strong moral convictions who was fearless to take a stand for what she believed. She took part in local advocacy for the pro-life movement. She had a heart for serving others as evidenced by adoption, foster care, caring for her children and family. In her mid-50s she graduated from LPN nursing school and worked many years at the Springfield Hospital. Marge was generous with her time and resources.

Marge is survived by her children, Eugenie Simon, Scott Simon, Tamara Watson, Mitchell Simon, Kallan Anderson, Martin Simon, Keiron Simon, and Kylie Carlson and along with their spouses; 23 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; sister, Roberta Duroe; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill Simon; son, Derk Simon; parents, Clarence and Clara Davis; siblings, Warren Davis, Elmer Davis, Patricia Kirkpatrick, and Marilyn Sly; and parents-in-law, Elmer and Nellie Simon.

Marge will be dearly missed but those who share her faith in Jesus Christ are rejoicing with her that she is now home with Jesus.

Julio Beltran, age 81 of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota went to be with his heavenly father and late wife Juanita on January 15, 2023.

Julio was born in Starr, TX on April 12, 1941, to Luciana Hernandez Beltran & Pablo Beltran. In adulthood, Julio moved to Minnesota and married Juanita Garcia on July 5, 1963, in Norman MN. Together, they raised six children. Julio was a hardworking man who proudly worked at Del Monte in Sleepy Eye for over 25 years.

As a compassionate member of the church and the community, Julio lived and breathed a charitable heart. Those that knew him, will remember his smile and kindness towards everyone he met. Julio was a caring neighbor, and could be found sharing candy with local kids, donating to those in need, or chatting with anyone he’d known for five minutes or five years. He made sure everyone felt seen and loved, and gave back wherever he saw a need.

Julio was a dedicated father, and his family meant everything to him. He loved all of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren deeply, and was exceedingly proud of all of their accomplishments.

Julio is survived by his children and their spouses, Fernando (Janie) Beltran of Merrimack, NH, Leticia Beltran of Fort Worth, TX, Belinda Beltran of Las Cruces, NM, Ana Beltran-Turbes (Christopher) of Hanska, MN, and Julio Beltran Jr. (Linda) of Pharr, TX; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and sister, Evangelina B. Yandell.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Juanita Beltran; sisters, Refugia B. Alvarez, Guadalupe B. Rosales, Paulita B. Rodriguez, and Socorro Beltran; and brothers, Pedro and Guadalupe Beltran.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, from 4:00-7:00 PM at Sturm Funeral Home, Sleepy Eye Chapel. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at 2:00 PM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sleepy Eye with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Home Cemetery in Sleepy Eye with meal to follow at the Sleepy Eye Event Center afterwards. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.

Raymond A. Walter Jr, age 75, of New Ulm, died Monday, March 13, 2023 at his home.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. on Monday, March 20, 2023 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye, with Father Mark Steffl celebrating the mass. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Sleepy Eye.

Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday, March 19, 2023 at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home – NORTH CHAPEL in New Ulm. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service Monday at the church.

To leave an online condolence for the family, or to sign the guestbook, please visit: www.mvfh.org.

Raymond is survived by his wife of 55 years, Marlene; daughter, Teresa (Brian) Aschenbrenner of Sleepy Eye; son, Ricky Walter of Sleepy Eye; three grandchildren, Scott (Emily) Walter, Steven Walter, and McKayla (Devlyn) Louks; great-grandchild, Wynn Walter; brother, Richard (Denise) Walter; and a brother-in-law, Jim (Sharyl) Fischer.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, Donna Fischer and Shirley Wendt; and brothers-in-law, Steven Beranek and Roger Gunneson.

Raymond Arnold Walter Jr. was born on May 22, 1947 in Springfield, MN to Raymond & Adeline (Eckstein) Walter. He graduated from Springfield High School in. On December 9, 1967, Ray was united in marriage to Marlene Gunneson in Sleepy Eye. He was employed at AUI, and after he retired, he worked at Walmart and Fort Ridgley State Park. Ray enjoyed fishing, hunting, going to Jackpot, golfing, playing cards, baking, building remote control airplanes, and watching the Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Wild. Most of all, Ray loved going fishing with his grandkids and spending time with his family.

Milton Larsen, 93, passed away Sunday, March 5 at 11:37am, peacefully in his sleep, as his daughters held his hands. He had lived with heart disease for several years. He was born June 3, 1929, the first boy, and the 5th child of seven children, to Jens and Luella Larsen in Morgan, MN. Milton grew up on the Larsen Family Farm which was 3 miles south of Morgan, MN. When he was 14 years old, his father died from cancer. Milton and his siblings took over farming the 160 acres. Milton married Ardis Friton from Sleepy Eye in 1953. He served in the army 1954-1956. Their first child, Lynette was born in 1954 (Thomas Koehl, Minneapolis, MN), Daniel was born in 1955 (Debra Kramer, wife of 38 years passed away in 2016, St Paul, MN).

In 1956, upon finishing the service to his country, Milt, and Ardis, and their two children, returned to farming. In 1959 Polly (Jon Lewis, Denver, CO) was born. In 1960 there was Gwendolyn (Kevin Cummings, New Berlin, WI), and in 1963 the baby, Marlene Larsen (Milwaukee, WI) arrived.

Milton, Ardis, and their five children farmed from 1957-1968. After 11 years of farming and a few years of losing crops to drought, flooding, and hail, Milton decided to quit farming and went to school in Minneapolis. He thought he would try to get job in the modern world of the new computer technology and hoped it would be more lucrative and stable than farming. He was way ahead of his time and ended up landing a job in Milwaukee, WI. This transition required a long period of time away from family while training in New York. In 1968 he moved his family from Morgan, MN to Milwaukee, WI.

Milton has thirteen grandchildren, six (soon to be seven) grandchildren-in-law and six great-grandchildren. Milton is also survived by two sisters, Bernice (and her husband Donald DeLeeuw in Cosmos, MN) and Gladys Otto (Redwood Falls, MN). Milton is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Milton was preceded in death by his parents, Jens and Luella Larsen, three of his sisters and their husbands, Florence and Donald Dickmeier (Franklin, MN), Eunice and Joseph Hale (Marshall, MN), and Vivian and Lloyd Maude (Rapid City, SD). His brother, Wilton Larsen (Morgan, MN) and Gladys Otto’s husband, Bud Otto (Morgan, MN), also passed away.

On the Friton side, those that have passed away would be Ardis’ mom and dad, Palmyre and Edmund Friton. Her sister Avis and husband Vernon Buckmeier (Fairmont, MN) and her brother, Paul Friton (Sleepy Eye, MN) who was married to Joy (Graham). Joy still survives.

Milton loved playing baseball. We learned through many stories told and retold, that our dad was quite a baseball player. His bigger claim to fame was his skill at pitching horseshoes. He started pitching at about 10 years old on the farm. He was an avid, competitive horseshoe pitcher through all his life up through his eighties. In 1981, he won the Championship in the World Horseshoe Tournament class N1 with a large fan base rooting for ringers!

Last October, Milton and Ardis Larsen celebrated 69 years of marriage. They shared a love that was precious and everlasting. What a testimony and a witness for us kids.

Milton Larsen was a wonderful man. Hard working, humble, honest, you could count on him. He was great fun and above all very loving. May all your pitches now be ringers.

Heavenly Father, we ask for your mercy and grace for Milton as he begins his journey into eternal life. Please bring him into your loving arms and grant him peace and rest. We also pray for those who are left behind, that they would find comfort and hope in your presence and the promise of seeing their loved one again. Amen.”

Milton’s life will be celebrated April 1, 2023, at Sturm Funeral Home, 301 3^rd Ave SW, Sleepy Eye, MN 56085. Visitation will begin from 11-12 with a service to follow at 12:00. Reception will be held at Faith United Methodist Church at 1:30. Faith United Methodist Church is located at 321 1^st Ave S, Sleepy Eye, MN 56085. Interment will be at Home Cemetery, Sleepy Eye, MN.

Milton loved farming and baseball so in lieu of flowers please send donations made out to Cedar Mountain-FFA or Cedar Mountain-summer rec to support their baseball program. Send donations to Gwen Cummings at 21890 W Tolbert Dr, New Berlin, WI 53146.  She will take care to deliver them.

Mary B. Sellner, age 79 of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, died on March 7, 2023, at Divine Providence Community Home in Sleepy Eye. A visitation will be held on Monday, March 13, 2023, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Sturm Funeral Home, Sleepy Eye Chapel and it will continue one hour prior to the service at St. Mary’s Catholic Church-North Entrance. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at 11:30 AM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye with Father Mark Steffl officiating. Sturm Funeral Home, Sleepy Eye Chapel is assisting with arrangements. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.

Mary Bertha (Seidl) Sellner was born on March 15, 1943, to Edmund and Alvina (Hacker) Seidl in Sleepy Eye. On June 2, 1960, Mary was united in marriage to Dennis Sellner at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, and they were blessed with two children. They raised their family on a farm where Mary was no stranger to hard work. She loved all that came with farming from driving tractor to bailing to hauling corn. She was content in her flower and vegetable gardens. A homemaker at heart, Mary was known for being an absolutely fantastic cook who was always prepared for company to stop over during mealtimes. Her cooking skills helped promote her husband’s seed business. Being a social person, Mary loved people and worked at a variety of jobs where she could be with others and help out.

Dancing, antiquing, and going to garage sales were activities Mary enjoyed. She loved to find a bargain and resell it for an even better one. In addition, Mary was quite an artist when it came to drawing which is a talent that began when she was a little girl. She and Dennis were members of the Minnesota Drifter Motorcycle Club and they looked forward to spending two weeks every summer riding motorcycle with others. She loved her family, and all of her dogs, especially her dog Sushi, wholeheartedly and will be missed beyond measure.

Mary is survived by her children, Steven (Joleen) Sellner and Chris (Matt) Steffen; grandchildren, Lee (Melissa) Sellner, Bryan (Amanda) Sellner, Bobbi Hauth (special friend Jason Schwandner), and Stephanie (Andy) Fromm; and great-grandchildren, Ava, Carson, Levi, Bryar, Bode, Harley, Landon, David, Cheyanne, and James.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Edmund and Alvina Seidl and her husband, Dennis.

Florian “Doyle” Sellner passed away peacefully at his home in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, on Monday, March 6, 2023, at the age of 79.  He spent his final days surrounded by his family.   A visitation will be held Sunday, March 12, 2023, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Sturm Funeral Home, Sleepy Eye Chapel with Parish Prayers at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at St. Mary’s Catholic Church-North Entrance in Sleepy Eye.

Funeral Mass will be held Monday, March 13, 2023, at 10:30 AM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church with Father Mark Steffl officiating. Interment will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery. Military Honors will be provided by Sleepy Eye Honor Guard. Sturm Funeral Home, Sleepy Eye Chapel is assisting with arrangements. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.

Florian “Doyle” Joseph Sellner was born on August 9, 1943, in Sleepy Eye, MN to Edward and Mathilda “Tillie” (Seidl) Sellner. He was the 12th of 15 children. He attended school District 44 in Leavenworth Township as well as St. Mary’s School until the 10th grade. Doyle served in the Army National Guard from January 13, 1965 to January 12, 1971.

Doyle married Patricia Duscher on September 3, 1966. For 32 years, he worked for A.M.P.I., first hauling milk before working in their warehouse and cold storage facilities as a forklift operator until retirement in 2005. After retirement, he worked many years with his nephew, Eugene, at the Sleepy Eye Car Wash.

Doyle was an avid bowler in Sleepy Eye for 50+ years. He also played softball in Sleepy Eye and New Ulm for many years, retiring from the sport at the age of 50.  He loved the sport of football and his number one team, the Vikings! Doyle collected baseball caps, loved listening to old time polka music, and had a knack for always being right. He could often be found spending time with the guys at Louie’s shop and Hardees. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye.

Generosity came easy to Doyle and he was always willing to lend a helping hand for anyone. Doyle especially loved spending time with his family and friends. He made many sacrifices for his family and was always present with unconditional love. Spending time with his eight grandchildren brought him no greater joy and he made every effort to attend all his grandkids sporting events. Doyle truly was the very best husband, father, and grandfather. Blessed be his memory.

Doyle is survived by his wife, Patricia Sellner; their three children, Lisa (Thomas) Zuhlsdorf, Michael (Teresa) Sellner,  and Jenny Huiras (fiance, Aron Rannow); grandchildren, Jared Zuhlsdorf, Aaron Zuhlsdorf, Collin Huiras, Mikaela Sellner, Christopher Huiras, Taryn Sellner, Courtney Huiras, and Nora Rannow; sisters, Phyllis Westman, Joyce (Gary) Berg, and Beatrice (Tom) Koop; brothers-in-law, Jim Stimpert and Ronald Duscher; and sisters-in-law, Helen Sellner, Sandy Sellner, Sister Marya Duscher, O.S.B., Barbara Holmes, and Joleen Krueger.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters and brothers-in-law, Millie (Lyle) Baker, Leona (Vernon) Platz, Rita (Christ) Seifert, Patricia (Ray) Seifert, Melania (Delmar) Meyer, Mary Ann (Marlin) Rodewald, Rosella Stimpert, and Delbert Westman; brothers and sisters-in-law, Eddie (Bernice) Sellner, Ray Sellner, Paul Sellner and Larry “Louie” Sellner; father and mother-in-law, James and LuVerne Duscher; and brothers and sisters-in-law, Linda (Robert) Reineke, Rick Krueger, Vickie Duscher, and Lori Duscher.

Marian Vesta (Murphy) Pyan, age 94, passed away on February 28th, 2023 at her home.Marian was born November 10, 1928 in Sleepy Eye, MN to Vesta and James Murphy. Her grade and high school years were spent in Sleepy Eye. She met her future husband Doug, through his sister, after he had returned from the Pacific War. They married on a very cold January 22nd, 1948.

With Doug’s job with Hormel, they lived in Austin and Redwood Falls before settling in St Peter in January 1956. They immediately became active in the Church of St Peter and logged many hours of service to the church. Most notably Marian led or co-led the church’s Funeral Luncheon committee for over fifty years, serving about 1000 meals. She also supported the local baseball teams by running concession stands and cheering of course too. Her interests included playing bridge, summer vacations with family and with the Hoffmann family too and reading. She enjoyed visits to casinos with friends, in Minnesota and other states too. Marian was a friend to so many around the city. Perhaps her most cherished personal honor was when she was crowned Queen of St Patrick’s Day in 1996.

Marian is survived by children: Reeny Blank, St Joseph Mn, Steve, Minneapolis, Kate Martin, Wyandotte MI and Dan (Karin) Stewartville, Mn.; 10 Grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; sister Aridis ( Clete ) Shroepher; one sister-in-law; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Doug; son Jeff; sons-in-Law: Ron Blank and Gary Martin; sisters: Ruth, Harriet, and Jean; and brother Dan.

Visitation services are on Sunday March 12th from 3:00-6:00 P.M at the Saint Peter Funeral Home
and a funeral Mass on Monday March 13th at the Church of St Peter at 11:00 AM, with visitation from 10-11 am. To view a complete obituary, leave a condolence or view the service livestream visit her obituary at www.saintpeterfuneralhome.com.

William Leo Zilka, 80, of Sleepy Eye was called home by God on March 3, 2023.

Bill was born on February 1, 1943, in Little Falls, MN, the second of Dorothy and Simon Zilka’s 13 children. He grew up on a farm and in the woods north of Park Rapids, graduating in 1961. He attended NDSU in Fargo for 1.5 years as a physics major and member of the cross country and track teams before joining the Marine Corps in 1964, where he attained the rank of Sergeant. Bill met California native Janet Staveley at Disneyland when he blocked her view of a musical act. She asked him to please move; he obliged by sitting next to her. They married on April 8, 1967, and later moved to Minnesota, eventually settling in Sleepy Eye in February 1969.

A devout Catholic, Bill was a faith-filled member of St. Mary’s and the Knights of Columbus, and a devoted participant in the perpetual adoration of the Eucharist. A self-taught golfer who loved the game, he won eight club championships in Sleepy Eye and served as coach at St. Mary’s throughout the 1980s, helping his players love the game too. He liked trains and farms and trees and food. He enjoyed long conversations. He mugged for the camera. He mispronounced certain words on purpose, like “strawzleberry.” He’d take long drives on new and different routes. He counted down the days until spring. He sang loudly, sometimes with the beat. He sought to see the best in every person he met.

Bill was preceded in death by Jan Zilka, his wife of 55 years, who passed just 50 days earlier, and his brother Steve. He is survived and missed by his children Will (Julie) Zilka, Sandy Zilka, Scott (Karne) Zilka, and Jean (Brian) Yeager; grandchildren Ashley (Jamison) York, Zachary (Jessi) Zilka, Bryana Yeager, Daniel Zilka, and June Zilka; great-grandchildren Jace, Landon, Amaya, Aviyana, and Elliyana; 11 siblings; and countless other family members and friends, including you.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, March 9, from 9:30 to 11:00 AM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church-North Entrance in Sleepy Eye, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial with Father Mark Steffl officiating. The service will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/stmarysleepyeye/live. Interment will be at a later date at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN. A memorial celebration for both Jan and Bill will be held on Sunday, May 21 at the Sleepy Eye Event Center. Sturm Funeral Home, Sleepy Eye Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.

In lieu of memorials, please take a long drive or play a round of golf with Bill in your mind.

Thomas Allyn Jensen, 72, of Mankato and formerly of Sleepy Eye, died March 1, 2023 at his home.

Memorial service will be held 11 a.m., Saturday, March 11, 2023 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 421 N 2nd St, in Mankato with visitation one hour prior to the service. Livestreaming will be available at www.mankatomortuary.com.

Tom enjoyed attending all three children’s sporting events. Those included football, volleyball, basketball, and softball. He ended those many years as Assistant Coach for Carly’s softball team.

Tom was an avid golfer. He rarely missed a Men’s Day in Springfield or New Ulm. He participated in many tournaments with his best friend Phil Runck. They enjoyed their days on various courses and had many stories to tell.

Tom loved his children. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for them. His schedule allowed for dog sitting afternoons, errand running, car fixing, painting, and many others too numerous to list. We all knew we could count on him for any request.

Tom had a quiet faith beginning with his baptism at St. John’s Lutheran of Sleepy Eye. He was confirmed at Grace Lutheran in Sleepy Eye. He served and volunteered on many committees and groups at St. John’s as his children were growing up. He was a current member of Immanuel Lutheran in Mankato where they moved to in May of 2020.

Tom is survived by his wife, Sue; children, Ryan (Rachel Cohen) Gehrke, Erica (Ralf) Swanson, Carly (Robert) Klabunde, and Chris (Jason) Sand; loving sister, Vickie (Larry) Holm; brother, Steven (Joleen) Jensen; sister-in-laws, Michelle (Bruce) Ahlness and Kristine Weilage; brother-in-law, Michael (Connie) Weilage; father and mother-in-law, Richard and Lynda Weilage; and many nieces and nephews. He especially loved and enjoyed his three nephews, Matthew, Willie, and Jacob Holm.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents and mother-in-law, G.G. (Ray) Rothmeier.

We thank all those who prayed for Tom and our family, for Phil and Vickie’s weekly visits, and anyone who sent kindness our way. Though we are heartbroken by his passing we know we will see him again.

The family would like to thank the staff at Mayo Hospice, Mankato for their kind care and support, especially Tom’s aide, Heather.

Blessed be his memory.